safe and good neighborhood to buy house (Minneapolis, St. Paul: crime, houses)

[aasuu]

i recently mooved to MN from oregon. i want to buy a houes in MN. can someone please tell me a safe and good neighborhood to buy house with good resale value. i am looking to buy 4 bed with more than 2 bath houses. i dont really want to live in the suburb due to the distane and i am not used to the snow driving yet. please help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[golfgal]

Where are you working? What is your budget?

[Beenhere4ever]

I'd number the qualifying neighborhoods in the dozens. The ones that don't are a much smaller number, but if you read the Star Tribune headlines, you don't want to end up there. Unfortunately, public safety stats as published only point indirectly at things one needs to know. People who are dedicated to a neighborhood will minimize the danger, but those who care about safety know there are too many good options to jump at a "bargain" house price that is in the middle of a trouble zone. I wish the police would publish the number of times their shot detectors tell them someone fired a gun. There might not be an arrest or chargeable crime, but who wants their kids to grow up listening to illegal guns going off?

Never had to contend with that in the 50's. People were more unified about not wanting millions of guns out there.

[northsub]

Originally Posted by Beenhere4ever

I'd number the qualifying neighborhoods in the dozens. The ones that don't are a much smaller number, but if you read the Star Tribune headlines, you don't want to end up there. Unfortunately, public safety stats as published only point indirectly at things one needs to know. People who are dedicated to a neighborhood will minimize the danger, but those who care about safety know there are too many good options to jump at a "bargain" house price that is in the middle of a trouble zone. I wish the police would publish the number of times their shot detectors tell them someone fired a gun. There might not be an arrest or chargeable crime, but who wants their kids to grow up listening to illegal guns going off?

Never had to contend with that in the 50's. People were more unified about not wanting millions of guns out there.

It's not the number, but the Minneapolis police department puts out a weekly sound of shots fired map:
Shots Fired Maps - City of Minneapolis

[Beenhere4ever]

Originally Posted by northsub

It's not the number, but the Minneapolis police department puts out a weekly sound of shots fired map:
Shots Fired Maps - City of Minneapolis

If you flip through a few, there's a certain "consistency" that becomes obvious. You have to be pretty poor and desperate to choose those locations for a place to reside. I can't count the number of times people have come out and said "enough is enough". And it never is. The vigilantes never seem to be anywhere around when the gunfire starts. So the whole claim that an armed society is a polite society is suspect. We have parts of Minneapolis that are both very armed and very impolite. Seems like every few incidents, a toddler dies. You know that toddler wasn't anything but unlucky to be in proximity when these punks start playing Wild West. So, my tendency is to say, don't assume law enforcement will shut this down. The supply channel is loaded with so many firearms the punks will be able to steal something or sell a drug and find a black market where they can get their gun.

[MichaelItman]

Welcome to Minnesota! Hope you love it!

There are lots of great neighborhoods in the cities (Minneapolis or St. Paul) and it really depends on the two things that Golf Gal hits on - where you work (closer to Mpls or St. Paul?) and your budget. And what are you looking for in a city neighborhood? Schools important? Walkable to parks, coffee houses, libraries, etc? Or just safety as your sole priority?

The police reports are a great place to get a sense of which neighborhoods to rule out. After that, I'd recommend getting prequalified for a house (so you know what you can afford to buy) and then start looking. If you find a house you love, come back to it at night & walk around and see if you feel comfortable. Once you rule out the seriously unsafe neighborhoods, a lot of it comes down to whether you'd feel comfortable walking outside at night.

Let me know if I can be of further assistance!

Michael

[yakimono]

I'll believe this is a real/authentic request when the OP follows up with some additional info...

[jben]

Originally Posted by northsub

It's not the number, but the Minneapolis police department puts out a weekly sound of shots fired map:
Shots Fired Maps - City of Minneapolis

This map is very detailed and helpful. I have looked and not found anything for St. Paul. If anyone knows if St. Paul publish something like this as well please share the link.

[Beenhere4ever]

I don't think they do. St Paul shows sections that are higher or lower in crime categories. They don't show precise numbers for a week. You can look at the charts and figure out where the most criminal activity tends to be. And that is in the far eastern portion and along University.