Neighborhood Advice for a Soon-to-be Resident (Young Professional) (Franklin, Hendersonville: apartment complex, to rent)

[kristen0886]

Hi everyone! I know y'all get hundreds of relocation questions, so I apologize for being another one to ask this, but I could really use some advice on neighborhoods as I look to relocate to Nashville in the next month or so. I've been planning a move (from Raleigh, NC) for some time and I've read a lot about the different neighborhoods & "areas" but can't quite get a feel for what they're like and where to start. What would you all say are some of the best for a 24-yr old single girl? I'm looking to rent, and need something safe (living by myself), relatively affordable (Hillsboro Village is really appealing, but might be out of my price range), something with other young people, and I like the idea of being close to the city, or at least close enough where you can feel plugged into the community there. I also have questions about two specific neighborhoods?:

- Bellevue: I have a friend who lives there now and likes it, but it looks kind of far out of the city to me. Is it in the suburbs or do a lot of young pros live here? Is it relatively affordable?

- Gallatin: I'm looking at a job in Gallatin right now, which I know is about 30 minutes NE of Nashville. I want to live in Nashville and commute, but I would like to cut down the commute as much as possible(Bellevue is too far). It seems like many of the good neighborhoods I've heard of are in the SW part of town, but are there good, safe neighborhoods on the north or east side of the city (I was under the impression that parts of those areas could get shadier)?

Again, sorry to add the relocation clutter, but thanks for the help! I'm really excited about hopefully joining y'all soon, but it's definitely a lot to figure out. I really appreciate the advice!

[shinestx]

I think it depends on how serious you are about the job in Gallatin, as I would not want to commute from Bellevue to Gallatin everyday. I mean, if you feel like Bellevue is a good place for you, then either look for another place to work, or look at some locations around Hendersonville. There is a new apartment complex on Indian Lake Blvd, near the "Streets of Indian Lake" shopping center. But I wouldn't recommend either Bellevue or Hendersonville for single/young people. If you plan to live alone, I'd be careful about the crime rate. I'd also look into getting a roommate, and that may enable you to boost your budget for a place closer to Hillsboro/West End/Green Hills, or even some of the other "dicier" areas you mentioned. Actually, there is a growing group of young professionals who have chosen to live in the apartments that have popped up all over Franklin and Brentwood, and even Nippers Corner areas. Once again, I wouldn't recommend those areas if you work in Gallatin.

Good luck.

[DonCorleone]

Agreed that the Bellevue to Gallatin commute would be a pain everyday. If the Gallatin job is nearly a sure thing, I'd definitely consider living on the north side of town to make that commute much easier.

However, I disagree that neither Bellevue or Hendersonville would be good for a single person to live. While they may not offer the nightlife of Hillsboro Village or The Gulch, I think both areas are perfectly fine for young single professionals to live so long as you understand the areas. Both Bellevue and Hendersonville are suburbs, however you'll find a lot of singles living in both areas, especially Bellevue. I've lived in condos and apartments in the Hendersonville area and have had many single neighbors. It's a good mix of singles and small families in most of the complexes. Do keep in mind that what you gain in parks, recreation, quiet areas in Hendersonville you lose some "fun" stuff that a young single woman might enjoy like hip nightlife spots. Still, Nashville's just a short drive away (30 minutes or so) for that kind of thing. To me, living as a single person in Hendersonville is no different than being in Brentwood or Franklin or even Bellevue.

If I were single and working in Gallatin, I'd definitely look at Hendersonville and Goodlettsville. Plenty of apartments, convenient to shopping, restaurants, and an easy commute to both Nashville and Gallatin. If the commute to Gallatin isn't a big concern for you, I'd look to Hillsboro Village, Green Hills (especially around Lipscomb Univ), or maybe The Gulch (probably pricey though).

Good luck and let us know if we can help further.

[airen123]

Hi, I just recently moved myself! I'm a 27 year old female, and still very much enjoy the nightlife.
If you can't find something affordable and safe in East Nashville, check out the Stewart's Ferry Pike area, it's safe and affordable and much more east of Nashville, and 10-15 minutes to downtown for the fun nightlife. Two neighborhoods to look at are Harborview and Woodland Pointe.
Apartments in Woodland Point, Polo Park, and the Trails. Just google them.
Traffic going east in Nashville is always awful at rush times. For some reason, it's better in all other directions but that one. Just a good rule of thumb.

[mcredux]

Look at:
- Green Hills
- 12 South Area
- Belmont Area
- Sylvan Park

Between those you can find something close in and affordable.

[boingolover]

Inglewood might be another option. It's in the northeast part of town, generally more appealing than Madison and overall safer than 37206, but there are still some sketchy parts here and there. But it's a lot more fun than Bellevue, Hendersonville etc, and would be fairly convenient to Gallatin, and still pretty close to downtown. There are no apartment complexes you'd want to rent from in Inglewood, though, so you'd probably want to find a house to rent.

[kristen0886]

Thanks, everyone! This is so helpful.

I agree that the Bellevue to Gallatin commute is way too far. It's actually not my top choice, but there would be the potential to live with my friend who lives there, which is why I asked specifically about Bellevue. I have some concerns about that situation anyway, and I don't mind living by myself, especially if I was working in Gallatin. I'm used to about a 30 minute commute, so that's no big deal, but Bellevue is a little much. I was hoping I could cut off some driving time by living in the Northeast side of the city. I've heard of Inglewood and really like the location! I also like the idea of the 12 South/Belmont location to downtown...are there any apt complex recommendations for there?

Are there any other good neighborhoods in East Nashville? Any roads, zip codes etc. to completely avoid? With my limited budget, cheap places are attractive, but safety is a top priority.

Thanks again ya'll!

[goodman2]

You could try the Bellshire neighborhood in the Northeastern part of East Nashville 37207 like Mulberry Downs for example which is a intersting and pretty safe one where you could get to downtown easily in just 13 minutes and be near Madison and Goodlettsville too.

Also there is other neighborhoods in East Nashville too you might like but you must be sure they are safe since I honestly don't know for sure but there is Parkwood off of Ewing Drive just off Dickerson Pike,then there is also Jones Avenue,and then there is Cleveland Park but all have some good housing though.

[aaronmidnight]

I don't think that 12 South/Belmont really has any big apartment complexes - nothing like the Bellevue complexes, as far as I know. But you could do a Craigslist search and see if anyone is renting out a condo or townhome.

I haven't been to Hendersonville, but have heard it's nice and would certainly be convenient to Gallatin.

My wife and I really like living in Bellevue, but we are in our mid-30s. It's peaceful, green and offers relatively easy access to downtown and other nightlife areas (~20 minutes).

But if you want to be in the heart of the action, you might want something closer to downtown.

Also, it could help if you mention your apartment budget and what types of things you like to do. For example, if you like malls, movie theaters, Cheesecake Factory, great library, etc. then Green Hills would be a good choice. On the other hand, if you feel comfortable hanging with hipsters, going to coffee shops and bistros and want access to bars and a great park (Shelby Bottoms), then East Nashville might be more your thing.

I am stereotyping wildly ;-)

But there is a grain of truth to those stereotypes. The Gulch is one of the most urban feeling areas with high-rise condos, trendy restaurants plus one of the best bluegrass & country music clubs in Nashville - the Station Inn.

12 South is also trendy, a bit less pricey than the Gulch, more low-rise. Feels more like parts of Portland, OR.

Hillsboro Village has a collegiate feel and seems very safe to me. You'd have lots of college kids (and med school / professional school kids) around, plus Vandy police patrols nearby. That could be your best if you could afford it. There's an apartment complex on 21st Ave South just south of Hillsboro Village that I think is supposed to be nice. Could be perfect for you - Century Hillsboro Village Apartment Homes - Home

[kristen0886]

Y'all are awesome! Thanks for the great advice.

As for your question, aaronmidnight, I typically like walkable downtown areas with good local places (from what I've heard, Hillsboro Village is a great place for that) but it doesn't have to be the trendiest area of town. I'm definitely not into the hipster scene, but I do love having access to places that give a city character...I get tired of big box stores etc. As far as budget, it will depend some on salary, but I'd like to shoot for the $600 a month range. I know in Raleigh that gets you a cheap, older but safe/decent apartment if you look hard enough. Not sure what the rent prices are like in Nashville (though I hear the cost of living is great!).

While I'd love to be in the "heart of it all", sometimes it's worth making sacrifices to do what you love to do, and living a little farther from downtown is a small one in the long run (I'd love to be in the 15 minutes away range - enough where it's easy to get down there for dinner etc.) There's always the option to move in a year once I know the area better. For now, it's just helpful to get a sense of neighborhoods & where might be safe (it's always appealing to see a listing for $450/month, but you get what you pay for!). I'll have to look into Hendersonville and the places you mentioned, goodman (looks like a great location!)

This is seriously a huge help. Thanks for the advice & keep it coming!