Historic Neighborhoods with Charm! (Franklin, Germantown: apartment complexes, rentals, lofts) - Nashville - Tennessee (TN) - City-Data Forum

sparkle262 · 09-09-2012, 09:19 PM

Hi!
My fiance and I are moving to Nashville from Raleigh the first week of October.

I love the idea of a historic neighborhood, old streets lined with bungalows or cottages, etc, and an off-beat appeal; something not exactly low-key but still safe and friendly.
Is this too broad a statement, or too general - does this kind of neighborhood exist? I have the last two weeks of September to go and do some serious house-hunting the last week of this month; so far my research has been online only. From what I can tell, the neighborhood(s)/area that would provide what I hope to find is East Nashville - I have no idea as I have only been to Nashville once in my life (for two days), so we are definitely taking a huge leap here.

We have no children and are both in our very low 30's, still love the nightlife and appreciate what the daytime can offer as well, and are hoping to find a nice niche wherever we land in Nashville.

Any neighborhoods worth a visit? Any suggestions appreciated. Streets/areas/local resources would be great - I want to see as much as possible! Thanks!

Edgefield D · 09-10-2012, 06:02 AM

I'm not sure what your budget is....but yes, this sounds like East Nashville. I would start looking in Lockeland Springs and go out from there. East Nashville is a very large area. Some areas are safer than others. Lockeland Springs is one of the biggest East Nashville neighborhoods and has probably been gentrified the most. I live in Edgefield (which is between Lockeland Springs and downtown) it's a smaller area...but nice as well. A good resource would be www.realtracs.com

East Nashville is area 6 when you search. Some other areas might be 12 South, Belmont, Hillsboro Village. They are pricier (for the most part) than East Nashville. Germantown would also be a good place to look.

If you find anything and have specific questions, feel free to ask.

Good Luck !

ariesjow · 09-10-2012, 11:33 AM

I will second East Nashville because of the sheer number of neighborhoods that would probably fit your description and the great sense of community. Lockeland Springs, East End, Edgefield, Eastwood Neighbors, Inglewood, or Greenwood are some of the East Nashville 'hoods you should check out. There are lots of coffee shops and restaurants scattered throughout in Five Points and along streets like Woodland, Eastland and Riverside Drive.

On the west side, check out Sylvan Heights and Historic West Town/the Nations. These are adjacent to Sylvan Park (a popular but somewhat pricey historic neighborhood you should also consider). These areas are getting the spillover from Sylvan Park but are still affordable and appreciating. They still have that off beat vibe and are starting to turn the corner quickly as more people discover them.

On the south side, 12South,Melrose, Hillsboro-West End, and Belmont areas all sound like they may be your cup of tea. These areas all command fairly high price points, but it's easy to see why they are so desirable once you explore them. Wedgewood-Houston seems to be one of the up-and-coming areas on the south side if you're a bit of an urban pioneer & want to be near 12th, 8th and Midtown. On the north side, Germantown and Salemtown are very charming, historic areas close to the Farmer's Market with the former also being pretty pricey as well. Hope Gardens may be an option too but, again, you would need to be a bit of an urban pioneer.

Definitely check out as many of these areas as you can so you can get a feel for how they vary. We don't have a ton of historic neighborhoods like some places, but you will generally find most of the ones here to be well kept. You may want to consider renting for at least half a year so you get a feel for the metro and the various neighborhoods. Do you know where you and your fiance will be working? That will definitely impact your decisions. Best of luck and let us know if you have any more questions.

GWoodle · 09-10-2012, 07:38 PM

As Nashville gets into the holiday season, you can also check out the many historic mansions. Many, like Belle Meade, put on a special holiday display. Between the Hermitage, Belmont, Cheekwood & the Franklin estates you have plenty to choose from.

sparkle262 · 09-19-2012, 02:55 PM

Thank You to those who responded! The fiance and I are leaving this Sunday for Nashville and will have about 4-5 days for nothing but 'surveying' the scene and checking out neighborhoods. I will definitely make a point to check out the above mentioned.

One thing I forgot to ask before: other than houses, are any apartment complexes or town-homes worth a trip? The draw-back to that style of living, for me, is the lack of originality. However; depending on what we find, we may end up in an apartment after all. Often times (in my experience) many apartment complexes are mostly populated by younger 20's and college students who can be a bit rowdy - I am not in that place anymore so I was definitely trying to avoid such a scene. Any suggestions on apartments, or areas that offer a wide variety of types of living? (apartments/condos/townhomes) Thanks you all so much! I'll come back with an update.

vivelafrance · 09-19-2012, 03:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sparkle262

Thank You to those who responded! The fiance and I are leaving this Sunday for Nashville and will have about 4-5 days for nothing but 'surveying' the scene and checking out neighborhoods. I will definitely make a point to check out the above mentioned.

One thing I forgot to ask before: other than houses, are any apartment complexes or town-homes worth a trip? The draw-back to that style of living, for me, is the lack of originality. However; depending on what we find, we may end up in an apartment after all. Often times (in my experience) many apartment complexes are mostly populated by younger 20's and college students who can be a bit rowdy - I am not in that place anymore so I was definitely trying to avoid such a scene. Any suggestions on apartments, or areas that offer a wide variety of types of living? (apartments/condos/townhomes) Thanks you all so much! I'll come back with an update.

Germantown/Salwemtown has a lot of housing variety in a small area. You have single families, row houses, condos, and loft apartments. A lot will depend on your budget but I would check out Wertham Lofts and Vista Germantown.

Here's some options just from a quick search on Craigslist...
1BR Werthan Mills Loft
Werthan Lofts Rental
CONCRETE FLOORS WITH 12' CEILINGS & PRIVATE ENTRY WITH PATIO
Great Renovated Germantown Cottage

***Beware of anything priced below 1k per month labeled as "Germantown" or "Salemtown" as they are probably NOT. You pretty much would want to be in the area south of Coffee and east of Rosa Parks. 4th, 5th, and 6th Avenues generally have the nicest homes.

Edgefield D · 09-20-2012, 06:20 AM

As far as East Nashville....I would avoid pretty much all of the apartment "complexes". Most of the older rentals will be big houses divided into apartments or older apartment buildings...or just single family homes. There are some newer condos that you can find for rent and that would be fine. As far as the 20 something college student types...you would find them more in the areas around Vandy and Belmont.

I think it's great that you will be able to come for a visit and 4-5 days should give you enough time to get a feel for neighborhoods. We can give you all sorts of advice, but it will really depend on which area feels right for you.

Good Luck with your trip and let us know if you have additional questions.

cyclesusie · 10-13-2012, 07:38 PM

I have moved from San Francisco to Nashville and looking to buy a house. I have found that every house I see on RealTracs is in contract before I can even look at it. Any suggestions on how to get in on remodel of historic cottage or new house build in East Nashville? My budget is $300,000 to $400,000. Love the neighborhood.

BirdieBelle · 10-13-2012, 07:56 PM

It's that way here in Brentwood too. Some houses will have 3 and 4 offers the first day. The problem with historic neighborhoods in Nashville is that they are so few, so demand is very high.

Your best bet is to get a buyer's agent who has lived here for years and really knows your target area. They usually know who is planning to sell soon.

That's how we got our house. Just from knowing people in the neighborhood and selling many homes in the area, our agent knew the previous owners of our house were prepping to sell. We got to tour it and made an offer that day. The sellers appreciated not having to go through the whole listing/showing process.

Edgefield D · 10-14-2012, 06:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cyclesusie

I have moved from San Francisco to Nashville and looking to buy a house. I have found that every house I see on RealTracs is in contract before I can even look at it. Any suggestions on how to get in on remodel of historic cottage or new house build in East Nashville? My budget is $300,000 to $400,000. Love the neighborhood.

I'll agree with Wmsn on trying to find an agent familiar with the area. I knew houses were selling pretty fast...but didn't realize they were selling that fast. I do see new ones come on the market regularly (that may slow down as winter approaches). I've also seen several houses that are in the midst of a rehab. If I were you, when you are driving around and see one being worked on that you like...you could ask whomever is working on it, if it's going to be sold. That might give you a foot in the door (pun intended). It's a great area, not only because it's historic....but because you can walk and bike to so many things and it's really convenient. I guess all of those things play a factor in demand.

Good Luck!