Best (Safest) St. Louis City Neighborhoods (Kirkwood, Webster Groves: for sale, rentals, crime)

[kbmb123]

I am moving to St. Louis City from St. Louis County for a job in the next few months. We've been looking at a few different areas in the City, and are keeping our fingers crossed that our son gets selected in the lottery for the Gifted Magnet school in the City. We want to stay within 10-15 driving minutes from the school which is off of South Kingshighway. Our number one concern is finding a safe, kid/family-friendly neighborhood. Our second consideration is finding a house big enough in our price range, around $200k. We currently have a large ranch with big bedrooms. Similar homes in the City seem to be around $300-400k! We like the historic charm and beauty of the Tower Grove/Shaw homes, but are not thrilled with the neighborhood--lots of rentals and not so good crime reports. St. Louis Hills would be great, but they are very expensive for the size we need. Lindenwood Park seems to be the best option so far, but any other ideas on neighborhoods that would have a fenced in yard, 3 bedrooms, 2 car garage, 2 baths, safety, charm and that other good stuff? Also, my husband works in Northwest county and I work downtown. Holly Hills is too far South. Thanks!

[Northwoods Voyager]

Have you tried Shrewsbury, Webster Groves or Kirkwood? I have relatives in these areas and they absolutely love them and are safe and secure in their surroundings.

[STLCardsBlues1989]

I found a house on stltoday.com. It's 3 BR, 2 BA, a small yard, but no fence, and a 2 car garage for $199k, but it's south of Carondelet Park, which you said is too far south.

I'll keep looking.

If you want to look at the pictures of the house anyway STLtoday - For Sale (http://realestate.stltoday.com/RealEstate/Sales/Listing.asp?lid=204-743494 - broken link)

[STLCardsBlues1989]

About 15 minutes from St. Louis (according to Google Maps) and about 5 minutes north of Forest Park.
3 BR, 2 1/2 Bath, 2 car garage, no fence out front but it says it has a Privacy Fence (around the back I'm guessing. You can see it out the window of one of the pictures).
STLtoday - For Sale (http://realestate.stltoday.com/RealEstate/Sales/Listing.asp?lid=129-781903 - broken link)
$177,777 you'll have to ask someone else about the neighborhood, though. I don't know anything about it.

[breer23]

The area around Forest Park is a great place to look, but I'd concentrate west of Skinker if at all possible, especially along Delmar. The area between Skinker and DeBalivere is still up-and-coming along Delmar, and personally, I wouldn't suggest anything east of DeBalivere if north of Forest Park.

You could look at the DeMun area, in Clayton (west of Forest Park, bordered by Skinker (east) and Clayton Rd. (south)) but that might be out of your price range

You also might want to look into the Dogtown area of the city, which is just south of Forest Park, bordered by I-40 (north), Hampton Ave. (east), McCausland (west) and Manchester (south).

Best of luck

[Brickmama]

Take a look at Soulard or Benton Park. Affordable and they are both very nice and safe neighborhoods.

[stltova]

Try Grand Oak Hill (nestled in between arsenal, grand, chippewa). We lived there and it's very safe. The house size may not be big enough, but there are some larger ones. The other areas mentioned above are all good choices. The zip is 63116 and some of the streets are Oleatha, Miami, Fairview, Oak Hill,wyoming, juniata, and more!
Good luck!

[TGS]

Try anything in the 63109 or 63139 area codes. Dogtown, The Hill, and Southampton are very popular with families.

What if your kid doesn't win the lottery for Kennard? Are you willing to consider other magnet schools? There are many good ones, and they do have gifted programs. People also seem very happy with the St. Louis Charter School on Fyler.

[kbmb123]

We've targeted the 63109, 63139 and 63110 ZIPs. Our latest focus has been The Hill, and I have seen some homes in our price range. It seems very quiet, kid-friendly and interesting with all the restaurants, bocce ball gardens, etc.

If our son doesn't make the Kennard lottery, we will probably stay in our Crestwood home as long as possible through the next school year and hope that he can finish the year out there even when we move into the City limits. We shall see!

Thanks for all the advice.

[TGS]

If you move to the Hill, consider sending your kid to St. Ambrose. It is an excellent school with a lot of extracurricular activities and neighborhood support. Sending your son to St. Ambrose would help him meet most of the kids in the neighborhood quickly. There are a lot of kids in the area, but most do not go to the public schools. It is unlikely that your son will meet other neighborhood kids if he goes to Kennard. If you move to another neighborhood, then check out the local Catholic or Lutheran school. I can't think of one in the 63109, 63139, or 63110 zip codes that is bad. They are very much the neighborhood schools for their areas, for both religious and non-religious families.

If you need a public school but don't get into Kennard, there is also a magnet school on the Hill, Shaw. Don't be afraid of jumping fully into city life. Kennard certainly isn't the only good school in the city. Keeping your kid in a county school when you live in the city is going to send a bad message to your kid about moving to the city. We moved our child from a county school to a city school a few years back. It was a big change, but a good change in the end. I wouldn't move back.

Is your kid apprehensive about the move? You could have your son spend a few days at the new school towards the end of this school year. If he meets some friends, then he will be excited about the move. A kid in my daughter's class did that last year (coming from the Clayton school district into a private school) and it was nice for her to walk in on the first day and not be completely friendless. I know that the private schools will do this, but I don't know about the public schools.

Good luck!