Where to live in Asheville (Swannanoa: hair salon, apartments, rental)

[TV N CW]

I am planning to relocate from Austin, Texas to Asheville in January. I am wondering what are the more desired areas of the city to live. Are there "bad" areas of the city or places to stear clear of? Any input is greatly appreciated!

[histo320]

West Asheville seems to be the place to stay away from. East Asheville is full of some great communities Haw Creek, Beverly Hills, Swannanoa, are great places. The only sirens I hear are on 240. Have not heard of any crime since I've been here.

Depending on your money situation, if you have it, look at South Ashville by the Biltmore forest or North Asheville along Town Mountian road. very nice and expensive houses.

[Ghostgecko]

Hey, not to detract...honest! But what about the housing across from the campus...rates seem reasonable, and yet a bit high for just a bedroom! But I have been told they are nice. The Grove, I think? Any thoughts...

Been looking up rooms on CL...

Thanks!

[AshevilleJJ]

I live in east Asheville and I love it. I find south Asheville to be a little too commercial for my taste. If you like funky, west Asheville is your place. Yes there are some bad spots but there is also a great sense of community there too. I really like it over there. North Asheville is beautiful but can be very expensive. Great old houses and nice neighborhoods.

[Asheville Native]

Originally Posted by AshevilleJJ

I live in east Asheville and I love it. I find south Asheville to be a little too commercial for my taste. If you like funky, west Asheville is your place. Yes there are some bad spots but there is also a great sense of community there too. I really like it over there. North Asheville is beautiful but can be very expensive. Great old houses and nice neighborhoods.

East is great, and it is what could be considered a "neighborhood" using both the noun and verb meanings of the word. I lived there for most of my life.

North has a lot of big older homes, and is what I guess would be labeled picturesque but it is not what I would call a neighborhood, but only where you live next to people that are typically not from here. This is not a bias, this is fact, as I now live in north Asheville, and do not have 'neighbors' but only people that live next door. They are all from CA, FL,NY, and NJ, with very few natives or even long term residents.

[etta]

--Montford Neighborhood-- I lived in this neighborhood 3 years ago & loved it! I still sometimes go over there just to go for a walk. There are two community gardens, a park, a community center with a climbing wall, huge neat old houses split into apartments & newer faux historical developments. Single resident houses & Bed & breakfasts are also everywhere. Someone just opened a fancy little Jamaican restaurant in the heart of Montford as well.
--South French Broad road area & west end neighborhood are hit or miss. I would live in this area but I only suggest it for braver folks. Theres a crappy old public pool that I like cause noones ever around & the YWCA there is super nice. Theres a great student acupuncture clinic centrally located in a big old house. Everyone I know that lives in this area have either a burglar alarm or not much a person would want to steal. Its walking distance to downtown.
--I wouldn't bother checking out Shiloh in south asheville & don't live near pisgah view apartments in west asheville!
--West asheville near haywood rd. is actually pretty great. Super neighborhood feel & full of bungalows. Central to this neighborhood is an organic food co op, coffee shops, nifty looking hair salons, laundromats, boutiques, gastro pubs, a record store that rivals all others & the best independant dvd rental place in all of asheville. Most of these great places to walk to have just opened with in the past few years & I'm pretty sure more will come. I guess you could call it an up & coming neighborhood.
--I now live in woodfin/north asheville(just north of unca) & although its really safe, its pretty dull & I haven't even talked to some of my neighbors even though I've lived here for 3 years. There are pretty houses & I'm sure some streets are more lively(in a good way) than others. Being close to botanical gardens is nice & almost anything you could need is not a far distance away.
--Kenilworth neighborhood north of biltmore village is nice historical area but I have no personal experience with it. Its pretty & definitely not scary.
--I never really go to neighborhoods in east asheville but I've never heard of any areas to avoid over there. The public pool at the nature center is huge & you'd be closer to one of the best swimming holes out that way. East asheville is also very convenient to an entrance to the blue ridge parkway which is amazing.

[ACHB LLC.]

North is a great place to move to if you want to be about 10 minutes out of downtown Asheville. Depending on your type of work and what you want access to would help in the decision making. Some people love West Asheville and there is this inner-city community feel there and pretty much ending up just like downtown. Asheville "projects" are contained for the most part. If you need help pinpointing them and their past issues, let me know.

[isugar]

I guess I will be one of those retirees coming from New Jersey, but I am originally from the midwest so I'm much friendlier. What area would be good for a single woman?