Safe Neighborhoods? How can you tell?
 

My wife and I are looking to buy our first house. Coming from Texas, we find the salaries in Shreveport to be significantly less while the price of homes are significantly higher. The police department webpage sucks. You have to navigate two different pages to find crime in a particular neighborhood, and there's no map of crime statistics. Is there a way to look up crime reported on specific streets?

We're still kinda new to the area and know nothing of good neighborhoods. Of course everyone says we should buy a house in Broadmoor, but even the most run-down house is far out of our price range. South Highlands is 45 minutes from work.

HELP!

Move to South Bossier and sleep well at night ! Good people and good schools and low crime.

45 minutes from South Highlands? Where are you working, Ruston? I live in Spring Lake, work downtown, and it takes me 11 minutes door-to-door.

If Broadmoor is out of your price range then you're going to be hard-pressed to find a "safe" neighborhood. Shreveport actually has some of the most reasonable housing prices in the region.

You might try looking into some of the more rural parts of South Shreveport, I-49 and the loops make them relatively convenient.

+1.

BUT, you might try university which is near youree and broadmoor, south broadmoor which is across youree, town south, university south, etc.... There are several townhome communities near LSUS. Best bet is to talk to a realtor. I can't stand most of them, but if you're coming from out of town, you may be at there mercy.

My parents bought a 1,700 sq ft brick home in Plano, Texas for $130,000. Plano is a very safe suburb of Dallas, 300,000 people, and an average of four murders per year and some of the best schools in the country.

Then my parents moved to Broadmoor, bought a 1800 sq ft home with siding for $175,000, the schools aren't nearly as good and the crime is far above the national average.

It's not competitive at all. Suburbs of Houston are the same way. More house, safer, better price.

Southern Hills drive on a Saturday to Line and I-20 took about half an hour. I have no idea how long it would take in traffic. Maybe I could take a different route?

We're looking at some houses near the corner of Line and College Street on College. We've driven through the neighborhood several times at different hours of the day/night. It seems to be safe, but I have no idea how to tell other than the outward appearance of homes and the kind of people hanging out in the street at night.

Matty first off, I thought you were a girl! It's wierd to think I [sort of] know someone's personality only to find out that she's a he! LOL Damn glad to meet you there dude! :D

Now for your question. Maybe try this Caddo 911 link:
http://ias.ecc.caddo911.com/ActiveEvents.asp

It shows all the active emergencies in town in realtime, sort of like the old days when guys would run around with police scanners to keep up with what's going on. It shows the street and the nature of the emergency. Today Pines and Henry seems to be bad places to live. (assault, theft, etc.)

Line @ College borders on the ghetto.

College Street itself is still OK, but a block or two in any direction other than South puts you in the hood.

Here's a few "out of the box" ideas: (mostly for entertainment purposes only)

Idea #1: Stand on the corner and call the cops. If they show up in 5 min or less, you are in a high crime area. If it takes them 45 minutes to get there, then that area is probably safe.

Idea #2: Stand on the corner and dress like a drug dealer. If customers show up, then you are in a bad area. If people all stare at you funny, then that area is probably safe.

Idea #3: Put some old expired credit cards inside of an old wallet and put your name and phone number inside and then leave it on the sidewalk. If you never see the wallet again, then you might be in a bad area. But if someone returns your wallet, then that area is probably safe.

Idea #4: Look at all the pets in the neighborhood. If they are poodles and terriers, then that area is probably safe. If they are pit bulls and rottweilers, or a bunch of roosters running around the yard, then you might be in a bad area.

Idea #5: Ask the member on this board where they live. If you live near Joepole, you are probably in a safe area. If you live next door to Chitlin, you might think twice.

Idea #6: If there are bars on all the windows in the area, that's a good sign you are in a bad area.

Idea #7: If your zipcode is 71666, I'd worry

Idea #8: Be sure to check out the sex offender database:
http://www.registeredsexoffender.org...na/Shreveport/

Good Luck!!

In South Bossier try Golden Meadows, Sun City, Shady Grove and Bellaire...great schools and safe!! I think the prices are in the range you were seeking as well. Good luck!

Idea #5: Ask the member on this board where they live. If you live near Joepole, you are probably in a safe area. If you live next door to Chitlin, you might think twice.


I don't got no crime at my house, I have two Rockwalls and a Pit bull. I also shoot folks who come around.

They's several houses on my street vacant, but the ain't got no doors or windows.

I am a loan officer at Aulds Horne and White, you are more than welcome to give me a call at the office, and I will try to steer you in the right direction...

MattyMattyChooChoo - good luck. I only drop in town when visiting my Mom but Line and College seem to be an area of transition - which direct I'm not sure.

After all these years away from Shreveport my wife still has this belief that she can drive and reach any destination in 15 minutes. That said, in this town, she often comes pretty close - I don't ask her how - I don't want to know.

A good list, but you forgot to mention that if there are shoes hanging on power lines, it's a bad area.

...and offer you a complimentary breakfast for two if you attend my half hour real estate presentation.

I have a friend who lives in Shady Grove. Seems nice enough, and in the price range our friend is looking for.