Should you believe online neighborhood reviews?

[Pedro Duarte]

I'm looking at properties to invest in Jacksonville, FL and have been researching its neighborhoods online because I'm in New Jersey. I looked up several websites with reviews of the best and worst neighborhoods and have read info in BP and other online forums about them. Yet, when I research those "bad" areas through Google Maps, I see pride of ownership with many well cared for building structures and landscaping. Even though there may be a higher number of crimes, it still seems to me like a neighborhood I won't have so much trouble with if I buy a rental property in it. I'm in Jersey and bad areas here have buildings with either broken or boarded up doors and windows, graffiti, trash, loitering, etc. This doesn't seem to be the case with the "bad" neighborhoods of Jacksonville, FL. Can anyone shed some light on this? Thanks!

@Jacksonville, FL