Pride of ownership in Jax's bad neighborhoods

[Pedro Duarte]

I did post this question before through the app but didn't get a chance to tag Jacksonville, so I'd like to post it here now hoping to get different opinions on this. 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!

[Lesley Resnick]

Quote from @Pedro Duarte:

I did post this question before through the app but didn't get a chance to tag Jacksonville, so I'd like to post it here now hoping to get different opinions on this. 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 is like any other American City.  There are A-F neighborhoods here.  To try to create a monolithic view of the city would be a mistake, it is the largest city by landmass.  There is great variability even among streets in the same neighborhood.  I have tenants in PP that have legitimately decorated their rentals, on a budget.  I had a tenant in the same neighborhood, well use your imagination, they were not fit to live with pigs.

While I can not quantify, the overall vibe of the city is positive, excited and growing.  Sadly, we are losing the sleepy little town feel.  There is new construction everywhere and companies are moving here with jobs.  The Jacksonville of my childhood is almost unrecognizable.