Looking for a good place to rent... (Hoover, Trussville: apartment complexes, rentals)

[discojo]

I've done quite a bit of research, and I've mostly been looking at Hoover, Gardendale & Trussville, but I'm hoping to get a little more advice.

We're not concerned with commute, schools, nightlife, restaurants, shopping, etc. We want access to a good library system though. Is there a big difference between Jefferson & Shelby county libraries? Where we currently live, its a huge library system and they make it easy to get what you need by delivering to your closest branch. We'd also like to find a nice Southern Baptist church to attend.

Our top priority is a QUIET neighborhood (noise from commerce, traffic, trains, etc is fine, neighbors playing loud music on the other hand will be my villain origin story). I'd love space between houses (preferably filled with trees), somewhat private backyard. Low crime is also priority, but I think that often comes with quiet neighborhoods. Our budget is about $2000 to $2500 for a 4 bedroom.

We found a rental in a neighborhood just south of Grandview Medical Center. Is this a bad area? There's quite a few apartment complexes nearby, but the house itself is on a wooded, sparsely populated road.

We also found some rentals on the western side of Hoover that we are considering, but its a more traditional neighborhood with houses closer together.

[OldBankhead]

The bigger, more spaced out properties in that price range will probably be easier to find in Gardendale or Fultondale.

I can't think of a bad area anywhere around Grandview.

West Hooover probably means an older home but bigger lot, but still like you say, closer together. Still a nice area that ticks all the boxes you list..

[bfmx1]

The area south of Grandview is your best bet.. Especially if you're looking for good SBC churches. Safe, quiet enough in the residential areas, close enough to things, and proximity to the best library systems in the area I would imagine although library ranking is not my forte.

Trussville/springville would be somewhere else I would look.

[BamaDave]

Originally Posted by discojo

I've done quite a bit of research, and I've mostly been looking at Hoover, Gardendale & Trussville, but I'm hoping to get a little more advice.

We're not concerned with commute, schools, nightlife, restaurants, shopping, etc. We want access to a good library system though. Is there a big difference between Jefferson & Shelby county libraries? Where we currently live, its a huge library system and they make it easy to get what you need by delivering to your closest branch. We'd also like to find a nice Southern Baptist church to attend.

Gardendale has an enormous Southern Baptist Church, easily visible from I-65 and with a huge white cross right at the edge. The library is decent but not as good as the ones in the higher end suburbs. G'dale can be pretty cliquish, as there are quite a few families who have been there for more than one generation, and this includes the churches. It also lacks a number of amenities of the Over-the-Mountain suburbs, but since those don't really matter to you, then it's probably an affordable option.

[tacosman]

So I'm confused why are you renting and not buying? Are you only going to be here for a short time or something?

Because with a monthly budget of 2000-2500 you can probably get a better place if you buy now(even with interest rates much higher than they were a couple years ago) than if you rent.