Mountain_Bill5743 t1_j1y9ccp wrote on December 28, 2022 at 7:37 AM

Hey OP, a lot of the neighborhoods mentioned here are a mixed bag depending on the street and preferences-- like I assume you mean South on Fricker but not North on Fricker from the schools. Considering your current neighborhood you hated, I would strongly recommend you do not buy as your next move since finding the right neighborhood right now feels like guesswork(I'm going to assume you're new to the area). I've seen people come on here and complain because they have a mortgage in a neighborhood they hate.

I would also recommend you avoid Smith Hill, the west end might still give you anxiety still due to this experience, and South Providence. Don't get me wrong, these are fine neighborhoods but its not a guarantee you will be happy if you dislike the area you are currently in and they can vary a lot within the neighborhood. If you do choose one of these neighborhoods, I would spend time there to get a vibe of whether it is for you or not since you have so long to keep browsing.

Elmhurst and the East Side or surrounding towns are probably the best bet, but if you're testing to buy then Elmhurst is most likely to still be in budget along with areas like EP.

I also have to wonder if you have a more expensive car given the damages you quoted (but I realize they might have just done some bizarre/expensive stuff). I will say that in some neighborhoods an expensive or new car doesn't blend in well and might be targeted more. For example, a Tesla or a BMW residential parking on the west end would stick out, but on the East side is ultra common.

Tordek_Battlebeard t1_j1yy5cs wrote on December 28, 2022 at 1:03 PM

In the attempted thefts they ripped out the steering column to try hotwiring it. Not an expensive car, I'd but be broke without insurance... Thanks for all the info, much appreciated!

Mountain_Bill5743 t1_j1zy76d wrote on December 28, 2022 at 5:35 PM

That sucks. I have been here for about a decade and it'a a huge benefit knowing many areas of the city super well. That being said, there are still entire neighborhoods I don't know very well at all. I suggest you rent somewhere that you can afford a mortgage so that you can vet whether this is a place you's want to make a 10+ year commitment. Research everything from the schools (if you plan on having kids know what route you want to go), to the traffic patterns, any pollution you might want to know about, etc. There's a lot of subtle stuff it's good to know about going into it.