JenCLT

My street is in the Starmount neighborhood in South Charlotte. We moved here two years ago because it was one of the only safe places we could afford near the city. Now it's really the only affordable place, but that's changing quickly. One of the coolest new things is the light rail stop, just a three block walk away. Any residence (even tiny condos) near a light rail stop in Charlotte is $300,000 plus, but you can still find a great house here for less than $200,000.

Some of the pros: Most streets have sidewalks, Starmount Pre-K is within walking distance from many homes in the neighborhood, and the best Mexican restaurant in the city is in walking distance as well. Commute time from Starmount to Uptown is 15 minutes with no traffic in a car, 10 via light rail. Easy, fast access to I-485 and I-77. Many residents have lived here since the houses were built in the 70s.

And the cons: Many houses in the neighborhood are rentals and rental tenants don't always keep their yards as nice as the owners in the neighborhood. There is a low turnover rate, so houses don't go on the market very often. It can take months to find a house here.