Moving to Ft. Bragg area....what's a Good Neighborhood??

A.,

Our neighborhood is nice once you get farther back from George Owen

Its called Meadow Brook and is near the Hope Mills Road and George Owen intersection.

The homes are nice and there are neighborhood kids that play together.

We are about 15-20 minutes from the All American Gate and live closer to Hope Mills even though our address is Fayetteville

I have lived in various locales in the Nation and think that our neighborhood is fairly removed from high crime.

We live in the Grays Creek school district (close to Hope Mills, east of I-95). The Jack Britt district is the best, and while I think Southview is okay, I would not say it is better than Grays Creek. It takes us about 30-40 minutes to get to post, but it hasn't bothered us. Knowing what I now know about Fayetteville (I worked in the criminal justice/mental health field), I wouldn't live anywhere else. We also have many military neighbors. While NONE of the schools here are great, definitely avoide Hoke Co, and even Harnett Co (which would be north of post).

I agree with avoiding the Murchison Rd/Bragg Blvd area, they are heavy drug areas. Other school districts to avoid: EE Smith and Douglas Byrd. Kinda rough with gangs in the high schools (and middle schools, unfortunately).

A realtor can help you with finding a place in a certain school district. If you are looking to rent, try searching for rental property agencies in the area, they can show you places in districts of your choice.

A.,
You're move is just around the corner! Let me be one of the first to welcome you to the area. What you've heard is true, so I'd stay away from the downtown area and anywhere off of Bragg Blvd. Many families end up in Spring Lake, Raeford or Hope Mills. All these areas mean a commute of at least 20 minutes for your husband (that doesn't count waiting time at the gates). Post housing isn't the best we've had, but it's comfortable. Depending on your hubby's rank (officer or enlisted) you can end up in pretty nice quarters with a garage. In fact, much of the housing has been renovated and extended in the past few years! It's safe, close to work (which means he comes home for lunch), and the elementary schools are way better than any you'll find in Fayetteville. I speak from experience! Also, you'll be around other Army wives. The post can sustain itself not just because of it's size, but it offers shopping and extras like bowling alleys, an ice rink and sports bar to name a few. You can be put up in lodging while housing becomes available. Eastover is a very nice area. If money isn't an issue, check it out. Wherever you decide to live in the surrounding area, please make sure to get a security system installed. FYI, you can get a discount with ADT if you're a USAA member. Hope this helps, and have fun with the move!!

Areas to avoid: Murchison Rd. and Bragg Blvd.

The Haymount district is nice, it's the historic part of Fayetteville.
Also, north of Country Club off of Ramsey Street is pretty nice.
We live in Hope Mills, which is great if you don't mind the 40+ minute drive to post.
We have several friends that live in Hoke County/Raeford, but the downside there is that the schools aren't that great.
North of Spring Lake, in Harnett County is nice, too. My hubby and I agree that if we ever move back here again, we would probably try to find something up in that direction...especially since it significantly shortens the trip to Raleigh.
The other place we would consider living is over in the Aberdeen/Southern Pines area (going out the back gate it's about a 30 minute drive). It's really beautiful over there and not so heavily influenced by the military.

I hope this helps. I know that most of the areas are really spread out, but living close to post is really just not worth the convenience, in my opinion...too much gang activity and other foolishness.

There are definitely some areas of which you should probably stay clear. It also depends how far away from base you want to live. I don't know of all the areas around here, but the Hope Mills area is nice (though a bit farther away). I live in Cottonade which is right next to the base. Surprisingly enough, my area is very quiet and relatively safe, most of its occupants being retired military.
My advice would be to also visit potential homes later in the evening to give you a better idea of what the neighborhoods are like after hours.
Good luck house hunting and I hope you find something nice.

Hi A.,

I PCSed in about a year and half ago and was told that the best place to buy houses was in either the Southview or Jack Brit school districts, they are apparently the two best in the area. I can't speak to that personally because my kids are too young for school yet. The up and coming area seems to be Greys Creek. We live in Hope Mills off of Legion Road and my husband says it takes him about 20-25 minutes to get to work on East Bragg depending on traffic. You should know though that Fort Bragg is really big and if drive time is an issue, you need to contact his gaining unit or sponsor and find out where on post he'll be then decide what will work best for your family. I'd be happy to answer any other questions you might have just send me a message.

Hi A.,

I couldn't get over the reviews you've received so far. I agree with all of them! I live in southern Fayetteville, but my kids attend Hope Mills schools. They are in the process of re-districting the schools, so be careful. What you really need to do is find a reputable, honest realtor with lots of experience. The housing market is great for the buyer right now. The new housing on post is pretty nice, too. I would pay them a visit, too, just to compare. I never like being rushed into anything and it seems like you have been doing your homework. Good for you! They raised the housing allowance this year, even though housing prices are dropping, so you should be in pretty good shape. Good luck! L.