Whitney,

I currently work at Vanderbilt, and I am a surgical resident. I live on West End Ave and I love it. My wife and little girl love it as it is close to some great parks, all the nightlife, and most importantly for me, Vanderbilt. My condo is currently for sale, but you can see all of the residents who are trying to sell their home at the below website. Everyone has to live relatively close, so it is a good place to start. Best of luck to you, and you will like working in the Vanderbilt system!

http://sitemason.vanderbilt.edu/newspub/bvMyw8

Whitney,
You may be the Whitney that I already met in Green Hills this summer. If so, our unit is still available. If you are only looking to rent, you will find that rent is very expensive in these area; however, with the economy down, I am finding renters more negotiable on price. A good investment if you are alone is to buy a place and rent out to others thereby paying your rent and using your place as an investment. The Green Hills area is in a very reputable school district. There are several places to rent and is slightly less expensive than West End/ Vandy.

Good Luck. I would love to hear from you.

Maria Holland
American Heritage Real Estate
615-289-6056 http://www.mariaholland.net

Whitney:

Our son recently graduated from Vanderbilt. We are interested in either selling or renting the new, modern condo we purchased for him three years ago. It's a 2 bedroom, 2 bath with 2 secure parking spaces located three blocks from campus.

Great Area, but it is expensive, however the money you would save in commuting is worth it. Location, Location! My family has several condos in the area if you are interstsed.

I also work at Vanderbilt and bought a place within walking distance in the Edgehill neighborhood. It is significantly less expensive than HIllsboro village, but just as close to Vandy and in the same Eakin Elementary school district. The reason Edgehill is cheaper is that there is public housing in the neighborhood. I felt it was worth the trade off.

There are many options in this area when it's a buyers market don't listen to everybody ,get with a trusted real estate agent to guide you.

Hello Whitney.
Yes, your situation is a common one for folks moving here to work at Vandy. West End/Hillsboro is fantastic, no question. The real question is what is "expensive" for any given client. I've sold "affordable" houses to doctors and "expensive" homes to baristas, based on their income. Everyone's got their own story. If you'd like help dialing in your search, just let me know. I'll be glad to serve you with excellence.

Hi Whitney,

You are in a dilemma that many people face. While neighborhoods like 12 South, Belmont, Hillsboro Village, West End, Music Row and Waverly areas are all extremely convenient to Vanderbilt...they are neighborhoods that are few and far between in Middle Tennessee....They offer walk ability. They are low in supply (as there are only a couple of areas that offer walkability...this part of West Nashville, a couple of neighborhoods in East Nashville to its center, and then a few planned/walkable communities elsewhere). They are high in demand, so prices will be higher for the most part unless the homes need some work. The condos in the area are mostly new, so they will be on the higher end as well for a decent sized place. Sylvan Park and Sylvan Heights are a short drive to the areas, but they do require a car for the most part. Those neighborhoods will have wide degrees of variability, but again, the prices will reflect their proximity to the city even though they will be a little less pricey than being right in the action.

You could go into the David Lipscomb/Woodmont/Green Hills areas, but you will find similar prices without the walkability. However, I've heard some people say positive things about the school districts in the Green Hills area. School districts are usually more popular in a couple of the neighboring counties and suburbs. So if school districts are important to your decision, I'd go to a site like http://www.schoolmatters.com or http://www.greatschools.net to check out test scores. it's certainly not a total indicator of the school, but it is a starting point for your research. Certainly, I recommend talking with parents of the school district you're inquiring and also visiting the schools and meet with some of the faculty. You'll probably find that for the most popular school districts you'll likely be looking in another county.

Still in Davidson County, other neighborhoods that offer a little more affordability within a short drive to Vandy are: West Meade, Bellevue, and Crieve Hall. Again, you'd be looking at Davidson County school districts, but you will need to just research each school individually and decide what is most important to you and which ones fit the needs for your family.

Hello Whitney. I'm originally from Knoxville (UT grad) and work/live here in Nashville now as a real estate agent. There are tons of communities near Vandy, relatively, that are price conscious. Recently, I had a Vandy Med couple move into an area called Eaton's Creek. You can grab a brand new home in that area for anywhere from $175K to $300K. You'll be 10 minutes from Vandy from there. Sylvan Heights and Sylvan Park have some nice options and can have you to Vandy as quickly as anywhere. Home prices can be below $250K there. Villa Place offers some nice options and is almost within walking distance to Vandy. You can get a get a nice home here for less than $200K.

Many new people who move to Nashville fall into the stereotype that the "in" and only place to live when working or going to school at Vandy is Hillsboro/West End. While it is a WONDERFUL place, Nashville has many wonderful neighborhoods that are approachable and affordable.

Ultimately, you need to find a good expert in the Nashville area. I know Pete, Stephanie and Terry all three with each being very knowledgeable, ethical and credible. While I love websites, nothing can replace that one-on-one counseling experience to find you the right home. Keep in mind, a buyer agent's services are free but invaluable. Interview several and chose one that can meet your needs and comfort level.

Yay!! Another East Tennessean moving to Nashville! Welcome.

The West End area is one of the most convenient locations in Nashville to live and work. You are within 10-15 minutes of downtown Nashville, Green Hills, Waverly-Belmont and 12 South as well. Of Course there are some of these areas are close to Vanderbilt and they are more affordable that would work for you as well. Are you looking for a Single Family, Condo, Loft or Town home? That being said the areas in and around your new job offer a wide selection of these for you to choose from.

If your job requires you to be on call and since you’re taking classes at the same having a home that requires low maintenance is of great importance to you…. It is very likely that an opportunity can come up that fits what you need in your new home. It all depends on what matters most to you and what you can comfortably afford. Nashville is undergoing urbanization and with that it’s quite possible to find the home that best fits your lifestyle.

Village Real Estate services in known for it's work in the city of Nashville and it's community involvement. Please take a moment to visit our website and learn more about who we are and about how we give back to the communities we serve.

Please feel free to contact me personally of one of my buyer specialists and let us know how we can best serve you.

Pete Prosser
The Premier Group
Village Real Estate Services
2206 Twenty-First Avenue S, Suite 200
Nashville, TN 37212
615.423.0890 Mobile
615.279.7294 Direct
615.383.6964 Village
E-mail:pprosser@villagerealestate.com
E-mail:ccarter@villagerealestate.com
E-mail:ltally@villagerealestate.com

Explore Nashville Neighborhoods here:
http://www.nestinginnashville.com/Neighborhoods
and best of luck!

The West End area is very convenient and I know several Vanderbilt employees that live there, but the trade off is that it is more expensive. Another good area that is not that far away is Bellevue. Some of the better schools in Davidson county are located there and home prices are not as high as Brentwood or Nolensville. I have a home listed in Bellevue and am currently looking for homes in the area for the same family. If I can help in any way please contact me through my website, lenadcock.com. Good luck in your search.

Hi Whitney...Welcome to Nashville! Yes, the areas you referred to....West End/Hillsboro are very convenient to Vanderbilt and the Universities...and to be expected, the closer you get to downtown and the Universities, the more pricier homes become....You mentioned school districts being of great importance to you...With that being said, the best schools are in Williamson County...i.e, Brentwood, Franklin, Nolensville...All of these areas are located just south of Downtown Nashville...Brentwood would be about a 15-20 minute drive, Franklin and Nolensville about a 30 minute drive... You will definately get more "house" for your dollar in either of these communities than in the Green Hills/ West End areas....However, you didn't mention your price point on a new home....Brentwood starts in low $300's, Franklin mid $200's, and Nolensville mid $200's.... Best of Luck!

Have you thought about the ISD websites read about those stat's, narrow the search down to an area you can afford? http://www.lynn911.com http://www.homes-for-sale-dallas.com