FedEx Pilots, where to live in Memphis?

[FCPhotography]

Can anyone recommend a good place to live within a 2 hour drive of Memphis? Thanks.

Good schools, safe, nice neighorhoods, etc.

 

[Goose17]

20 minutes from work

A majority of the guys live in either Germantown or Collierville. Probably the best areas around here. We do have guys living all over the greater area though.

Don't ask me though - I'm moving to Fort Worth in a couple weeks.

Goose17

 

[Diesel]

Lamar ave is a really nice section of town. I highly recomend it.

 

[Huck]

Oxford MS is a great college town about 1:20 away. It'd be dicey to pull reserve, though.....

 

[Rez O. Lewshun]

Anywhere on EP BLVD between Graceland and downtown

 

[Ninerfan]

Bartlett

Went thru upgrade with fella who lives in Bartlett (NE of the loop) and loves it. Bit further of a drive but also further from the FEBA (Forward Edge of the Battle Area).

 

[Pecan]

Memphis area

I recently moved back here, and chose to live in a town about 35 minutes south of the airport in Mississippi. I know all the arguments about how MS has income tax and TN has higher property tax...blah..blah.... BUT....I did not want to live in Shelby county due to the Memphis mayor. I think any clear thinking person who has dealings with Memphis can attest to his greed and corruption.

Although Germantown and Collierville are quite nice cities (incorporated as well) please be aware that if the Memphis mayor gets his way, and is successful at consolidating the city and county schools, then watch your wallet!! People and their tax revenue are leaving the city of MEM as fast as possible....crime, taxes, etc... Those who remain behind don't seem to pay a lot of taxes so the Mayor has to look at new ideas to chase the $$.

I also looked at Fayette county (just east of Shelby county), but everyone said the schools were horrible.

Do your homework before making a decision. I'm glad we moved back here. It equates to much more time the family. Good luck.

 

[FCPhotography]

Thanks guys.

 

[1stCivDiv]

We live in the Olive Branch, MS area and that is really nice. Great schools. It is also a 15 min drive to AOC.

 

[Falconjet]

School consolidation is an issue, but not one that I think will change too many things. Shelby county already provides $3 to the city school system for every $1 it spends on schools. I don't know why that provision is there, but it is. Consolidation will simply put the management of the two systems under one group of people. That could be bad, but I don't think it will necessarily cost more in taxes than we already provide for the city schools. I am not in favor of consolidation, because like a merger one side will probably do better than the other, and my guess is that the county school system would be the one to suffer. Most of the schools in Collierville are plenty crowded as it is, and there is a lot of local involvement at those schools. I don't think (and hope) that much would change because the local involvement will still be there.

Of course there is always the option of private schools, which a lot of folks use anyway.

We've lived in Collierville for almost 4 years and my wife and kids love the place. I'm not a big fan of Memphis proper (or any other big city for that matter, I'd much rather live out in the sticks) but it is nice being close enough to stand reserve comfortably without fear of missing a check-in because you have to do the speed of sound to get into work on time. 25 minutes max to the main parking lot in any normal traffic scenario (2 pm or 2 am) and maybe 35 minutes in morning rush hour traffic if you have to go in at "normal" travel times.

I would give all the areas around the city a good look, just like the lines at FedEx, there is almost certainly something for everybody. Most folks who live in Fayette county that I know are pretty happy with their schools as well, so don't discount any area based on a couple of rumors, go out there and take a look around and see which area you like best.

Good luck.

FJ

 

[Purpledog]

Many friends moved there when they were new hires and are now moving away years later. If you plan on settling there, go for it. If you plan on eventually moving, I'd bypass and go someplace you like. Commuting, from most cities, is easy at FDX and you won't be sitting reserve long with the amount of hiring predicted. Welcome aboard.

 

[Deuce130]

For all of you C'vill residents out there, is there any issue with living south of Poplar Ave? I'm considering making the move so I can be home with the fam more than 2 wks a month (like every night instead) and my realtor said there was a slight "stigma" for homes south of Poplar. She said that attitude was going away though and many of the homes I saw there down there were great, as well as the new subdivisions popping up that way. Any thoughts?

P.S. Anyone hear rumors about a Greenville, NC domicile in 2008? If so, maybe I'll hold off on moving...

 

[AdlerDriver]

P.S. Anyone hear rumors about a Greenville, NC domicile in 2008? If so, maybe I'll hold off on moving...

Pretty sure you meant Greensboro, NC.

Sort facility construction is under way. I've not heard any recent rumors about an actual pilot domicile.

 

[stonewall]

I like the idea of G'boro, too. While I doubt it'll be a domicile, but do y'all think it'll be like Indy? Think a lot of lines will start and end outta there? Airbus only? All rumors, no matter how wild and unsubstantiated, are welcome! I live in VA and that would be an easy drive.

 

[Bosshog1]

I am a captain for Pinnacle and I drive in from Jonesboro, AR. About an hour and ten minutes to the parking lot, which is next to the FedEx parking lot. Valley View school district has been the number one school in the state for test scores for the last two years. No gangs or problems to worry about. You can get more house for your money here than in the Memphis area and the taxes and utilities are not bad. Jonesboro is a growing college town and has a new mall to keep the wife happy. Great duck and deer hunting as well if you are into that. Just my two cents!

 

[727RedTails]

I agree that Jonesboro, AR has some nice areas. Plus its not too far from all the lakes in Northern AR like Bull Shoals, Norfork etc.

 

[Falconjet]

No stigma

Duece: I wouldn't say there is any stigma, just the fact that those neighborhoods are pretty new and if you live in the northern part of the city you might never venture down that way. So you just don't tend to think of that area when somebody says they live in Collierville and you ask them where and they mention one of those neighborhoods. No stigma, just not as much familiarity with the new subdivisions on my part.

The only thing I would try to do is stay as far away from Poplar as you can, either north or south, because of the dang trains that run along there. I live about as far to the north as you can and still be in Collierville and we can hear those trains in our house. They run all hours of the day and night, just like the jets going into MEM. I can't imagaine how loud they must be if you lived in one of those very nice, expensive neighborhoods that are right alongside or across the street from those tracks. That would drive me to drink.

Anyway, I don't think there is any stigma to living south of Poplar.

As for GSO, there are going to be 40 gates I think there when they are finished, it might be as many as 70. I have seen the plans for the ramp and it looks pretty much like Indy. I doubt it will be big enough for a domicile in the next 10 years, but who knows. If NW goes tango uniform we might be forced to domicile pilots at all the hubs since there won't be enough flights left in MEM to deadhead us all over the place.

FJ

 

[Huck]

If NW goes tango uniform[....]

Or if they merge with DAL and move flying to ATL.

 

[Babylon]

I can't believe this conversation is going on

Memphis is a s**! hole! I mean it completely sucks. Every time I go there I find a new reason to hate the area. Let me list a few:

1) Weather sucks - out of 12 months you've got 5 months where it is grueling hot and you want to shoot yourself and another 4 months where it's very cold
2) Not an ounce of natural beauty in the area. I mean I challenge one person to name something beautiful about the area
3) Traffic stinks - it's worse than DC or southern California - truly
4) Worst gov't management imaginable. On all aspects - from running the city to fixing the roads - it's truly ridiculous
5) Rampant racisim - white on black and black on white - not a place I want to raise my kids
6) Downright depressing - compared to say the coasts, you'll be depressed living in this area. The shopping stinks, grocery stinks (it's like you stepped back into time when you walk into your local Kroger store), most of the neighborhoods stink

So there you have a few. Yes Collierville and Germantown are ok but hey let's face it you live in Memphis. Whatever happens in Memphis has a huge impact on the entire metropolitan area. Oh yea, real estate is cheap. I wonder why??

Do the right thing - live somewhere nice and commute in. Your family will love you for it. Oh one final thing I forgot - the crew force - night and day difference from working out of Memphis and working out of one of the other domiciles.

 

[Echopapa]

For all of you C'vill residents out there, is there any issue with living south of Poplar Ave?...

I live by the new mall, south of non-connah bon and love it. Houses here are new and big. My neighbors are nice and I have never felt uncomfortable walking around.

I love collierville, and highly recommend it Germantown is also great.

Don't do Cordova....getting annexed. Some love Bartlett, but for me its too far to drive.

If you don't have kids, or plan on doing private school, I would also consider fayette county.

Good Luck.

I am a "professional" RB guy living in memphis and on average fly 7 days a month. Of those 7 days, at least half are out and backs...which I get a lot on reserve. I know there are drawbacks to Memphis, but for 7 days a month its worth the price.

 

[HighNightFlyer]

I lived in Cordova when I was a newhire at FedEx 10 years ago. My crash pad got robbed and my roommate got hurt. All we got out of the Memphis police was that the apartment complex had lost control of its master keys and so the perpetrator just keyed himself in.

When my roommate, just before getting into the ambulance, asked Memphis' finest if they were going to catch the guy they said, "If he turns himself in."

I now live several hundred miles away and have no plans to move back.

For a while the Memphis police had the nation's highest police suicide rate.

If you absolutely have to live in the area just stay outside of Shelby county. I have a rarely used crash pad in Olive Branch, MS in a house with an alarm system and lots of pilots around.

HNF

 

[TaxiDriver]

I live by the new mall, south of non-connah bon and love it. Houses here are new and big. My neighbors are nice and I have never felt uncomfortable walking around.

I agree with Echopapa....we might be neighbors and don't know it. I just moved into the area a few months ago.....realtor said not to buy south of Poplar. I went house to house talking with potential neighbors asking the same question......they all were told the same thing about avoiding south of Poplar....and still moved there anyway. Everyone in our subdivision loves the location. Yes, the train at 3am can be annoying, but you tune it out.

That's my 1/2 cent!

 

[HoursHore]

I am a Professional "RB" guy as well. Life is great when you live in Domicile. I live in South Main / Bluffs, and am having a great time.

BUT (Big But), I have no kids so I Don't have to worry about the Schools. The Girl I am currently seeing was robbed about a year ago in Midtown at gunpoint and moved out to Hacks Cross and Winchester. And Midtown is pretty Nice.

There are nice neigborhoods in the City (cooper young and East Memphis), but you need to send your kids to private school and buy a real big Dog.

Also watch out for Zombies crossing the street wherever they dam well please downtown.

 

[Flapjack]

Some people are never going to like Memphis, for the reasons mentioned earlier. And they are the most vocal, by far, over the people that accept that it's not perfect to live here, but are pretty happy nonetheless. That's why so many are commuters. To each their own.

I like it, because I am home almost every day of the month, every month. I am a permanent reserve guy, typically working about 5-8 days per month, usually a couple of these are airport standbys, the rest usually out and backs. It's some life!

I hate commuting, and I love being at home 20 minutes after I leave the AOC. Got a nice place in a nice suburb, and life is good. I'd rather deal with mild winters / hot summers than the other way around. While Memphis itself is not much to look at, there are some great areas in Arkansas to check out if you like the water or the outdoorsy stuff. And Eastern TN is as beautiful as anything I have seen in this country.

The traffic on the 240 loop is bad at times and in certain areas, but not when we go to work. It's usually very predictable, one way slowdowns on 240 going to/from the 'burbs for morning / evening rush hours. What large city doesn't have traffic issues? I haven't found one yet. The drivers are far worse than any other city I have lived in, however. No joke, they are really bad.

And as far as living near the trains, we know some people that live right next the tracks in Germantown. It sounds crazy, but it is really not very bad - they only blow their whistles at the major intersections, see. If you live well away from these intersections (like they do), all you get is the low frequency sound of the train, which you can barely even hear in the house. Even sitting outside, I didn't think it was bad. IMO, it's no more of an annoyance than a jet passing overhead. It's the price one pays for living in G-Town or Collierville, which IMO is the nicest area you can live in while still being close to the good stuff (Parks, shopping, restaurants).

Cordova has nice areas, but because of the annexation, the market there has fallen flat on its face. Homes are on the market for years (yes, that's right, years). It may never recover - some realtors won't even take listings from Cordova because it is so hard to sell there....But man, you can get a lot of house / yard for your money. Very convenient location to the mall, Shelby Farms, etc.

The thing about Germantown is that it can never be annexed by Memphis, and they have their own local police, have very strict code enforcement, and in general their properties hold their value very well. I am not sure if Collierville is immune to annexation, but at this time it is not annexed.

If you want to make some money on your home, go to the Mud Island or South Bluffs area. Prices have been on an absolute tear over there for a while, and I bet the trend will continue for a few years. Don't expect to get much, if any yard or a great deal on a house. You'll pay Memphis city tax, always on the rise, and you'll pay association fees. They are packed in like sardines. The drive to the airport is super easy. And you can make money quick on your home.

Olive Branch MS is really worth looking into - nice community overall. You are away from the good things in Memphis (Shelby Farms, nightlife, the mall, restaurants) and the bad (crime, corruption in gov't). It's growing quickly, and is stocked with suburban staples like Walmart and Home Depot, etc. Pay MS state income tax, but lower property taxes. Decent public schools, so you don't have to pay for private school, like many do in TN. For some, this is a perfect situation.

That's just what I think - as you can see, there are a lot of opinions on the subject. Good luck, whatever you choose!

 

[AdlerDriver]

Memphis is a s**! hole! I mean it completely sucks. Every time I go there I find a new reason to hate the area. Let me list a few:

1) Weather sucks - out of 12 months you've got 5 months where it is grueling hot and you want to shoot yourself and another 4 months where it's very cold
2) Not an ounce of natural beauty in the area. I mean I challenge one person to name something beautiful about the area
3) Traffic stinks - it's worse than DC or southern California - truly
4) Worst gov't management imaginable. On all aspects - from running the city to fixing the roads - it's truly ridiculous
5) Rampant racisim - white on black and black on white - not a place I want to raise my kids
6) Downright depressing - compared to say the coasts, you'll be depressed living in this area. The shopping stinks, grocery stinks (it's like you stepped back into time when you walk into your local Kroger store), most of the neighborhoods stink

So there you have a few. Yes Collierville and Germantown are ok but hey let's face it you live in Memphis. Whatever happens in Memphis has a huge impact on the entire metropolitan area. Oh yea, real estate is cheap. I wonder why??

Do the right thing - live somewhere nice and commute in. Your family will love you for it. Oh one final thing I forgot - the crew force - night and day difference from working out of Memphis and working out of one of the other domiciles.

Do you or have you lived in Memphis?

 

[PurpleTail]

Don't ask me though - I'm moving to Fort Worth in a couple weeks.

Goose17

Best response yet, wise beyond your years!

Memphis is a toilet bowl.

 

[1stCivDiv]

Not so bad..

Ok call me stupid but we really don't mind it here. However, I would look at the Olive Branch/Southaven, MS area. There is a lot of construction going on down here and there are several neighborhoods that have 300K+ dollar houses going up at the rapid rate. There are more shopping malls going up around this area than you can read about. Also the schools in DeSoto county are some of the best in MS. Beale street is only a twenty minute drive from our front door and AOC is ten. Can't beat that, and sitting on reserve in my own bed and "dozing for dollars" is not all bad. Good luck in your choice but if you look around you can't beat the real estate market and the QOL staying here than trying to commute. In my opinion it is well worth the negatives.

 

[Rez O. Lewshun]

2) Not an ounce of natural beauty in the area. I mean I challenge one person to name something beautiful about the area

There is this girl that hangs out on the corner of Lamar and Airways..... She is pretty hot. Kinda kills your #2 now doesn't it...

 

[Goose17]

The best thing about living in Memphis as a pilot is FedEx. It makes the flying very easy. You can upgrade at 100%, not worry too much about seniority, lots of flexibility with your schedule, and you see your family all the time.

I have been here for 4 years and I have only flown nights a month or two. I have taken an entire month's schedule and dropped everything and made it up on the fly with all afternoon launches. Also, if you want to you can make extra scratch (hot topic now).

That being said, I am giving that all up to move away from the area. I will forgo upgrades and the $ that goes with it to improve my senioriy and my quality of life. Why am I doing this? Memphis really doesn't do much for us. It is flat, there isn't any good water unless you want a long drive, the city has serious racial issues like mentioned above and the politicians all look and sound like ex-cons. Sure, you can have a nice house and see the family all the time, but I have 2 young kids just starting school and quite often we are at a total loss on things to do to stay busy here. I'm sure it is just a lack of imagination on my part, but after the 100th trip to the zoo and the childrens museum, some trips to the park, and drives to the nearest lake, we have used all our tokens and are ready for more.

We are moving to a house on a lake just outside of Fort Worth TX. We don't know anyone there, but the area seems nice, the people seem nice, and the schools look pretty good. So, in 2 weeks time, we head west on a new adventure.

To people moving to Memphis; you will definitely be home more and make more money to boot. If you and your family are happy here, then all the power to you.

There are definitely worse places, but there are many better ones too.

To each his own.

Goose17

 

[FedExFlyer]

South of Poplar/I-285 corridor

I think the thing with the south of Poplar could be an issue due to access to I-385. It's a quick getaway for those looking to cause problems. The bad guys arent as prevalent north of Poplar due to them having to make a trek through the middle of town to make their getaway where the police force is more prevalent.

I hear of alot more break-ins south of the I-285 and Poplar roads and crime seems to move eastward along the Winchester/Shelby/Holmes roads over the years.

Granted, its a great area at the moment but things can change down the road bringing property values down making your home worthless.

Just my .02/chime in if you disagree