I was looking at moving into Ghent area of VA...I was wondering if anyone knew anything about the area or had any experiences to share...

8/31/2008 11:06:02 AM

what is it near?

8/31/2008 11:06:58 AM

yes, actually I do
I lived in Norfolk for about 3 years...fairly recently. I was actually there this past thursday-saturday.

what exactly do you want to know?
I can tell you just about anything...

^Ghent is a 'historic village' or subset of Norfolk, Va

8/31/2008 11:08:23 AM

more like Ghey, VA...amirite!?!?!

8/31/2008 11:13:41 AM

i always liked the Norfolk area of VA.

8/31/2008 11:17:25 AM

8/31/2008 11:18:14 AM

I mean, I liked Norfolk for a while. I loved how culturally diverse it is. I loved a lot of the people I met. I loved the night life, the beach, the bars, the shows that come through (The Norva). I loved the food (I REALLY like fresh seafood). I loved going to the pier to relax and do some fishing.

But I didn't realize when I first moved there how completely crime ridden that entire city is. When you're in Norfolk, it doesn't matter where you live. It doesn't matter how nice of a neighborhood you live in. Doesn't matter. The way the city is designed, you're ALWAYS about 2 blocks away from the the worst parts of the ghetto.
I lived in pretty nice apartment complex for about 2 years. During that time, my car was broken into twice at night, and my apartment was burglarized IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FUCKING DAY while I went out for 45 minutes to lunch. Looted me for a few g's worth of electronics and other things. It's terrible....people who don't work themselves sit there and wait for others to go to work....then they break into their place.

Aside from that the cost of living is extremely high. You're lucky to get a 1 bedroom apartment for around $1000 a month. Most of the people that live in that area take roommates, or rent a room in a house.
Ghent has a lot going on for entertainment, and is supposed to be a nice area....but like I said...the entire city is full of crime. Just a couple months ago, there was a guy running around breaking into women's apartments and raping them. It's also very expensive to live in.
Ghent is really close to downtown, Old Dominion University, The Hague, and other places. One of it's bordering streets is also known to have fierce gang activity.

My advice would be to not live in Norfolk. If you really want to live in the area, then pay out of the ass and move further away into Va Beach or Newport News

8/31/2008 11:29:08 AM

Quote :

"My advice would be to not live in Norfolk. If you really want to live in the area, then pay out of the ass and move further away into Va Beach or Newport News"

8/31/2008 11:52:30 AM

I think there was a treaty there!!1 But then they were so dumb they fought another battle!! lolololol

8/31/2008 11:57:03 AM

EMCE, thanks for the info - very helpful. I knew that area had the potential to be rough, but I didn't know it was that bad. I suppose my opinions would have a spin on them too if I were a victim of burglary.

8/31/2008 1:03:12 PM

well, yeah....I do think that I'm biased.

But one of the detectives on my home invasion case said that even HE had been burgled.
Everyone that I know there has had something like that happen to them.
It's possible to be safe I suppose. But it would be very ignorant to assume that you would not be a victim there at some point in time.


I also forgot to mention that there are a lot of sailors there because of the navy base. This isn't really a problem except that a lot of the time, these sailors don't really know how to act in a civilian social environment. If you go out downtown to a bar, or club....you're going to see them picking/starting fights with people.....probably you. It's like they forget that they don't have to carry that navy mentality when they get off the boat.


....aaaaaand, traffic is pretty horrible in ghent

8/31/2008 1:12:33 PM

BALB=

8/31/2008 1:28:32 PM

kev4pack ftw

8/31/2008 1:54:51 PM

Norfolk >>>>>>>>>>>>Virginia Beach>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Newport News

8/31/2008 2:39:29 PM

HAVE I TOLD


YOU LATELY


THAT BALB = GHENT


HAVE I TOLD YOU

THERE'S NO ONE MORE GHENT THAN BALB

YOU FILL MY HEART WITH

EXTREME GHENTNESS

8/31/2008 3:50:53 PM

what is BALB?


Any opinions on Washington Park

11/6/2008 11:00:03 AM

Ok definitely moving into the Ghent area. Thinking of renting but not sure if I should buy. I am not really sure how this compares to living Virginia Beach. If anyone has any more advice before I make my move in 20 or so days, it would be appreciated.

11/22/2008 6:13:12 PM

my dad lives in Chesapeake

i think he's gonna bounce and move somewhere to the tidewater NC cause he's tired of Va Beach traffic and the people

11/22/2008 6:34:04 PM

ok so I committed to a place in Ghent, and I like it

definitely a lot of cougs abound in this eclectic strip which is odd - wouldn't have pegged this place for that

12/11/2008 7:25:21 PM

be safe

12/11/2008 7:55:50 PM

No'Folk

12/11/2008 7:56:48 PM

move to gaylax Va instead

12/11/2008 8:12:47 PM

it's a decent area...compared to the rest of Norfolk. but one of the best days of my life is when i moved the fuck out of that city...that whole place just sucks balls after a few months

12/11/2008 8:13:36 PM

there was an old coug bartender tonight who was playing an 80s anthology at the bar and scaring all her potential customers
but I sat and had beer and talked to her
maybe she wishes it was 20 years ago and she could find a young man

/blog

but seriously there are cougars here, and I saw the same thing in Raleigh wtf

12/11/2008 8:15:13 PM

it's actually lower than charlotte or greensboro in the city crime rankings--for what it's worth

12/11/2008 8:15:48 PM

overall seems to be cracked up to what it advertised itself to be.

Thanks TWW

1/7/2009 9:54:18 PM

I got pulled over on the chesapeke bay bridge tunnel on christmas day

doing 74 in a 55

cop let me off

was pretty sweet

1/7/2009 10:00:07 PM