There's a long, Iong, tradition of people "established" in Richmond hating anything that helps Richmond grow or change. It's just always been that way, and granted theres usually nuanced reasons why theyre probably right on some level. That said, there's a recent history of incredible violence that I feel the city has only in the past few years started to move out of the shadow of (third and first per capita for murder and violent crime in the -country- in the 90s) as well as a long "tradition" of hilariously corrupt local government.

Now all that said, welcome! This is the smallest big city ever, and it's pretty great in a lot of ways! As far as "bad" areas, the various Courts around the city are unfortunately pretty impoverished projects that remain violent. You'll see them on the map, places like Gilpin, Creighton, Mosby court are all projects that as you get closer to relative value of your house falls because they're "bad neighborhoods." I currently live in Manchester right across the Mayo Bridge and it's going through pretty hefty gentrification, with all the good and bad that involves, but it's a lovely area that I honestly hope to stay in unless they keep shitting out hideous apartment buildings no one asked for.

As for 21st-29th streets there's a funny thing that happens because both exist in the city just depending on which side of the river you're on (that's because Manchester and south Richmond back in the 18th and 19th centuries used to be their own cities before getting absorbed by Richmond proper). The south side is vibrant burb that like most of Richmond gets "worse" the closer to the courts/midlothian tnpk/Hull Street i.e. the further south you get. Lots of young families, 20-25 minute commute anywhere, potentially shorter if you take the toll roads. In Richmond proper that would be Churchill, which is much the same as forest hill/south side, except the further north you go the "worse" it gets, the nearer to nine mile road it's really block to block. That goes for Northside/lakeside as well.

One thing I'd say is avoid the fan and the museum district. Those areas are "clout" areas and/or inundated with students thus, vastly overpriced. Id also avoid short pump, its everything bad about the burbs, it -will- be a 30 minute commute to the city during rush hours (which seems to be 8-9am and 3:30 to 6pm these days) and is just telatively lifeless compared to the city proper. Henrico is henrico, its fine but huge, the areas it has in it are very very varied. I hope I helped in some way! I'd love to buy house here too, and the neighborhoods you listed are exactly where I'd look as well, especially forest hill/church hill.

Ps: it takes 10 to 15 minutes to get anywhere in the city just by rule of thumb 😂 Source: born and raised here through all the good bad and ugly.