Neighborhoods we should consider for buying an affordable house?

Given what we want to buy, we can't afford much in our current neighborhood (Germantown), although there are some places in Shelby Park that could work. If we go east, we're looking at West Buechel/Bon Air...which are areas i at least have driven around a little. I know the west end is affordable but there just aren't a lot of businesses / amenities there. Which non-east end neighborhoods in your opinion offer a good level of daily convenience (close to shopping, or at least easy access to the freeway to get to shopping, and fairly easy to get downtown for events etc)? Across the river is a possibility but I'm just asking about Louisville for the moment. Budget would be about $250k, hoping for a medium size 3bdrm detached house (we both work from home so need extra home office space).