Relocating to UNM for grad school; need housing for under $500 (Albuquerque: apartment complexes, rentals)

[truckzter]

Hi All --

I've been perusing the forums for a while, and I know there is general quadrant info, but I'd like specific advice.

I am a 28-year-old, single female moving from California to Albuquerque for grad school. I've never been to NM, and I am visiting for the first time in July to look for housing. Ideally, I'd like to move to the area the mid/end of July.

I've spent many hours online looking for 1 bedrooms, and many of the listing have bars on the windows/doors. I'm from a small enough city where it is safe to leave front doors unlocked and walk the dog at 11pm. I realize Albuquerque is a large city, but I'd like recommendations as to where you'd like your daughter/sister/granddaughter to live.

I'd like to move somewhere safe (obviously) and (preferably) in walking/biking distance to UNM. I also want to avoid the party apartment complexes.

Can anyone give me names of apartment complexes or property management sites worth checking out? Or neighborhoods to consider? I've heard to stay away from the AFB and Central .. and from what I've read Nob Hill is worth considering.

I appreciate your help and consideration.


Genesea

[Her]

Most of the apartment complexes around the areas that are within biking/walking distance, are not places I would want my family members to live. I use to visit friends in the vicinity until my car got spray painted. You might check out the UNM housing on the website as some of the apartments listed are within your budget. If you can swing it you might want to look into the graduate dorms. Youll make friends faster and those are the safest rooms in the vicinity. Otherwise, Id check into the Northeast area of Albuquerque around Wyoming although you would need to commute. If I were looking for something, Id aim for a gated community as there is quite a lot of vehicle vandilism. But if you are not bringing a vehicle that shouldnt be a problem. Perhaps post the are of the apartments you are looking at and we can tell you yay or nay. While youre visiting you should check out
[SIZE=4][LEFT]The Apartment Store
7001 Montgomery Blvd. NE, Suite 8
Albuquerque, NM 87109
505-881-2828
888-733-5278 toll free[/LEFT]
[/SIZE]freeserv@aptmentfinders.com

They do really well at locating places that you qualify for and give you maps to the complexes. They also seem pretty honest about telling you if the property is not a good one. If that information is cut by a moderator, contact me. good luck!!!

[ABQConvict]

I would avoid apartments and look for duplexes/cottages/etc. Nob Hill is right on Central so advice to avoid Central is a sweeping generalization.

When you come to Albuquerque you will be able to scout the area and see what fits you. The danger of the UNM area (Nob Hill, University heights, Silver Heights) is WAAAAAY overstated in my opinion.

ABQConvict

[truckzter]

I appreciate both of your opinions. I do have a newer car, so I would HATE vandalism. I'm not opposed to driving (I'm used to driving 30 miles to school one way), but with gas prices (here it is $4.09/gal), I thought it might be better to walk/bike.

I applied for UNM graduate/family housing, but there are 15 applications ahead of mine. And I don't want to live in the dorms.

I did see some nice apartments (at least on the outside) in the NE section like
Comanche Wells on Comanche Blvd.

I appreciate the advice to look for a gated community.

What do you think about the housing between Central and the NMCC? I've seen many cottages in that area. Or Central and Roosevelt Park?

[ABQConvict]

Originally Posted by truckzter

I appreciate both of your opinions. I do have a newer car, so I would HATE vandalism.

[...]

What do you think about the housing between Central and the NMCC? I've seen many cottages in that area. Or Central and Roosevelt Park?

I have lived in the area (Yale/Silver) for almost 20 years and have to say that I have experienced very little vandalism. A tag on my alley wall every few months, at most, that the city and community usually clean up before I notice it. In fact there is very little graffiti around here in my opinion.

There are some nice options in the area you ask about. Roosevelt Park is one of the city's most beautiful though it tends to attract a bit of riff-raff. I would concentrate on areas north of the one-ways (Lead and Coal) if west of Yale, and north of Garfield, east of Yale. East of that area is Nob Hill which is generally more expensive but there are still some affordable and quite nice properties with cottages and even a few duplexes.

In a nutshell, if you are serious about this area (University-Nob Hill), I would concentrate on areas with the following boundaries: North, Silver Ave., south to Garfield; west, Yale Blvd., east to Carlisle. This is where you will find the most options for affordable, safe, convenient housing in the UNM area.

These areas are the most walkable/bikeable in the city. You may also want to look at the classifieds in the Daily Lobo which contains listings for rentals geared toward students and their budgets.

ABQConvict

[Her]

The area around 8th and central is not bad. They have some nice gated apartment communities down that way. I have a friend that lives there. Nice car, etc. Its right next to down town so if you want to get out, there is not much of a commute and the drive to the campus is minutes away. I will see if i can get the name of the complex...

[truckzter]

I'd love the name of the complex ...

Some of the other complexes I am looking at are

Sun Village Apartments
Girard Apartments
Gold Avenue Apartments
Altura Arms
Chapparal Apartments
Comanche Wells
Villa de San Felipe Apartments

I would love any suggestions or comments.


As always, much thanks.

Genesea

[Her]

Well I would cross Sun Village off the list. A lot of people have told me about mold problems and crime, not to mention roach problems. A lot the closer complexes to UNM are iffy. They are cheaper in price but a low quality of living comes with it.
I cant say much else for the other complexes. Villa and Comanche wells may be worth checking out though I dont know anything recent about them.

The complex my friend lives at is the Alvarado Apartments at Central and 8th. Its gated. The apartments are nice. Im not sure of the price though. If you decide to make a commute, the Towers on Montogomery are nice and there are some new studios coming up next to the New Uptown shopping center on Indian School and Lousiana. I considered living there. Its a safe place. It minutes away from the freeway and about 10 minutes on the freeway from the university. May be worth checking out also. Ill check to find the name of those.

[ABQConvict]

Good advice, Her. There are also some new ones going up on Harvard (Bricklight District) and Central/Wellesley (across from Kelly's) both of which will have studios and 1-bdrm. Both very nice locations especially the one on Harvard which is very close to UNM (and a very pleasant street, to boot).

Generally speaking, apartments in Albuquerque are hit or miss. There are some nice complexes but for the most part they are almost as expensive as renting a small house. I would definitely not sign anything or put down any money until you have seen the apartment in person.

ABQConvict

[mortimer]

truckzter, on their way to UNM asks:

> I've spent many hours online looking for 1 bedrooms, ...
> I'd like to move somewhere safe ... walking/biking distance ...
> ... names of apartment complexes ...

First of all, forget looking on line. If you want a good place, you have to come and cruise the neighborhoods local to UNM. When I say that, I *don't* mean cruise it in your car. I mean walk.

I spent ten years getting a degree at UNM where I packed up my apartment into storage, moved out of state, worked for a couple of semesters, and came back for a semester and repeated the process over and over, so there is no one on the entire face of the planet who has more experience moving in and out of the University ghetto. I've lived in over ten different places doing that. (The program is called the Co-op Program, BTW.)

Pretty much all of the housing stock in the walkable area for rent is rented by private individuals, local to the area. When they have a unit available, they will put up a sign in the yard and that's about it. Maybe some of them are putting their 'wares' on-line, but if that's your only method, then you'll miss the good stuff and you'll be a dork for not doing it the right way. (My way - he humbly states.)

Many, if not most of the landlords have only 1-6 apartments that they have rented out for decades. They won't be shiny and new, but they'll be servicable. Many rent from semester to semester and not in six-twelve month blocks.

Places that might look good on-line might be next to a nasty place of some kind. Some really cute, "Bohemian" places just won't show such likeability on-line. Sorry. You can't do it your way. I found something to love about every place I've lived in the Ghetto.

There is nothing like an evening walk down Central (any direction) or the UNM campus to clear your mind. There is so much stuff here in walking distance that you *won't* be able to experience everything you might want to.

> ... have a newer car, ... HATE vandalism. I'm not opposed to driving
> (I'm used to driving 30 miles to school one way), but with gas prices
> (here it is $4.09/gal), I thought it might be better to walk/bike.

You *should* be opposed to driving if you are going to be a student. The price of gas has nothing -- *nothing* to do with it. Your "student experience" will be much enriched if you hang around the local UNM area and get around by foot and bus.

You can keep your car handy by storing it in a self-store facility and getting it out every two or three weekends. (I did this, BTW.) Driving even ten miles to college is just nuts.

I lived like this when gas was a piddling 95 cents a gallon. The big thing around the UNM area is PARKING. Why drive miles ( drivers are nuts here, just nuts ) to school only to park in some location that is farther away from your class than I ever lived in the Ghetto? People do it, ... (wait for it) ... they ... are ... nuts. Nuts, I tell ya.

> ... visiting for the first time in July to look for housing. ...

Not knowing the area, it's best to start ***AT*** the campus in the area where you are taking courses and walk out from there. This might take you a number of days to cover it 100%, but if you don't have the time, just go to the densest area of student housing between Girard and University S of Central.

The bus running along Central can vastly expand your territory, but why bother? There is plenty that is only a 15-minute walk even if you are fat and slow.

I can't begin to tell you how wonderful it is to have a class from 9-10 am and be able to go home and switch books, take a cat-nap and be in time for a Noon course following that.

How about getting up and going to class right away and then needing a nice bath to complete the rest of your day? If your car is 30 minutes away and your next class is an hour or two away, logistically, that's going to be undesireable.

Don't be a nut.