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So I read that Albuquerque has the highest vacancy rate for apartments in the nation right now in the paper the other day, and I'm looking at moving back there (it's my hometown, have lived in San Diego for a year and a half, but want to move back at the end of the summer) anyway... I'm paying $700 for a room here right now, and I know I'll save money when I move back, but trying to figure out exactly how much I'll save... what can I get a decent 1 bedroom for right now, anyone know? Apartment
> ... try ... to figure out exactly how much I'll save ...
Let's see ... you're currently paying $700/month.
If you get an apartment for $400 ( not so nice one ) you'll save approximately $300/month.
$500 is better, but still not that great. Then you'll save $200/month.
You can't figure out exactly how much you'll save, because you'll also save
money on utilities - which are cheaper here. Gasoline is cheaper. Almost everything is cheaper.
Trying to figure out your cost of living to the n-th degree is a waste of time.
If $200 either way is going to kill your budget, just get a part-time weekend job or something.
If you were moving out of a $700,000 house in San Diego, this exercise might make some sense.
I just moved into a complex 2 weeks ago, NW side by the cottonwood mall. I had a choice of TWO vacant units. Just two were available, and this is a big complex, so I don't see the high vacancy you're talking about. I chose the one that was upstairs with a view of the mountains... 2BR 2BA 1070sqft, $839, 6mo lease. I wasn't committed and they threw in new carpet for me and that sealed the deal... new carpet is SO worth it in an apartment. It's a fairly new complex and pseudo-luxury (i.e. granite-looking laminate countertops) nice pools, gym etc. For $700 you can still find 2BR places, but they might be older and dingier... I pretty much came to the conclusion that $750-850 was the range for a 2BR that was decent. If you want a 1BR, they are harder to find that are big/new/nice, but they should be in the $550-700 range. Be sure to drive around and tour a half dozen places before you pull the trigger... I was all sold on the NE side and then found myself signing at a place on the NW side after seeing it all in person.
BTW, why are you moving back from SD? I have a tentative goal of someday moving to SD myself... but the CA cost of living is just too insane to deal with right now.
You have less likelyhood of insect problems, maintenance hassles, stuff just seems more clean, noise levels are likely to be lower, and the "feature" level is likely to be higher.
We have lived in older privately owned duplex/fourplexes and for a 2 bedroom it has run us from 525-620. Far NE Heights. Older buildings. But very quiet where we are now.
> Utility bills might be lower ... Or maybe the bills will be higher ...
How about lower on a per-square-foot basis
( given same ceiling height or a fan ).
Yeah, I was just taking into account the ever increasing size of the average American's home, but I guess that doesn't necessarily translate into rental properties.
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