Condos/Townhomes: Complexes with Private Entrances?? (Charlotte, Concord: rental car, transplants, for sale)

[rentingcouple]

Hi all!

My boyfriend and I recently returned from our "Charlotte scouting" trip, and we loved it! This forum was so helpful in narrowing our focus for neighborhoods -- many people recommended Dilworth, Myers Park, South Park, Elizabeth areas for great condo and townhouse rentals, and upon first glance (from the rental car ), they seem right! We picked up an Apartment Finder magazine and drove around looking at neighborhoods, but there are so many complexes to choose from! Now I'm wondering if anyone can offer INFO AND ADVICE on narrowing down our rental search. Here's what we know we want:

-- 2 bedroom+ townhome or condo (around 900+ square feet) in one of the above areas (our budget max is $1,000/month, but we'd prefer to keep it in the $750 - $875 range, if that's even possible)

-- Private entrances!! (we're not into these complexes with 3 or 4 condos built on top of each other and hundreds of units)

That's really it! We'd love a dishwasher and washer/dryer, a fitness center, etc. -- but those amenities aren't worth living in one of those gigantic complexes with all those other tenants -- in our opinions. We just want somewhere that's safe and at least semi-private. We want our own door! Maybe even some semblance of a yard...

I would actually prefer to rent a house or bungalow, but my boyfriend insists we choose something that's managed by a company (that way, we're not like homeowners -- if the sewage pipe breaks, we don't have to wait for a landlord to call a plumber; we have a management company that hopefully has a super and/or maintenance crew on-call)...

Does anyone out there live in such a place or know anything about some we should look at? There seem to be several that fit the bill (Elmhurst, Sedgefield, Strawberry Hill, Lake Hill, Providence Square, Randolph Park, The Courtyard), but I'm only looking at the pictures and the outside -- would love input on what they're REALLY like.

Thanks!!!

[travlingrlclt]

Unfortunately you won't find anything in that price range in those area's.

[dpreston]

I agree. With those requirements and areas. You will have a very tough time.

[ctribucher]

I live in Strawberry Hill. Feel free to DM me if you have specific questions. Good luck on your search!

[rentingcouple]

Thanks to those of you who have posted and sent me direct messages on this-- it is truly helpful!! Seeing as this may be a tall order to fill , I'll try to narrow our needs down in hopes that more people on here can give us great things to look at...

-- We want South Charlotte. We dream of Dilworth, Myers Park, Elizabeth areas -- but would go as far south as South Park. I think Ballantyne, Pineville and Matthews are all too far from uptown for us (we're assuming we'll commute uptown for jobs, and we're NYC transplants in our 20's -- we are going on the idea that these South Charlotte neighborhoods just outside of uptown and in subarea 1 are still within the uptown "scene," are walkable to nightlife/funky shopping, etc. Don't want to be surrounded by strip malls, gated communities and soccer vans just yet! )

-- 2 bedroom is pretty ideal; I guess we could live with 1 bedroom if it has a separate office or sitting room/nook

-- the square footage doesn't matter as much as having an apartment that feels like a home...I'd love around 900 or more but would settle for smaller -- hopefully nothing less than 750

-- REALLY don't want neighbors on all sides -- very important (are there NO side-by-side townhomes fitting these criteria?!! )

Can anyone else help us?!! THANK YOU!!

[Dream House]

If you are still looking, you might consider the Kingstree community. I live in a townhome there and own. It is nice b/c you can get all the ammenities you like and the association takes care of the entire exterior of the house for you plus you get the benefits of the neighborhood like a big pool, walking trials, etc. My wife and I are uptown a lot and we find it is only a 15 minute drive but it is pretty close to the University area and Concord Mills too. It is a good area. I know there are a few townhomes for sale there for around $100,000 to $130,000 so with taxes, interest, etc, you would be able to get a nice place that you own for roughly what you are looking to spend a month on renting.