Single Female Student Seeking Housing (Denver, Aurora: apartments, rent, condo)

[two2to]

Hi guys,

I will relocate to Denver from Pullman, WA around April or May. I will go to Johnson and Wales University so I'm looking for housing near by that area. I'm 23 single Asian female student and have never rent apt/room before; I live on-campus housing all the time but now I'm tired of having roommates and really want to have my own place. I have never been to Denver nor known anyone here so I know nothing about the city. I did do some research on it but it's just confused me cause I really don't know where is where. Here I have some questions: How is the neighborhood near by JWU, is it safe? If I have to live around the university, which neighborhood should I consider? Since I don't drive, I want to live somewhere closed to JWU,public transportations, and grocery stores. My budget is somewhere around $500-$800/month. Either studio or one bedroom condo will work for me. I also want the apt be fully furnished and the rent included all utilities. It is greatly appreciated if you can give me any advice such as the resources that I can find the fully furnished apt (I know Craiglist and Rent.com).

[billiken]

Your price range could work--more likely toward the top of your price range, except for the fully furnished part. I'd imagine fully furnished apartments pretty much don't exist in your price range--unless you live with a roomate who already has all the furniture you'll need (but you mentioned you're over having roomates). Try googling furnished apartments in Denver and prepare for some sticker shock.

East Colfax & North Aurora are not the best of areas. Stapleton and South Park Hill are also nearby, and are pretty nice. Lowry isn't terribly far either, and is nice. Stapleton and Lowry are newer developments, South Park Hill is older. I'd start looking at Padmapper.com for an idea of what's available.

[KaaBoom]

Originally Posted by two2to

Hi guys,

I will relocate to Denver from Pullman, WA around April or May. I will go to Johnson and Wales University so I'm looking for housing near by that area. I'm 23 single Asian female student and have never rent apt/room before; I live on-campus housing all the time but now I'm tired of having roommates and really want to have my own place. I have never been to Denver nor known anyone here so I know nothing about the city. I did do some research on it but it's just confused me cause I really don't know where is where. Here I have some questions: How is the neighborhood near by JWU, is it safe? If I have to live around the university, which neighborhood should I consider? Since I don't drive, I want to live somewhere closed to JWU,public transportations, and grocery stores. My budget is somewhere around $500-$800/month. Either studio or one bedroom condo will work for me. I also want the apt be fully furnished and the rent included all utilities. It is greatly appreciated if you can give me any advice such as the resources that I can find the fully furnished apt (I know Craiglist and Rent.com).

You will need to get a roommate, or pay more money. The area is not particularly safe. The bus route serving the campus is route 73. The campus is also within walking distance of bus routes 15, 15L, 20, and 65. 15 and 15L on Colfax offer the best service. Check the map and schedules below.

RTD System Map

RTD Local/Limited Route Schedules

[Davros]

Contact the university for housing assistance and possibly help finding roommates.

That's your best bet. They know where their students live.

I'm going to imagine that some of the students live in Capitol Hill and commute to school using the 15, which is one of the most frequent and heavily used bus lines in Denver. 2 block walk up Quebec to the campus. But definitely contact the university for advice. And do keep in mind, there definitely is crime in Denver. So it might be quite an adjustment compared to Pullman, WA. You'll have to learn street smarts.

[two2to]

Originally Posted by billiken

Your price range could work--more likely toward the top of your price range, except for the fully furnished part. I'd imagine fully furnished apartments pretty much don't exist in your price range--unless you live with a roomate who already has all the furniture you'll need (but you mentioned you're over having roomates). Try googling furnished apartments in Denver and prepare for some sticker shock.

East Colfax & North Aurora are not the best of areas. Stapleton and South Park Hill are also nearby, and are pretty nice. Lowry isn't terribly far either, and is nice. Stapleton and Lowry are newer developments, South Park Hill is older. I'd start looking at Padmapper.com for an idea of what's available.

Thank you for ur response it's greatly helped!! It seems the school area is not as safe as I expected. However, there are some busses pass by the college so I might consider wider area such as Capitol Hill? It seems it's in downtown area and is closed to everything. But I don't know what is the rent in Capitol Hill. I will definitely keep an eye on Padmapper.com.

[two2to]

Originally Posted by KaaBoom

You will need to get a roommate, or pay more money. The area is not particularly safe. The bus route serving the campus is route 73. The campus is also within walking distance of bus routes 15, 15L, 20, and 65. 15 and 15L on Colfax offer the best service. Check the map and schedules below.

RTD System Map

RTD Local/Limited Route Schedules

Thank you so much for ur link. I still stick with living oneself because I'm really tired of having roommates around.

[two2to]

Originally Posted by Davros

Contact the university for housing assistance and possibly help finding roommates.

That's your best bet. They know where their students live.

I'm going to imagine that some of the students live in Capitol Hill and commute to school using the 15, which is one of the most frequent and heavily used bus lines in Denver. 2 block walk up Quebec to the campus. But definitely contact the university for advice. And do keep in mind, there definitely is crime in Denver. So it might be quite an adjustment compared to Pullman, WA. You'll have to learn street smarts.

From the school website it said the school doesn't offer any assistance for looking off-campus housing but I will give it a try. I check Capitol Hill it seems it's in downtown? I know Denver is a big city and there is crime so I try to avoid those area. How is Capitol Hill? I mean the safety and the rent over there.

[KaaBoom]

Originally Posted by two2to

From the school website it said the school doesn't offer any assistance for looking off-campus housing but I will give it a try. I check Capitol Hill it seems it's in downtown? I know Denver is a big city and there is crime so I try to avoid those area. How is Capitol Hill? I mean the safety and the rent over there.

Capital Hill would probably be your best place to look. Lots of apartments there, but still it's going to be expensive.

[Davros]

Originally Posted by two2to

From the school website it said the school doesn't offer any assistance for looking off-campus housing but I will give it a try. I check Capitol Hill it seems it's in downtown? I know Denver is a big city and there is crime so I try to avoid those area. How is Capitol Hill? I mean the safety and the rent over there.

There's more crime everywhere in Denver than in Pullman, I imagine, including Capitol Hill which certainly isn't crime free. It's inner city living. Lots of theft. I wouldn't call it a dangerous neighborhood, but it's definitely big city rather than college town. Apartment prices are also somewhat high too.

I see on their website that the school highly recommends on-campus housing and that's why they don't help people find off-campus housing. I think you should at least consider taking that option, at least in your first year, so that you can learn what living in the big city of Denver is all about before you make the move to off-campus living.

But if you really don't want to do that, are you able to contact any current students there who might have some housing ideas ?

[two2to]

Originally Posted by Davros

There's more crime everywhere in Denver than in Pullman, I imagine, including Capitol Hill which certainly isn't crime free. It's inner city living. Lots of theft. I wouldn't call it a dangerous neighborhood, but it's definitely big city rather than college town. Apartment prices are also somewhat high too.

I see on their website that the school highly recommends on-campus housing and that's why they don't help people find off-campus housing. I think you should at least consider taking that option, at least in your first year, so that you can learn what living in the big city of Denver is all about before you make the move to off-campus living.

But if you really don't want to do that, are you able to contact any current students there who might have some housing ideas ?

I have never expected Denver will be as safe as Pullman. Theft is fine as long as there is no gang activities around the area I will live. I just plan to stay in Denver for 1-2 years depending on my studying and then move back to Seattle. During the period I'm not planning to live with roommates. I don't know anyone/any students in Denver but I probably will visit the campus during March and hopefully getting chance to talk to current students regarding housing.