Renting in Rock Island (Augusta: section 8, apartment complexes, rentals)

[not_a_toaster]

Hi all,

I am traveling to Rock Island next week for a job interview. If all goes well, we are looking into moving to the area July 1st.

I've been searching the web high and low trying to find rental housing in the area and have come up with limited results. We want to be close to Augustana College, either easy walking distance or a short commute via public transit. We also have a dog that we are not willing to part with.

Looking on Craigslist only yields really old houses that do not accept pets.

I found some possibly neat lofts downtown through Renaissance Rock Island, but they are mixed income, which probably means that they only have a small number of market rate lofts available. We currently live in a significantly larger city, so the level of crime that might come with the downtown Rock Island area is likely significantly lower than what we experience in our neighborhood.

I've also found a few apartment complexes, and they all were section 8.

Are there any lofts/apartments that have modern amenities that wouldn't have income restrictions?

Any advice on where to find more information about rental places online? Craigslist/Quad Cities Online listings leave a lot to be desired.

Thank you!

[davidVisitor888]

I'm not from Rock Island, but maybe these websites might help you:

[url=http://www.rock-island-apartments.com/]Rock Island Apartments[/url]

[url=http://rock-island-illinois.apartmenthomeliving.com/]Rock Island Apartments for Rent - Find Apartments in Rock Island, IL[/url]

[url=http://www.rent.com/rentals/illinois/rock-island-county/rock-island/]Rock Island Apartments - House Rentals in Rock Island, IL[/url]

[linicx]

First of all you may not get what you wish for. Rock Island is a very old town. There is a high unemployment rate in the area just as there is in Missouri. Most really great landlords do not take pets unless it is a service animal. To keep the dog you may end up living in a smaller community or in a neighborhood that is less desireable.

The advantage to owning even a small house is that you can have your pet, your own appliances, and you can decorate it the way you like.

[not_a_toaster]

Thanks for the info. I'm in the area right now and the situation is WAY worse than I expected. We even looked in Davenport and it looks like all the market rate apartments are taken. We were told that the reason is the military base, which means that a lot of the officers are actually taking up the little market rate apartments that are left.

It seems to me like there is A LOT of low-income housing, which puts the people who can't buy but aren't in need of housing subsidies in a tough position. Unfortunately, buying is not an option since the potential position wouldn't be permanent. We don't want to be stuck with another house that we can't sell when the time comes.

[QuadCityImages]

There are quite a few smaller apartments and houses for rent, but many of them don't advertise anywhere other than a sign out front. If you have some time to spend in the area, find a neighborhood you like and do some driving.

[not_a_toaster]

Did a bit of that yesterday. Was able to look at a house. The bedrooms were sooo tiny. I'm not exaggerating. Each had a twin bed that took up 75% of the room. Is this typical for older houses in the area?

Is it too much to ask to be able to share a room and a queen size bed with your SO?

[hugepossum]

Originally Posted by not_a_toaster

Did a bit of that yesterday. Was able to look at a house. The bedrooms were sooo tiny. I'm not exaggerating. Each had a twin bed that took up 75% of the room. Is this typical for older houses in the area?

Is it too much to ask to be able to share a room and a queen size bed with your SO?

Don't forget to try looking in some of the outlying communities as well, on both sides of the river. (Iowa is better)