Results of my apartment search (Indianapolis, Fishers: apartment complexes, rental, job transfer)

[everafter05]

My search is over, and I want to thank you all for the information you provide on this website as it helped me immensely. I thought I'd "pay it forward" and post my experience on here for future apartment hunters.

My husband and I have relocated to Indianapolis due to his job transfer. He is working downtown. What we have been looking for is: as short a commute time as possible; a safe area; rent about $1000.

After spending hours perusing this site, I decided on Greenwood - it seemed the shortest distance to get past the 465 loop. I had a listing of about a dozen properties to see, but I was quite certain about my top three. However when I got here and went to the properties, I was not happy. Here is what I have learned:

- It seems the apartment complexes in the nicer settings (meaning away from highway noise) are the older complexes, so the apartments themselves are rather dated. In turn, the newer "luxury" apartments are generally located next to road noise and strip malls.

- Greenwood has a rural atmosphere. It has a lot of sprawl and less of a small community feel. The drive down the 65 is fine, but if you need to drive down the 31 or the 135, your 12-mile commute will now take you close to half an hour.

- My next closest alternative was Avon. The only way to get there is Rockville Road, which at one point is only one lane in each direction. Driving there I passed a pawn shop and several closed small businesses. It does not look like a thriving community, with the exception of the strip mall area with its shops and restaurants. I tried an alternative street - W 10th - and that street scared me. Did not look at all safe. Sorry to offend those who love Avon, this is just my opinion.

- Beginning to panic, I thought about finding something really close to downtown - walking distance, even. But after spending a little time there, I decided against it. As with any downtown, there are a lot of vagrants. And because of the cold weather, they hide in stairwells and this made me uncomfortable. I'm sure these poor people are harmless, but I'm not used to it so the idea of occasionally going to the local grocery store by myself late at night put me off this idea.

- This brought me to the Fishers/Carmel area. Of course, Fishers is currently the number 10 "best place to live" in Money's list of America's best small cities. But it's nearly 25 miles from downtown, so there's that. However when I got to Fishers, I immediately liked it. Lots of thriving businesses - both big and small. A pretty little downtown with Christmas decorations on the lightposts, yet there's a SuperTarget right there, too.

We ended up getting a place at Sunblest Apartments, which is very quiet and located walking distance to downtown. I talked to an officer at the Fishers police department and was told that the area is very safe, as many officers live here in the complex. My only complaint is that the apartments themselves are twenty years old so they look dated. We have a spacious apartment with a fireplace and pay $799 a month. As for the commute, my husband makes it to work in 23 minutes with no traffic and about 40 minutes with traffic. That's only a few minutes longer than the commute from Greenwood, but it's double the miles. So at $2 a gallon, gas is costing us close to $4 a day (instead of $2 a day from Greenwood).

I hope this helps some people moving here from out of town. Please forgive me if I've insulted anyone - that's not my intention. Thanks again to all of those who post on here, as I've found the info very helpful.

PS - To anyone considering an apartment at Latitudes in Greenwood, please be aware that they are dishonest and I would recommend staying away.

[lovinlife22207]

Thanks so much for the info! I appreciate you taking the time to write this! Now, I just want to clairify that when you say you settled on "downtown" you mean downtown Indy not downtown Fishers right? Can you tell me how you like it so far now that you have been there a month? Thanks again! Audrey

[Toxic Toast]

Sunblest Apts is in Fishers

[everafter05]

Indeed, DC 38 is correct that Sunblest Apartments is in Fishers, walking distance to downtown Fishers. I'm sorry for not being more clear on that, Audrey! We've only been here a week, and the weather has been very cold and rainy, so I haven't been out much. But the local groceries and SuperTarget are very nice. The commute from Fishers to downtown Indianapolis hasn't been bad at all. Even with traffic, the cars keep moving.

[lovinlife22207]

Thats great!! I am almost positive I am on my way to Fishers also! I have heard the most about Fishers and Carmel, but Fishers seems to be evryone's favorite! Good luck; I bet you are glad the move is over...I am dreading it!!

[domergurl]

ever ... by any chance, did you move from California? I can't remember. The only reason I ask is because most Californians refer to the interstates by "the 5" .. putting "the" before the number. Here in the midwest, we just use 65, 465 ...

Anyway, I'm very familiar with Sunblest. Great location! Check out the Nickle Plate Bar & Grill ... good food and I Love Sushi is a good place as well. If you have a dog, Holland Park is dog central! The Fishers Y is fantastic too.

Enjoy Fishers, I did.

[everafter05]

Very perceptive, Domergurl, as I was indeed born and raised in southern California. Thanks for giving me the heads up on "Indy speak". It took me a week before someone told me the proper way to pronounce Carmel, here. (For those who don't know, the accent is on the first syllable.) I had been pronouncing it like Carmel-by-the-Sea in California. Thanks also for the local recommendations - I'll definitely be checking them out, especially the Nickel Plate!

[domergurl]

Yea, it's not Car-MEL by the sea, it's Carmel by the Corn.

[MikiJayne]

While I definitely agree that the commute from Avon to Indy includes some less than desireable scenery, I just want it to be clear that those areas are NOT in Avon, they are west Indy.

[remee]

Originally Posted by everafter05

Very perceptive, Domergurl, as I was indeed born and raised in southern California. Thanks for giving me the heads up on "Indy speak". It took me a week before someone told me the proper way to pronounce Carmel, here. (For those who don't know, the accent is on the first syllable.) I had been pronouncing it like Carmel-by-the-Sea in California. Thanks also for the local recommendations - I'll definitely be checking them out, especially the Nickel Plate!

LOL, I had to literally ask someone about how they pronounced Carmel. I too, being from California (although being military fam, now move around more often) was thinking it was the same as how we pronounce "our" Carmel in So. Cali.

Welcome to Indiana from one "newbie" to another! We ended up finding a cute little rental in Noblesville but it's just about on the edge of Fishers and my girls actually go to a Fishers school.
Fishers is a wonderful town! When we were exploring, it quickly became my one of favorite places!