Need housing information (condo, home, apts)! (Chattanooga, Johnson City: for sale, apartments, rentals)

[blindsolitude]

I will be moving to the area to attend Graduate School at ETSU. I need a place to rent. I would prefer a townhome/condo or house, but an apartment would be ok. I'm looking to spend no more than $625-675/month. I want to be in a safe area as well. i'm just not sure where to look. I've googled "retal homes in johnson city" and "condos for rent in JC," but nothing has really come up at all. It seems impossible to find any information.

I live in Nashville at the moment and work full time, so trying to get up there and look for places is extremely hard.

Can anyone please help?

I plan on moving in mid-July, but would like to get things secured before I get close to moving (in part because I have to put all my stuff in storage come the end of February. . . I'm going to live in Chattanooga from March until July).

Oh- and i've looked on craiglist (first place i went to). A LOT of apartments or items out of my price range.

[kamoshika]

Your price ceiling will severely restrict your choices in condos, townhomes, and houses, but you shouldn't have any trouble finding a good, safe apartment in your range.

Using this forum's search function, try using the search terms "johnson city" and "rent" or "apartment" or "townhome," and you'll find some helpful suggestions. Also be sure to look through the Johnson City Press classifieds. FWIW, I just checked and saw a few townhomes listed for under $550/mo.

There aren't many truly "bad" parts of JC, but if have a question about a rental in a particular area, just ask and someone here will likely give you some feedback.

[blindsolitude]

Thanks! When I find something that sounds ok, I'll ask about the area. If I have a roommate, my price level will definitely go up.

As for apartments, any suggestions? I've looked at Sterling Hills, Plymouth Ridge, and South Roan Estates. Has anyone heard about these places?

[mbmouse]

Sterling Hills is nice, a bit further away from ETSU, but still close enough. South Roan Estates.....well...there is nothing "estate" about that area hahahhaha. I wouldn't say it is a "bad" area as far as crime or anything, but I wouldn't call it a good comfy area either, but that might just be me.
Plymouth Ridge, according to the map, I believe those are the newer ones built right next to 26 just after the Elizabethton/321 exit heading south. I have never been in them, but they look nice and that area is pretty good from what I know of it.
Not sure if that helps any.

[rccrain]

First, congrats on choosing a fine academic institution. I will personally vouch for their school of business. I have had a great experience.

I think your price range is doable, but how close to Etsu do you need to be?

The problem with rentals around here is that you basically have to ride around and take down phone numbers of signs by the highway. Some marketing

[jabogitlu]

Yeah, your price range is a bit low. You wouldn't think so, with all these broke college kids around here, but it is. I live in Willow Creek, which is currently $630 a month. Not a bad place (not great, either, and when you first move in you really have to hound them to get everything back in working order) and very close to ETSU.

As far as I know, that area of South Roan St is just fine, if a little boring. The rent on those is a little pricey but the deposit ("$400-$800") is astounding. Good Grief!

Sterling Hills is okay, but you're much closer to Milligan College than you are ETSU. Still, LOTS of university students live somewhere on the Milligan Hwy and there are tons of condos and apartments on that road. (So if you come up any before you move I'd suggest driving down it.)

If Plymouth Ridge is what I'm thinking, then I've been in those before. They're nice looking on the outside and decent on the inside if a bit small. Not too far from ETSU as you can just hop back on South Roan, take a left onto University Parkway.

This might be of service to you: Tri-City Apartment Guide - Johnson City Apartment, Kingsport Apartments, Bristol Apartments

If you're going to drive around (as rccrain suggests -- that's how I found mine), I'd suggest drives down the Milligan Hwy, University Parkway area, Cherokee Rd and Greenwood Drive to get you started.

[blindsolitude]

Oh- I'm not too concerned with being extremely close to ETSU. I wouldn't mind living in Gray/Boones Creek area or Jonesborough. As long as I don't have to drive more than 15 miles to the university, I'm good. I've seen condos for sale in the boones creek area and when I put it through mapquest, it was only 11 miles to ETSU.

[blindsolitude]

I hate to keep bringing this back up, but I have 2 questions about Sterling Hills. Has anyone been inside these apartments so I can get an accurate description? Also, are these apartments in Washington or Carter county? It says JC, however, when you bring up mapquest, it looks like its in Carter.

I'm actually coming up to JC on the 22nd. My dad wants me to actually look at storage units in person rather than reserve on based on the size posted online. It would be horrible to rent one and realize that its too small while moving stuff into it!

[kamoshika]

Originally Posted by blindsolitude

Also, are these apartments in Washington or Carter county?

Definitely in Carter County.

[blindsolitude]

Hmm. ok.

Does anyone know where this: Condo very close to ETSU. is? Again, I'm just wondering if it is in a good (ie safe) area.