Moving from Calif...maybe (Lexington, Louisville: sales, apartment complex, to rent)

[calif408]

Hello all
Im thinking about moving to beautiful Lexington from overcrowded, overpriced California. Call me crazy but paying $1100 a month for a studio apt is getting to me.

I am looking to rent an apartment in a safe, desirable neighborhood. I am retired, so Im not worried about a commute. The only 2 things Im worried about are snakes and crime!!

Any suggestions on what areas to look into? I dont want to be too close to the UK bar scene, but I want to be close enough to fast food, grocery stores, mall, etc...

I figure I can spend about $700 for a 1 bedroom.

Thank you all so much in advance for any help you can offer.

[EclecticEars]

Originally Posted by calif408

Hello all
Im thinking about moving to beautiful Lexington from overcrowded, overpriced California. Call me crazy but paying $1100 a month for a studio apt is getting to me.

I am looking to rent an apartment in a safe, desirable neighborhood. I am retired, so Im not worried about a commute. The only 2 things Im worried about are snakes and crime!!

Any suggestions on what areas to look into? I dont want to be too close to the UK bar scene, but I want to be close enough to fast food, grocery stores, mall, etc...

I figure I can spend about $700 for a 1 bedroom.

Thank you all so much in advance for any help you can offer.

Well, am I the man to answer your questions! I am a Kentucky native currently living in Silicon Valley. Let's see, 408, I'm gonna guess you're in Santa Clara County.

I'm not trying to, in any way, discourage you from moving to Kentucky. I am still going through some elements of culture shock in my recent move from KY to CA. Unless you are truly, absolutely tired of the CA metropolitan rat race and see absolutely no advantages to living in (I presume) the Bay Area, I can't emphasize how different KY will be. Even Lexington.

I strongly, strongly suggest that you fly from SFO, OAK, or SJC to Lexington and visit. Don't have money? Save up and just do it. You might at first be impressed with the comparative friendliness, sugar-coating and "Southern hospitality" of a place like Lexington and Kentucky.

Look beyond that: Just do some minor shopping at Fayette Mall, Walmart, Target. Eat at Saul Good, Raisin' Cane's, Fazoli's, Ramsey's, and other reasonably priced restaurants. Interact with your sales staff or waiters, look and see how angry or happy people look while out and about. Honestly, urban CA is an angrier place than KY, but I did kind of expect that.

Try to navigate Nicholasville Road during rush hour; on a Friday afternoon, it reminds me of 101, only Nicholasville actually has stop lights.

Park your car and walk around areas like Southland, Clays Mill, Chevy Chase, and Chinoe; these are still close to UK, yes, but far enough detached from the UK party scene that you wouldn't feel uncomfortable at all. I must admit, Lexington still leaves a lot to be desired in the walkability factor. Even though California is still a car dependent state, the suburban downtowns are all very walkable, most neighborhoods have sidewalks and bike lanes, and Caltrain and BART are reliable rail systems. Lextran in Lexington is a bus system that just doesn't do as good of a job, but then again so do most bus systems nationwide.

Check out the various suburbs and exurbs: Nicholasville, Wilmore, Richmond, Berea, Winchester, Lawrenceburg, Frankfort, Georgetown, Harrodsburg, and Mt. Sterling immediately come to mind. You'll have to get used to a thing called rednecks! No, not the kind that are in Bakersfield; these can be straight up country with smokestacks, Confederate flags and vulgar epithets about rival truck brands proudly plastered on the back of pickups. Hell, you see much of that in Lexington. It will be another way of acquainting you with the general demographic of Central Kentucky.

Lexington, like the Bay Area and other California cities like Sacramento, L.A. (at least west of the 405), Orange Co., San Diego, and San Luis Obispo, is a highly educated city. Some 50% of the population has a Bachelor's degree or higher.

It has, like the Bay and, to a lesser extent, O.C., fared relatively well in this economy because of its more diverse economy than surrounding cities.

Snakes? Take a hike in any rural area and you'll find them. KY has a lot of garter snakes in residential areas, but I only saw one live garter in 22 years in rural Kentucky. Rattlesnakes and cottonmouths exist, but generally in more rural areas. In other words, KY is not as bad as, say, Georgia or Texas in this regard.

Crime? Select neighborhoods along and north of US 60 have a small crime problem. Some areas near the Lane Allen Road (SW Lex) and Todds/Liberty Road (SE Lex) areas have minor crime. Nowhere in Lexington will be as bad as even East San Jose or East Palo Alto, no less Hunter's Point in SF or West Oakland. The state of Kentucky has the tenth lowest crime rate in the nation; I forget the source, sorry.

You can find reasonable, safe, even relatively new (or old, depending on how historic you want to go) housing for $700/mo. or less. Anywhere in town places you close to the amenities you desire.

One thing that I love about the Bay is the locally owned everything that is out here. Sure, there are chains, but just park in Burlingame, Redwood City, Palo Alto, Mountain View, Sunnyvale, etc. and you'll see all these locally owned organic grocery stores, sushi restaurants, fusion cuisine, bookstores, ice cream parlors, etc. Lexington has locally owned places too like Ramsey's, Sal's, Saul Good, and the more expensive Malone's that are really good, but Lexington is overall an extremely chain-oriented city. As is indicative of Southern culture, Lexingtonians don't always "think outside of the box" when it comes to eating at places other than Applebee's and Chili's.

Lexington does not have In-N-Out. It does, however, have Trader Joe's and Whole Foods.

The biggest downside of Lexington? All the eat, live, breathe, fart, and burp UK-everything fans. They're more obnoxious than even 49ers and Raiders fans. To their credit, at least UK fans are mostly quiet and respectful with the Star Spangled Banner is being played, which can't always be said for 49ers and Raiders fans. I have worn Duke, UConn and Louisville shirts in Lexington just to irritate UK fans; strangely, I've received a lot of flack for UConn. Basically, they hate anything that isn't UK. It even infiltrates into the news media; don't get me started on Alan Cutler...

Sorry for the ramble. Like I said, visit KY for a week or two and get a feel for things. It will help you make up your mind. Why don't you also look at other less pricey and still safe cities in California like Sacramento, Chico, Santa Rosa, Ukiah, or San Luis Obispo (rent cheaper but not mortgages)? Even Tracy or Lodi up north or Redlands down south? You'd still be closer to home.

[calif408]

OMGosh! You werent rambling at all....what great info!! Welcome to the Bay Area!!

As you guessed it, I live in San Jose. I was born here, raised here and until my adult life had never lived anywhere else. I lived in Charleston SC for 6 years, San Diego for another 4 then made my way back to the Bay Area for business.

I really want to get away from California. I am so sick of all the radical eco warriors, the lack of affordable housing, self involved people, etc...Im sure they have these folks in Lex too but hopefully fewer and farther between.

I laughed at your comment about In-n-Out, every once in awhile I get a craving for those thats insane, lol. What I missed most about the Bay Area when I lived away was Togo's tho.

I want to thank you so much for the wonderful info you have given me. Honestly, you were so kind to offer that advice to me.

If you think of anything else please let me know. My name is Melissa, btw

[Crazee Cat Lady]

Here are some Apartments you might want to check out.
(I have only included ones that friends have lived in and that they have loved.)

The Merrick Place Apartments
Merrick Place are great, centrally located and right by the Merrick Inn.
Merrick Inn

I have had friends live at and swear by the Mansion and Shillito Park Apartments.
The Mansion

Shillito Park

Have heard lots of good about the Racquet Club

The Racquet Club Apartments

Some other ones you might want to check out:

Rabbit Run

Saddlebrook

I love living in Lexington, but it might be a cultural shock for sure
if you are moving from California, it's weird sometimes how different it is to live in some U.S. cities comparatively to others, while I love it here
some people don't, it's really hard to know if you will be in the half that loves it or the half that hates it.
There probably won't be as much to do here as in a California city - but things will probably be much cheaper here cost of living wise, maybe a little slower - which is good or bad depending on your take of things.
I have never had a snake bite me yet, and I like to hike (Raven Run to
Red River Gorge)(and have lived in Lexington for 24 of 54 years) but yes they do have snakes here - in an apartment community in Lexington, you are not that likely to run into them though.
Almost all of Lexington would have a lower crime rate than where you are from probably (South west Lexington) where I live off Clays Mill Road
is really nice and I don't worry about crime - don't venture out during rush hour though the traffic can get bad.

[EclecticEars]

Originally Posted by calif408

OMGosh! You werent rambling at all....what great info!! Welcome to the Bay Area!!

I really want to get away from California. I am so sick of all the radical eco warriors, the lack of affordable housing, self involved people, etc...Im sure they have these folks in Lex too but hopefully fewer and farther between.

I laughed at your comment about In-n-Out, every once in awhile I get a craving for those thats insane, lol. What I missed most about the Bay Area when I lived away was Togo's tho.

I want to thank you so much for the wonderful info you have given me. Honestly, you were so kind to offer that advice to me.

You're welcome. Glad I can be of assistance.

There are puh-lenty of radical eco-warriors in California, that's for sure. The irony is that they live where people use the most resources in raw pounds and acreage, anyway, such as San Francisco, West L.A., Santa Barbara, Palo Alto, and Berkeley. Or the one that really gets me: Marin! You'd think they'd buy a 50-acre spread near Chico, build communes and live happily ever after. Or, at least take Caltrain, BART, Valley Transit, or just ride their damn bikes. A Prius gets 45 MPG which means it still has a carbon footprint and emits thousands of pounds of CO2 annually.

I suggested the other areas in California b/c of affordable housing. If you look carefully, you can even find fairly affordable housing by CA standards in your county in Morgan Hill and Gilroy, or down in Hollister, or over in Tracy or Lodi. That's why I suggested those areas.

But if you're intent on leaving California, it is an ever-transient state and it still seems like there are five star-struck Midwesterners, Harvard-educated Bostonites, Japanese immigrants and illegal Mexicans moving in for every one Californian leaving. While I'm not "bowled over" by Louisville, Cincinnati, Knoxville, and Nashville, you might check out those cities.

If I were to move back east, while I'm a proud Kentucky native, it most certainly would not be my first choice. It's not a very socially and economically progressive state, although at least the people in the cities are very tolerant. I'm no PETA guy, but animal cruelty still isn't a felony in Kentucky. I'd look into Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina's Upcountry, and the North Georgia Mountains. Cities like Norfolk/Virginia Beach, Raleigh/Durham (maybe not Chapel Hill), Charlotte, Asheville, and Greenville/Spartanburg might also suit what you are looking for. The North Georgia mountains don't really have any major cities...unless you count Chattanooga, in Tennessee.

There's a Togo's in Redwood Shores, near where I live. I'll have to check it out.

I visited California twice before deciding to move out. I'm very glad that I visited and moved, it has been a very educational experience with a lot of extremely great and extremely bummer moments. California can really provide emotional extremes from one day to the next. I like the Bay overall but would have no quips about living in many other parts of the state, even Bakersfield or Fresno (I have a good lead down in L.A. as we speak and a couple here in the Bay, so time will tell...)

Originally Posted by Crazee Cat Lady

Here are some Apartments you might want to check out.
(I have only included ones that friends have lived in and that they have loved.)

I love living in Lexington, but it might be a cultural shock for sure
if you are moving from California, it's weird sometimes how different it is to live in some U.S. cities comparatively to others...

CCL also is a great new poster that has offered some great advice. I know I've been visited the Merritt Inn (actually Merritt Place) apartments and they're very nice.

As for traffic...well, LOL. Lexington is quite bad and poorly planned for a city of 300,000, but I think Mayor Gray is really wanting to improve stop light synchronization and fix some of these problems. I won't rehash the problems as I've done so ad nauseum over the last three years. Nonetheless, Nicholasville Road is not fun at all during rush hour. Overall, not as bad as the Bay Area.

Think of Kentucky and California in European terms. Independent nations (or states, in this case), governed by the same economic operating union (ITC, also political), easily accessible by airplane, but with drastically different personalities and peoples. Portgual is as different from Poland as the United Kingdom (the real UK) is from Albania as Kentucky is from California.

[calif408]

Thanks CCL for the heads up on those apartments. I have looked at The Mansion apartments online, they look really nice. I will check out those others also. I am really interested in The Meadows apartments Off Kirklevington and New Circle (I think). Is that a good area? The other place I really like so far is The Racquet Club, which you mentioned. Is that in a decent area?
i just want to make sure I move to somewhere where if I want to get a drive thru meal I can, go grocery shopping and a Target shopping trip without driving 20 mins+. Also I need it to be safe and secure.
Thanks to you lovely people who have responded so far.

-Melissa

[Coffeeholical]

Anything you find that is on the South side of Lexington and close to 'the circle' will put you within a [relatively] short drive to a Fresh Market, Whole Foods, Wal Mart, and Target, plus our Mall. Definitely less than 20 minutes without bad traffic.

Look at a map of Lexington and find the outer loop 'highway' that circles the city. You'll want to avoid anything that is North of Leestown road in relation to that or North of Richmond Road (in my opinion). That lower semi circle is a generally nice and good area. Some will accuse me of stereotyping the Northish side of the city, but it does have more crime, is less well off, and the shopping is very limited. You said crime was very important, so do be aware of that. If you've visited, you know that Nicolasville is the main artery with the good shopping. Hope all that made sense...

You'll want to avoid living or relying on any of the main arteries for transport though, as they are CROWDED during rush hour. Of course, if you don't drive too much then it won't be a big deal (you can zoom down Nic'ville during off hours)

As far as the Racquet Club is concerned, I can't recommend it enough. Great building and good location in my opinion.

Can't comment on the Meadows.

[Crazee Cat Lady]

Originally Posted by calif408

Thanks CCL for the heads up on those apartments. I have looked at The Mansion apartments online, they look really nice. I will check out those others also. I am really interested in The Meadows apartments Off Kirklevington and New Circle (I think). Is that a good area? The other place I really like so far is The Racquet Club, which you mentioned. Is that in a decent area?
i just want to make sure I move to somewhere where if I want to get a drive thru meal I can, go grocery shopping and a Target shopping trip without driving 20 mins+. Also I need it to be safe and secure.
Thanks to you lovely people who have responded so far.

-Melissa

Hi Melissa, I can't comment on the Meadows, just because I am don't really know them and haven't known anyone who has lived there, but I think it is in a fairly good neighborhood (don't quote me though because I am not really that familiar with the area) I think it is near the Tates Creek Area
which I think is mostly suppose to be pretty nice - except stay away from
the Centre Parkway/Appian road area - or that is what I have heard at any rate.
Coffeeholical gave you some pretty good advice on the bad areas imo,
and I would stay away from anything north of New Circle in general.
(Not to say that there aren't some good neighborhoods in there, I am sure there probably are, but more crime does seem to happen that ways.)
Yes the Racquet Club is in a pretty nice area.
And I also agree anywhere in Lexington is usually excessible to anywhere else in about a 20 min. drive (except for rush hour)>

[Crazee Cat Lady]

CCL also is a great new poster that has offered some great advice. I know I've been visited the Merritt Inn (actually Merritt Place) apartments and they're very nice.Thank you EE, that was very kind of you to say.

EE has lived in both places, so he has the deepest knowledge of the comparisons between the two places.

[calif408]

Is Lexington freiendly to smokers? I even look over my shoulder, make sure my blinds are closed as I type this. In California people will verbally assualt you and eyeball you as if you are a serial killer if you are smoking. Especially if its while driving in your car.
EE Im so glad to hear that you're happy living here. CA is a great place to live for some people and when I was younger things that really p*** me off now never would have in the past. I think Im just really ready to move somewhere that isnt SO liberal in some thoughts while being ridiculously Orwellian in others. I can't have a pet ferret? What? The python and pit bull that live down the street are ok?
I was kinda bummed that animal cruelty isnt a crime in KY, to be completely honest I am an animal freak...I mean I will stop my car and run across a busy freeway if i see a stray dog. I know people in the south like to hunt and I certainly dont agree with it, but as long as my neighbor isnt skinning a deer on his patio I guess I can live with it.
From what Ive read and seen online Lexington sounds like a wonderful place to live. I cant wait to visit and get a firsthand experience.

Thanks again to everyone for commenting. BTW, am I likely to run into garter snakes or any other kind just walking around the apartment complex or just while hiking, etc? i cant even begin to express my fear of snakes. Even dead ones on the side of the road, my hands get clammy heart races, mini panic attacks.