Moving to Madison: Questions (Milwaukee: sale, 2015, renters)

[Megan1967]

I agree with Midwestern Bookworm that you should look outside of Madison and am doubtful that you will find something nice in your budget within commuting distance, but in case you insist on looking at the North and East sides, I have made a map of what area to avoid.

I did not include the area west of Fair Oaks and North of Milwaukee, because my map wasn't big enough, but that is considered a bit of a rough area as well. I've had several friends who live in that area who don't have any problems, however.



You can click on this link to see the original image:
http://library-lady.com/EastSideAvoid.png

[MS Born and Bred]

Although I prefer to pay less than $900.00 monthly rent, I could pay $1,200.00-$1,500.00 for a townhouse and a duplex. I just will have to make some changes to my budget.

Human Resources still has not notified me of my starting salary but I'm sure it is adjusted to local cost of living.

I could do without cable or have basic cable without full premium package (Sports, HBO, Showtime). I definitely will have to cook more at home instead of dining out.

My car will be paid off in 4 months so that will be very helpful.

Hopefully, I will find one that is all electric so gas utility would not be required for hot water and heat.

I just want to have enough for social life because I have to start over from scratch with new friends.

Are Madisonians/Wisconsites friendlier and more welcoming than Minnesotans? I met and socialized with a couple of Minnesotans. I'm familiar with the term "Minnesota Nice" and I experienced it with them. It's also harder to break into the circle and become better friends. I have been told that Madison is also reserved but still a little different because it's very far left politically active city so people are more open and friendlier.

[Megan1967]

Actually, gas is cheaper than electricity. You want to avoid electric heat at all costs. Unfortunately, most apartments have electric heat.

[Megan1967]

People from other places do seem to think that Madisonians are not as friendly as where they came from, but I think we just have what psychiatrists call, "good boundries." I do not think it is healthy to instantly bond with strangers. I prefer to take my time and get to know them. It is easier to let someone in gradually than to take them in with open arms only to discover they aren't really someone you want intimately involved in your life. I have almost always regretted it when I have not followed these guidelines. People who are too ready to plunge into a friendship blindly tend to be very needy and a psychological drain.

I've been told it takes a full 2 years to really get integrated into a community with a core of 2-4 close friends and a pool of friendly acquaintances - where ever you are moving. I have moved to places where I did not know a soul and found this to be true. The first couple of years are really hard and lonely, but one day you wake up and find that you've carved out a life for yourself in your new home.

[ScarletG]

Originally Posted by MS Born and Bred

Although I prefer to pay less than $900.00 monthly rent, I could pay $1,200.00-$1,500.00 for a townhouse and a duplex. I just will have to make some changes to my budget.

Human Resources still has not notified me of my starting salary but I'm sure it is adjusted to local cost of living.

I could do without cable or have basic cable without full premium package (Sports, HBO, Showtime). I definitely will have to cook more at home instead of dining out.

My car will be paid off in 4 months so that will be very helpful.

Hopefully, I will find one that is all electric so gas utility would not be required for hot water and heat.

I just want to have enough for social life because I have to start over from scratch with new friends.

Are Madisonians/Wisconsites friendlier and more welcoming than Minnesotans? I met and socialized with a couple of Minnesotans. I'm familiar with the term "Minnesota Nice" and I experienced it with them. It's also harder to break into the circle and become better friends. I have been told that Madison is also reserved but still a little different because it's very far left politically active city so people are more open and friendlier.

I agree with Megan, you do not want all electric....egads the bills if you are paying for heat! When were were looking, we found a few places that had heat included which would hae been nice.

[7G9C4J2]

Originally Posted by MS Born and Bred

Hopefully, I will find one that is all electric so gas utility would not be required for hot water and heat.

Natural gas heat is much, much less expensive than electric heat. You might be thinking about propane heat, which has definitely skyrocketed in price this winter, but propane heating is fairly unusual in a city. That's more common in an extremely rural location where there is no natural gas supply source.

Originally Posted by MS Born and Bred

I just want to have enough for social life because I have to start over from scratch with new friends.

Are Madisonians/Wisconsites friendlier and more welcoming than Minnesotans? I met and socialized with a couple of Minnesotans. I'm familiar with the term "Minnesota Nice" and I experienced it with them. It's also harder to break into the circle and become better friends. I have been told that Madison is also reserved but still a little different because it's very far left politically active city so people are more open and friendlier.

Well, it's a mix. Native-born Wisconsinites tend to be a bit more reserved, while folks who have moved here from other parts of the country can be somewhat more outgoing. Wisconsin definitely has its own version of "Midwest Nice" going on, and many outsiders have expressed frustration with it.

One thing that I recommend to anyone moving here is that you seek out a volunteer group or activity that resonates with you and spend some time that way. The best friends we've made in the nearly 15 years we've lived in Madison are those who we met through volunteering. There's just something about having a shared passion for a particular cause or activity (literacy, animal-rescue, elder care, hunger eradication, Habitat for Humanity - the list is nearly endless) that builds bonds between people.

Originally Posted by ScarletG

I agree with Megan, you do not want all electric....egads the bills if you are paying for heat! When were were looking, we found a few places that had heat included which would hae been nice.

An apartment with heat included in the rent is a nice concept in theory, but in reality that means that the landlord controls the thermostat, and it is probably not going to be at a temperature that you find comfortable. Also, in general, a "heat-included" building will be quite old; anything built in the past half-century is likely to have individual gas/electric meters, individual HVAC units and individual thermostats, with the tenants paying their utilities.

[SmittyXCWRU]

Originally Posted by Megan1967

I agree with Midwestern Bookworm that you should look outside of Madison and am doubtful that you will find something nice in your budget within commuting distance, but in case you insist on looking at the North and East sides, I have made a map of what area to avoid.

I did not include the area west of Fair Oaks and North of Milwaukee, because my map wasn't big enough, but that is considered a bit of a rough area as well. I've had several friends who live in that area who don't have any problems, however.



You can click on this link to see the original image:
http://library-lady.com/EastSideAvoid.png

Eh, I think Megan's standards might be a tad high for "rough areas". She included a whole lot of places I'd feel fine living at. I'm also a mid-20s athletic male, so take that with a grain of salt too. It depends on what your standards for "rough" are. I don't want to start an argument, but I think there may be a number of places she has boxed that, depending on what you're used to and how intimidating you look, you may not want to rule out.

Also note that Madison is very patchy compared to many cities. You can probably find some really nice places in both of our "rough" zones and some sketchy ones elsewhere too.

Here's my take:

[7G9C4J2]

Originally Posted by SmittyXCWRU

Also note that Madison is very patchy compared to many cities. You can probably find some really nice places in both of our "rough" zones and some sketchy ones elsewhere too.

Absolutely correct. As it happens, I have lived for fourteen years inside the area that both you and Megan identify as a region to avoid, and my neighborhood is a thriving, cohesive, friendly, blue-collar area where I'd choose to live again in a heartbeat. There are small patches within a mile or so of my house where I'd probably not walk alone late at night, but I think it's perhaps just a bit of an exaggeration to describe almost the entire east side as an undesirable and/or unsafe area to live.

To the OP, the reason I didn't recommend my specific neighborhood to you is that it is almost entirely owner-occupied single-family homes rather than rental duplexes or townhouses. And it's still expensive compared to what you're accustomed to in your home state. Based on your preferences, I think you're more likely to find what you're looking for in Sun Prairie or one of the other outlying communities than in Madison.

[Megan1967]

I believe, based on her prior posts, that the neighborhood Midwestern Bookworm is referring to is the one that I indicated several of my friends have lived in with no problems. It is indeed perfectly fine in some parts, not so great in others. It would be too hard for someone from out of town to distinguish between the two, however, which is why I blocked out the entire area. Basically, if an apartment seems much lower than the typical equivalent apartment, it is probably not a good area. The "really good deals" rarely get advertised. The landlord gets new tenants from their family, friends and former tenants.

[bler144]

Originally Posted by Megan1967

The "really good deals" rarely get advertised. The landlord gets new tenants from their family, friends and former tenants.

True, and in the off chance it is advertised, it's snatched up in 20 minutes.