Rent range question (Memphis, Midtown: cheap apartment, to rent, neighborhood)

[ladybug35]

I'm moving to Memphis in August to start grad school at U of M. I found an amazing, HUGE apartment (only downside is the window unit, but I'll deal) that is willing to take a deposit now and hold it for me all summer. It's $525 a month, no utilities included. Is this a pretty good price for a completely non-sketchy area of Midtown? I'm from a much smaller city where I get a 1 bedroom in a decent area of town for $375, so I'm kind of clueless. Any help would be appreciated!

[Pearlbob]

That's pretty cheap, even for a small apartment. Midtown has a lot of bad areas that you don't want to live in (it has a lot of good areas too). So you really have to be careful when renting. What is the address? Or if you don't want to post that, what is the closest intersection?

[ladybug35]

It's on Rembert between Madison and Union. In this place's defense, it is about twice the size of where I live now. It's the cheapest one that I've found so far that I don't think would make my mother run away in horror.

[Pearlbob]

The overall area of town is fine. But that particular street...while it is in no way "dangerous" or anything like that...is not the best area. hard to explain. You're right next to 2 highly trafficed roads in Madison and Union, and you have a lot of "odd" people who wander through that area. Bums, random oddballs. Between Madison and Union are a ton of very cheap apartment buildings crammed together, which doesn't make for a great scene. So not necessarily unsafe, but I would imagine you'd have a ton of noise from some not-so-great neighbors. Have you gone to see them? Right at Rembert and Union they are in the midst of tearing down a huge old church to build a fast food place (Chick fil a).

I would never, ever want someeone to rent an apartment in Memphis, especially midtown, without seeing it for yourself.

[ladybug35]

Yeah, I'm in town right now so I went and looked at it, and drove through the neighborhood several times at various hours. I can't believe they tore down a huge beautiful church to build a Chik-Fil-A, but other that that (and the insane notion of turning left onto Union) I didn't see anything that made me go "oh no, I don't want to live here!" I did see a lot of people kind of walking around on both Madison and Union, but the area doesn't look "dangerous" as you said. Thank you for your response...I am very excited and positive about moving to Memphis!

[Pearlbob]

Good deal, if it looks good to you, that's all that matters. And you'll eventually be near some good chicken fast food! (That church being torn down has been a very sore subject for people in midtown.)

[glass_of_merlot]

Originally Posted by ladybug35

It's on Rembert between Madison and Union. In this place's defense, it is about twice the size of where I live now. It's the cheapest one that I've found so far that I don't think would make my mother run away in horror.

If you don't mind loud trains the apartments on 2639 central ave are cheap and many students live there. A 2 bedroom goes for 550 or around that.
I used to live there a couple of months ago, The apartments are called Audubon downs apartments.