Toronto to...Memphis?! (Germantown, Collierville, Henry: real estate, gated, apartment complex)

[AznTO]

What are "efficiency" apartments?!

[Pearlbob]

Efficiencies have one room to them. IE, a room and a bathroom. The kitchenette, living area, and bedroom are all in one room. Like a loft. But much smaller! Efficiences are usually around 400 sq ft here. So just one room that you sleep, eat, watch tv, do whatever in.

FYI...lofts are cool here...like buying a condo that is a loft, or renting one if available. Efficiencies are not. To me, efficiency screams: "poor people are living here." And OF COURSE being poor does not equal bad. However, just going by common sense, the type of people who rent efficiencies are much different than those who rent bigger apts or buy condos. In big cities like NYC, tons of regular people rent efficiences because prices are so expensive (think of Carrie on Sex and the City). But here in Memphis, apts are so cheap that really the bottom of the barrel resort to efficiencies. :-/

Not to sound so horrible, but I lived downtown for years, so I've seen it.

[AznTO]

OH --- so they're Studios. Got it. Thanks. I'll cab it to the hotel, then see if I can rent a car then.

[defiepilex]

efficiency=studio

[AznTO]

I need an apartment with NO cockroaches .....
What's the CLEANEST, BUG/INSECT FREE (almost) location in Memphis? Germantown? Collierville? I have a phobia and cannot live with small insects and bugs .... I'm serious - sort of

[Pearlbob]

I'm starting to wonder if this is a joke.

What kind of apartments have bugs? I mean seriously. Where do you think you'll wind up, in a crack house by accident? Almost insect free? This is a city, not a farm. What are you expecting here?

[AznTO]

I read that old apartments have lots of cockroaches...courtesy of Apartment Ratings - Apartments for Rent with Ratings and Reviews from Actual Renters (in reference to 10 Main) ....

[firepower]

Are you here AznTO?...



firepower

[AznTO]

Not yet! I will arrive July 11th around midnight unless there's a rediculously early morning flight from Jersey...

I basically have one week to find a place and so I want to start earlier - rushing into a place is definitely not a good idea especially since I don't know the area...

I've narrowed it down to 3 places: 10 Main (now unsure), Pembroke and South Bluffs (because of safety). If I don't like any of those, then it's Germantown - I prefer apartments that have a pool, fitness center etc...

I was also thinking of maybe getting a roommate...might be better seeing that I'll be new to town...

[Pearlbob]

I thought you were flying in at night, which is why you didn't want to rent a car because you don't like driving at night?

I wouldn't take everythign you read on the internet to heart. I've seen reviews of dozens of hotels, restaurants, apts, etc that are 'bad' yet in reality, the places are great. One person may have a bad experience there, but that shouldn't offset the 100 people that have good experiences.

Places downtown won't have pools. there's no room. A couple of the condo complexes do (Lofts, Shrine). All will have either a fitness center or access to one. Pembroke has one in the building. 10 Main has one downstairs I believe. South Bluffs should have one too.

Most people downtown though use gyms, not the apt fitness center. it's worth $50 a month to use a big gym instead of just a treadmill and a few weights that are in the apt fitness centers.