Moving from South Louisiana to Rochester (Welcome: housing, rent, income)

[bthibo4]

Hello, I will be graduating in medical technology from LSU in May and plan to work at the Mayo Clinic starting in June. I searched many threads and just had a few more questions.

Are apartments close to the Mayo Clinic available and reasonably priced? Apartments here skyrocketed after Hurricane Katrina and a one bedroom or studio cost from $600-950. Are these prices comparable to Rochester?
Another minor question is how difficult is it to get comfortable with driving in snow? I am 23 and it only snowed here twice since I was born but never had to drive in it.

Any information is greatly appreciated, I visited the renville county area for a week last year in December and abolutely loved it and suprisingly it did not seem like much of a culture shock. Thanks again!

[blakeb99]

wow, we're from practically the same place. what city in south Louisiana are you from? i visited MN this past December and actually went to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester. that's nice getting a job there right out of college. as far as the snow, i've had people tell me to drive extra careful, leave a bigger gap between you and the car in front of you than you normally would, and don't slam on your brakes all of a sudden. it is better to pump your brakes. another concern is the car battery dying because of the cold weather. i hear it is a great idea to keep jumper cables in your car b/c people are constantly needing jumps in the cold weather. but, i also heard of something called a block heater that you can put under your hood. and of course a snow scraper for the windows.

[bthibo4]

i'm from the galliano area around grand isle, when are you planning on moving to rochester?

[blakeb99]

i'm moving in late may or early april, but i'm gonna be in minneapolis most likely.

[gander]

Welcome to Rochester. Rents shouldn't be a problem relative to your income as a professional. During the recent housing boom, apartments were overbuilt with the result that rents declined. I own a 1960s vintage 4-plex about 12 blocks from Mayo - nice, clean & well-kept but modest. I charge $565 for an unfurnished two-bedroom apt. with all utilities except cable & phone included. A one-bedroom runs $480. One-year leases are the norm. After 12 months, it goes month-to-month. One of my tenants walks or rides his bike to the clinic & takes the bus when the weather is bad. Antilock brakes (ABS) are helpful for driving in snow/ice, especially if you aren't used to it. Winter tires are useful for added traction on slippery surfaces. Otherwise, all-season tires are perfectly adequate. Roads are well-cleared, so getting through accumulated snow is seldom an issue. To regain traction in a skid, turn your wheels in the direction of the skid; then correct as necessary when you've regained traction. Winter starting isn't a problem. If your car doesn't start, something is wrong with it. 5w-30 motor oil and a good battery are all you need. A block (engine) heater is unnecessary. Hope this helps.

[golfgal]

If you have Anti-Lock brakes, DON'T pump them if you are sliding, they are designed not to be pumped. Driving in snow isn't that hard to learn. You have to remember that everyone in Minnesota had to learn to drive in snow at some point and time, usually when we were 16 and just learning to dive so you have an advantage having some driving experience. If you are really concerned there are driving schools all over the place that would probably give you a lesson otherwise, have a friend at your new job take you to an empty parking lot after it snows and show you some tips.

Rochester is a great town and the Mayo system is unbelievable. Good luck with your new job.

[JenLee]

You won't need a block heater (aka "headbolt heater") down in Rochester; but you would if you were parking outside in the northern 1/3 of the state during a cold winter.

The main thing about winter driving is give yourself time to get places! If you have a set of good all-season tires; make sure you leave plenty of space between yourself and the car ahead of you, pay attention to road conditions, and clean off your entire front and back windows; and don't try rushing around like it's summertime, you shouldn't have problems driving.

[Ummm]

I live in Rochester and work at the clinic as well.

Shouldn't be too hard to find an apartment. Depending on what you want, small studio prob starts around $400/month. We're renting right now with a 1br in a 4-plex with garage. Rent is $425, and we pay electricity, internet/phone/tv. All other utilities are paid for. Not in the best area of town, but compared to big cities, crime isn't so bad here.

http://postbulletin.com/ is the local paper and they have a house/apt classified online. There are a few property management places in town, but there are also quite a few private renting.

Mayo also has its own Mayo Classified with quite a few listings. Have you already been offered a job at Mayo? If so, ask your HR contact to send you a list.

There is a bus system downtown, there is their schedule and route: http://www.rochesterbus.com/cityline...outes_main.htm
if you work at Mayo, you can get free bus passes, since parking is hard to find downtown.

[bthibo4]

Thanks everyone for he helpful information! I just received my intereview packet in the mail today and will be going on my interview next monday. The rent prices yall dicusssed seem really great because the rent prices here after the hurricane are horrible, a one bedroom is about $650-800 unfurnished. Thanks again!