Moving to Nashville from Los Angeles (Murfreesboro, Smyrna: apartments, rent, crime)

[vlv723]

Hi All,

Next month, I'll be moving to the Nashville area from Los Angeles (West Covina to be exact). I'm really excited exploring a new city so far away from where I was born and raised at.

So, I'm a young guy (mid 20s), already has a job waiting (a transfer), and doing this at my own expense.

I'm finding a good area to live in along with my dog, with a rent budget of $400-$600 a month and be close to work (less than 10 miles and a 20 min commute). The office is in Smyrna, which is south of Nashville from what I researched. The area has to be low-crime as well...

It's going to be my first time renting a place and is it just a deposit along with first and last months rent? I thought it's just the deposit and first month's.

I don't watch much TV but a fast internet connection is a must as I may have to connect to the office. So who are the providers? I think it's Comcast and AT&T but what is better, price-wise since my budget is going to be crippled for a few months while I settle in.

I wonder what places I can visit for the first time as well as the weekend nightlife to hang out.

Anyways, I am looking forward to drive 2000 miles to my new location. I hope I love it since 3 of my co-workers transferred and said they love it.

Thanks for the advise and recommendations in advance!

[scottv]

You working for Nissan? Well, for an apt, good general rule is stay away from Antioch near I24...if I were you, I would get a roommate and live somewhere near Hillsboro Village/midtown/greenhills-those are the best areas for your age range and that is where most of the things to do are. you can find ads on craigslist.org - that's how I found my current living situation.

[vlv723]

Hey thanks for the reply Scott. I do not work for Nissan, but a big retail company that has a distribution center around the area.

My co-workers over there told me that yes, avoid Antioch. However, I did find an apartment that I can afford and is near the I-24, but not in that area. It is located in South Nashville near Highway 255/Harding Pl. Is that a safe area?

Also, I was thinking of finding a roommate and that area is pretty good. However, I know lots of people would not allow pets and unsure if there's anything else I can look for them other than Craigslist, which is why finding a roommate would be hard.

[UNT_Eagle]

Originally Posted by vlv723

My co-workers over there told me that yes, avoid Antioch. However, I did find an apartment that I can afford and is near the I-24, but not in that area. It is located in South Nashville near Highway 255/Harding Pl. Is that a safe area?

Also, I was thinking of finding a roommate and that area is pretty good. However, I know lots of people would not allow pets and unsure if there's anything else I can look for them other than Craigslist, which is why finding a roommate would be hard.

Regarding the area you mentioned above, I would suggest to look elsewhere, perhaps in Smyrna which is south of there off I-24 or Murfreesboro which is even further south. Murfreesboro has tons of apartments that are in good condition with reasonable rates, and you can get to I-24/Harding Place area in about 25-30 mins.
Anything around I-24 north of Smyrna is very questionable..
Hope that helps

[vlv723]

Originally Posted by UNT_Eagle

Regarding the area you mentioned above, I would suggest to look elsewhere, perhaps in Smyrna which is south of there off I-24 or Murfreesboro which is even further south. Murfreesboro has tons of apartments that are in good condition with reasonable rates, and you can get to I-24/Harding Place area in about 25-30 mins.
Anything around I-24 north of Smyrna is very questionable..
Hope that helps

Hey UNT, the only thing I don't like is traffic...I used to work in Los Angeles/Orange County, and it took me 2 hours to get to the office even though it's about 20-30 miles away. Now, it's 8 miles and about a 15-20 minute drive.

Murfreesboro is one place I'll consider.

Any other places other than Craigslist or Roommates.com that I can find a room? Thanks for the help again in advance!

[mxj1614]

vlv723, I would avoid Highway 255/Harding Pl. as well. You might want to consider Murfreesboro. It used to be a primarily college town but has grown quite a bit over the years. Now it just all seems to be commercialized with strip malls and no zoning. I lived there for 2 years while in school before I transferred. Seems to be more to do there now than when I was there between 97 and 99.

I will advise you that the Smyrna / La Vergne is very family 2.5 kids, etc. Not much of a scene for anyone single and in their 20's. If you are looking for some night life and wanting to meet other people your age, I would recommend the West End / 21st Avenue / Hillsboro Village / Mid-town / Belmont area. Lots to do and lots that you can walk to. If you lived in that area and worked in Smyrna, you would be going against traffic so your commute wouldn't be bad at all even though it would probably be 20 miles. Best of luck.

[UNT_Eagle]

Originally Posted by vlv723

Hey UNT, the only thing I don't like is traffic...I used to work in Los Angeles/Orange County, and it took me 2 hours to get to the office even though it's about 20-30 miles away. Now, it's 8 miles and about a 15-20 minute drive.

Murfreesboro is one place I'll consider.

Any other places other than Craigslist or Roommates.com that I can find a room? Thanks for the help again in advance!

You could try the classified ads in the Tennessean local newspaper for roomates/rooms.
Also try rent.com

Let me know how it works out

[Mike in TN]

That would be a ridiculous daily drive from the West End area to Smyrna every day; especially for a guy that isn't fond of long commutes.

[Diane Giam]

Originally Posted by Mike in TN

That would be a ridiculous daily drive from the West End area to Smyrna every day; especially for a guy that isn't fond of long commutes.

I agree. I think since he's single and Murfreesboro being the college town it is that I would consider Murfreesboro.
There is a lot to do there , nightlife , shopping , restaurants. It is not far from Smyrna at all.

Diane G

[scottv]

You don't want to live anywhere off i24/south nashville...sketchy area. you're mid 20s, i would want to be closer to nashville than murfreesboro-that's way out. coming from hillsboro village area should be a reverse commute, BUT maybe a good alternative would be Crieve Hall (around Harding Place and I65)...you could find a roommate situation in a house, have a place for your dog, cut over Harding Place to 24 then south to smyrna for work AND crieve hall is accessible to everything worth going to in nashville-greenhills, downtown, hillsboro village...that's what I would do in your shoes.

but here's a place for cheap in smyrna though...you wont find anything that cheap closer to nashville (in the hood maybe)
http://nashville.craigslist.org/roo/514818096.html (broken link)

good luck in the search