Need a place to stay in Newark (Society Hill: apartment, for rent)

[medocusa]

HI Justaskin
I too am taking the same course, Kaplan step1 live prep starting on 2nd Feb. I am looking for a female roommate.Planning to stay at a hotel nearby.Let me know if you are interested.
email: savieed@gmail.com

[elflord1973]

Originally Posted by justaskin

ya know, if all you came in here to do was put down people then thats real lame. i appreciate your advice but not your sarcasm.


thanks to all for your advice. i've narrowed it down to one apt thats half a mile from the center with a bus stop right in front of it and the hotel offered from the center.

i talked to the lady at the center and she said although lots of students do live at the ymca, but she wouldnt recommend it for a girl. esp since the nearest bus stop is a little walk from it. so ill heed her advice.

You are in the same building as the train station, so you could conveniently commute by PATH train (much nicer than Newark bus) from any of the towns on the PATH, e..g. Harrison, Jersey City, Hoboken which are much nicer than Newark, and you could do this without stepping into a war zone (downtown Newark) -- because 1 Gateway is directly connected to the station.

Getting a place sight unseen in Newark is a lousy idea. As much as you may appreciate advice, you seem to have ignored it.

[justaskin]

Originally Posted by LynnePatrice

Jusaskin,

Can't anyone at the school help you? Don't they have any type of referral program where they can hook up out of town students together so they can share a hotel room in the place across the street? I would think if the purpose of you being there is simply to study and take the test then if you could get another female who is in the same position to split the cost of the hotel room with you, that would seem like the best option to me.

the only help they gave us was the number for the ymca or the option to stay at the hotel. but the hotel is 4112$ for 49 days, thats a little bit much for me. and since it is a hotel room, the quarters are pretty cramped and sharing would be kind of tight for two people for 50 days.

Originally Posted by MIapple

I am attending the same course and looking for similar living options. Justaskin have you finalised plans for acco, if so kindly share your thoughts. Thanks.

i've pm'ed you please check.

Originally Posted by medocusa

HI Justaskin
I too am taking the same course, Kaplan step1 live prep starting on 2nd Feb. I am looking for a female roommate.Planning to stay at a hotel nearby.Let me know if you are interested.
email: savieed@gmail.com

i've pm'ed you and sent you and email.

Originally Posted by elflord1973

You are in the same building as the train station, so you could conveniently commute by PATH train (much nicer than Newark bus) from any of the towns on the PATH, e..g. Harrison, Jersey City, Hoboken which are much nicer than Newark, and you could do this without stepping into a war zone (downtown Newark) -- because 1 Gateway is directly connected to the station.

Getting a place sight unseen in Newark is a lousy idea. As much as you may appreciate advice, you seem to have ignored it.

the person who i'm renting from sent me pictures and stuff, and tbh, im really really nervous about going to a place without ever seeing it. but my parents are paying for this and i cant argue their thought process of going and checking it out. if worse comes to worse i can always go to the hotel.

i havent ignored anyones advice, i've taken what everyone here has said and thought about it. but at the end of the day its up to me and my family to decide whats best for me. just because someone asks for advice its not fair for everyone to get upset if its not taken, its advice for a reason, i never asked anyone to decide for me.

[nutleynut]

Originally Posted by justaskin

the only help they gave us was the number for the ymca or the option to stay at the hotel. but the hotel is 4112$ for 49 days, thats a little bit much for me. and since it is a hotel room, the quarters are pretty cramped and sharing would be kind of tight for two people for 50 days.



i've pm'ed you please check.



i've pm'ed you and sent you and email.




the person who i'm renting from sent me pictures and stuff, and tbh, im really really nervous about going to a place without ever seeing it. but my parents are paying for this and i cant argue their thought process of going and checking it out. if worse comes to worse i can always go to the hotel.

i havent ignored anyones advice, i've taken what everyone here has said and thought about it. but at the end of the day its up to me and my family to decide whats best for me. just because someone asks for advice its not fair for everyone to get upset if its not taken, its advice for a reason, i never asked anyone to decide for me.

There ya go, and good luck!

[justaskin]

Originally Posted by nutleynut

There ya go, and good luck!

thanks! i really appreciate it!

[elflord1973]

Originally Posted by justaskin

the person who i'm renting from sent me pictures and stuff, and tbh, im really really nervous about going to a place without ever seeing it.

What you're not looking at is the neighborhood.

I've lived in Newark, I was a Rutgers Newark student. You are moving into a war zone. It is where I'd tell you to go if you wrote "I want to move into an unsafe neighborhood." The downtown part of Newark is not even one of the better parts of what is already a very rough town (the Ironbound is the "least bad" part)

Don't take my word for it, look up the crime stats on this website.

but my parents are paying for this and i cant argue their thought process of going and checking it out. if worse comes to worse i can always go to the hotel.

i don't follow the logic. Are your parents constrained by financial considerations, or do your parents want you to move into a war zone ?

There are other neighborhoods nearby that are inexpensive, and not war zones. Both Jersey City and Harrison are much safer than Newark, and relatively cheap. The commutes are not much different to a bus commute within Newark, unless you're prepared to walk (I know this because I've taken campus shuttles before) -- Gateway is located right at the train station, so anywhere with a PATH station (Jersey City and Harrison) are close.

i havent ignored anyones advice, i've taken what everyone here has said and thought about it. but at the end of the day its up to me and my family to decide whats best for me. just because someone asks for advice its not fair for everyone to get upset if its not taken, its advice for a reason, i never asked anyone to decide for me.

I understand that it's up to you. If someone else gets upset about their advice not being followed, that's their business, nothing to do with me.

What I don't understand is, why you haven't considered staying somewhere besides Newark.

[justaskin]

i have considered staying somewhere else besides newark, i've looked at other hotels, other apts, etc, none of them seem to fit what i need. no one besides a hotel is willing to give me 50 days only.


if you guys know of a discount i can get at the hilton penn station or robert treat let me know.

[elflord1973]

Originally Posted by justaskin

i have considered staying somewhere else besides newark, i've looked at other hotels, other apts, etc, none of them seem to fit what i need. no one besides a hotel is willing to give me 50 days only.


if you guys know of a discount i can get at the hilton penn station or robert treat let me know.

Where did you look ? There's a modest looking Ramada Inn near Journal square.

Did you check sublets/temporary on Craigslist ?

I think a hotel on Penn station would also be fine (you'd literally be in the same building as 1 Gateway).

I don't think it's impossible to survive in Newark, but "girl from Texas who's not used to walking" doesn't sound like a good candidate for residency in such a city. You would stand out like a sore thumb even if being the only white person within your line of sight didn't already make you stand out like a sore thumb.

If you're out of options and must stay in Newark -- the University center should have a shuttle (call to check). It will be much safer than walking if not any faster (about 20min from gateway center). At least in my experience, cabs won't come out there. On my first visit to campus, I stayed at the university center. I was stood up when I needed a cab ride for the airport! it was only thanks to a *very* helpful campus cop that I caught my plane.

[HalfFull]

So...... what did you end up doing ????

[justpassingby]

As a Newark resident for over 7 years, I must say that Newark's reputation is mostly scared talk from suburbanites who gossip about it and headlines from bad neighborhoods that media outlets use to get ratings. I got my MBA at Rutgers Newark and have lived there ever since.

Like any other major city it has its good parts and not so good parts. The trick is, knowing what you can afford and where you'll be comfortable. Personally, having seen most of Newark and experiencing a lot of what it has to offer, the BEST places to live are in University Heights, Downtown Newark, Branch Brook Park, and the Ironbound. GoNewark.com and GardenStateApartments.com, The NJ Apartment MLS, seem to have a good pulse on the city and selection of the Newark housing available.

Here are some good links I found on that site for Newark, NJ Apartments:

Apartments for Rent in Newark, NJ

Downtown Newark, NJ Apartments

Society Hill in Newark, NJ

Newark, NJ College Housing

There are other neighborhoods around, but for most college students and working professionals that did not grow up in the Newark area, this where most choose to live.

For long term stays, I would always check GardenStateApartments. They have a pretty good selection of quality housing in the Newark area. Just be sure to map out where the place is located. Neighborhoods can change very quickly from block to block. You should also work with someone (agent, manager, or landlord) who you feel comfortable with and that knows the area.

In terms of finding short-term housing for a Kaplan course, (that is affordable) good luck! The hotel rates are WAY over-priced and finding a furnished short-term rental in the area for Kaplan dates is REALLY tough. University Centre has nice amenities, but everyone says it is not worth the money to live in a dorm with random people. There is a management company that lists on GSA that has apartments nearby and occasionally has short-term furnished housing in University Heights and Downtown. Sometimes they have a room or an apartment that will take a short-term rental. When they do have them, it costs almost $1000 less a month than staying at one of the hotels or extended stays. Definitely worth a shot.

At the end of the day, despite what haters may say, Newark is a good city with good people. The city is getting better by the day and there is a lot of exciting things going on. Just be smart about where you are, who is around you, and what you are doing. You will be fine.

Good luck with your search!