Philly Without a Car (Philadelphia, Washington: 2009, apartments, to rent)

[I_am_Alex]

I'm thinking about moving to Philadelphia in the next 2-3 months (early 2009), but I don't really know much about the neighborhoods.

I'm a single male in my late 20's and I telecommute to work. I don't have a car, so I'd want to RENT a place near mass transit and local business (mainly for groceries and laundry).

All I'm interested in is living in a decent neighborhood (in terms of crime and friendliness) that would be suitable for someone who does not own a car.


Any suggestions, information, or links to informational resources would be greatly appreciated.

[solibs]

Can you tell us anymore about what you need/want in an apartment and in a neighborhood and how much you want to spend on rent?

It's a big city with a large transit system. You can live in most neighborhoods without a car. Some will be more convenient than others but they're also likely to be more expensive. Without knowing your expectations we can't be very helpful.

[iGlenn]

Originally Posted by I_am_Alex

I'm thinking about moving to Philadelphia in the next 2-3 months (early 2009), but I don't really know much about the neighborhoods.

I'm a single male in my late 20's and I telecommute to work. I don't have a car, so I'd want to RENT a place near mass transit and local business (mainly for groceries and laundry).

All I'm interested in is living in a decent neighborhood (in terms of crime and friendliness) that would be suitable for someone who does not own a car.


Any suggestions, information, or links to informational resources would be greatly appreciated.

I recommend PhillyCarShare for those times that you actually need a car. They have cars parked all over the city and their rates are reasonable.

[I_am_Alex]

I'm interested in spending $600-900/month for a 1-2 bedroom apartment.

In terms of the actual neighborhood:

1. convenience is at the top of the list (add to that the fact I go to NJ/NYC 2-3 times a month).
2. safety (I know crime is everywhere, but it's in some places more than others).
3. diversity would be great (both race and age).
4. near a college (would be good, but definitely not necessary).

That's pretty much it. Simple criteria, but I'm worried that my rent range is too low for a good neighborhood...but I'd rather have a tiny apartment in a nice neighborhood, than have a large apartment in a bad one.

[newmarlig]

If you check out Washington Square West on craigslist, there are apartments in Washington Square West in your price range. It's right in center city and a car would be more of a hindrance. You are close to the train and other transportation. You can easily get to many colleges by bus (10-15 minutes to Drexel or Penn), subway (10 minutes to Temple) or train (further away, but not difficult to get to, such as Villanova), but living in center city, my focus would be on Penn, Drexel or Temple. There is also Philadelphia Community College, again about a 10 minute bus ride.

There are also apartments in that range in Bella Vista. That's a bit south of center city, but also very convenient.

As IGlenn suggested, look into www.phillycarshare.com, when you do need a car.

[Nouvelle Villa]

I don't know if you bike, but if you do, Philadelphia can actually be a nice place to commute by bicycle. There are a number of streets with very nice and wide bike lanes. Also, there can be places in University City that can be within your budget. The area is quite nice, and there is the 30th street Station nearby, giving you access to trains to NYC / NJ. However, I found that when I lived there, it could be a little isolating due to the distance from other areas of the city (IE Norther Liberties, Center City, etc). Center city area can be somewhat expensive but convenient. I don't know if you checked it out, but Septa is the transportation provider in the city (septa.org). Buses stink. If you can, you should try and go with subways and trolleys. I hope this helps.

[Night_Owl49]

Nobody living in a big city needs a car. Parking is always a hassle and you're bound to accumulate a few parking tickets here and there. I manage just fine by using my legs, public transportation, and my bicycle. (A note about bike lanes, though: West Philly needs more).

[jimmyrocks]

I lived in Philly for five years without a car. For the most part, a bicycle, walking, and sometimes SEPTA helped get me around. You're still going to want a car for grocery shopping in the winter. I was never a fan of carrying back all of my groceries in the cold weather.

Biking in Philly is kind of tricky with the Trolley Tracks and the SEPTA buses. I know a few people who have gotten injured by both. Get a good U-Lock, a crappy bike, and a nice chain.. Bikes get stolen in Philly quite often. I have a basement so I usually keep mine indoors at night.

[MichaelinMaryland]

The subway system is pretty good you can get from Broad Street to Market Street on it, for example and you can walk to South from Market pretty easily which has Jim's, Kildares and a ton of cool places