Moving to Philly for the University of the Arts (Philadelphia: car rental, real estate)
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I just got accepted to the University of the Arts for grad school for this coming fall, 2010. So I need to find a place, in center city I guess. I really don't know how big center city is or if there are better places nearby. Basically 5 miles is about as far as I'd like to be from the school.
My girlfriend and I are currently living in San Diego though so I can't do a whole lot of house-hunting or neighborhood checking-out. And honestly I don't even know what my price range will be. We need atleast 1 bedroom, central heating/air, and a washer and dryer near by if not in the complex. We currently have two cars, so parking would be nice, but I'm guessing we'll have to atleast sell one. I plan on riding my bike most places anyway(thus why I want to stay close to school).
Other things that would be nice, would be not a first floor apartment and having a dishwasher. I don't know how likely these things are though, dishwasher's aren't very prevalent here at the beach for some reason.
I'm open to anything. Good neighborhoods, cross streets, property managment companies, restaurants, anything I should be looking for. When I get on craigslist I've found 1br apt. for 1200 and 2br houses for 500 so I really don't know what's good, where and why. Thanks for the help.
The school is in the heart of center city and a lot depends on your price range. I would suggest you look in Washington Square West (a couple of blocks east of the school), Rittenhouse Square (a few blocks west of the school). You can walk to the school from both of these locations. Passyunk Square (in South Philadelphia) would be another choice (a very fast subway ride) or Bella Vista (south of center city) which would also be a very fast subway ride (or even walkable on a nice day) Anyplace in these areas will not be a "complex" but rather an apartment building or a walk-up. If they don't have a washer and dryer, there will be a laundromat close by.
I would look along South Broad St. (close to the subway) in South Philly. It's relatively cheap, it's an easy bike ride to U. Arts and when it's raining it's no more than 6 minutes on the subway, there's plenty to do locally . . . and you definitely don't need a car.
Look between 10th & 16th Streets. It gets sketchier (and cheaper) as you go higher or lower. The best deals you'll find will be within a 2 block radius of the Tasker-Morris or Snyder subway stations.
Location: The place where the road & the sky collide
11,328 posts, read 8,408,611 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by alcahueteria
I just got accepted to the University of the Arts for grad school for this coming fall, 2010. So I need to find a place, in center city I guess. I really don't know how big center city is or if there are better places nearby. Basically 5 miles is about as far as I'd like to be from the school.
My girlfriend and I are currently living in San Diego though so I can't do a whole lot of house-hunting or neighborhood checking-out. And honestly I don't even know what my price range will be. We need atleast 1 bedroom, central heating/air, and a washer and dryer near by if not in the complex. We currently have two cars, so parking would be nice, but I'm guessing we'll have to atleast sell one. I plan on riding my bike most places anyway(thus why I want to stay close to school).
Other things that would be nice, would be not a first floor apartment and having a dishwasher. I don't know how likely these things are though, dishwasher's aren't very prevalent here at the beach for some reason.
I'm open to anything. Good neighborhoods, cross streets, property managment companies, restaurants, anything I should be looking for. When I get on craigslist I've found 1br apt. for 1200 and 2br houses for 500 so I really don't know what's good, where and why. Thanks for the help.
Will your girlfriend be looking for a job?
I went to the school for undergrad, when it was Philadelphia College of Art & commuted in from South Jersey on the PATCO line. I knew people who were living near the school, & in other areas & using public transit. A lot of that does depend on whether you have to lug a lot of stuff. I assume that you don't expect to, since you plan to use the bike.
As far as parking goes, will some places have it or will I pretty much have to pay a garage a long term parking fee? How much would it cost? I'm hesitant to give up both cars because it'd be nice to be able to go visit family and friends on the school breaks and it looked like the car would be about half of what a flight would be.
My girlfriend will be looking for a job, she has a lot of experience at hospitals and restaurants, so hopefully she'll find something pretty quickly. I'm doing industrial design, so I don't expect to be lugging much more than a computer most days.
I'll check out those area's too. Thanks for the info, please keep it coming!
I would look at the following real estate agencies and property managers -- most of their properties are in the Rittenhouse and Washington Square areas near UArts, but there are listings elsewhere in Center City. I live in a Centra Associates building and I'm very happy with them.
Rittenhouse Square Rentals
City Living Philly
Herman Realty
Allan Levin Real Estate
Michael Singer Real Estate
Plumer Real Estate
Reinhold Residential
Pine Realty
Allan Domb Real Estate
Adler Myers Real Estate
JMH Real Estate
Stolker Properties
Centra Associates
Also pick up the Philadelphia City Paper and Philadelphia Weekly, which have listings in the back. I'd also take a walk around these neighborhoods; there are lots of signs for rent or for the management properties -- that's how I found this place.
As far as parking goes, will some places have it or will I pretty much have to pay a garage a long term parking fee? How much would it cost? I'm hesitant to give up both cars because it'd be nice to be able to go visit family and friends on the school breaks and it looked like the car would be about half of what a flight would be.
You need to do some more research. People are telling you to leave your cars at home for a reason. Some houses have garages. You probably won't be able to afford to live in those places.
Off-street parking will run you $100-$200 per month. There's no guarantee that you will find such a space anywhere near where you'll be living. If you're going to pay ~ $1400 a year for parking wouldn't it be easier (and take 1/10th the time to just fly home?
You best plan on changing your driver's license and registration the first week you move here. A lot of neighborhoods are permit-parking with a 2 hour limit for everyone else. You can't get a permit unless your car is registered in that neighborhood.
It's also not worth the beating your car will take from parking it on the street. This is what parking looks like here - 19145 - Google Maps
Location: The place where the road & the sky collide
11,328 posts, read 8,408,611 times
Reputation: 3330
Quote:
Originally Posted by alcahueteria
As far as parking goes, will some places have it or will I pretty much have to pay a garage a long term parking fee? How much would it cost? I'm hesitant to give up both cars because it'd be nice to be able to go visit family and friends on the school breaks and it looked like the car would be about half of what a flight would be.
My girlfriend will be looking for a job, she has a lot of experience at hospitals and restaurants, so hopefully she'll find something pretty quickly. I'm doing industrial design, so I don't expect to be lugging much more than a computer most days.
I'll check out those area's too. Thanks for the info, please keep it coming!
Have your girlfriend start looking at the hospitals now. Some are reasonably near the University of the Arts, HUP is not, but is a very large facility. If she got a job at HUP, you'd be better off looking for an apartment in Powellton Village or University City, within walking distance of the Market-Frankford subway/elevated, then get off at City Hall & walk underground through the Broad Street concourse to the school. However, if she gets a job at other hospitals that are nearer to the school, you'd be better off finding an apartment near the school or between the hospital & the school.
That's a good point about the yearly parking rate. Also wondering if the rental rates change at all during the seasons? Here rates tend to go up as summer approaches. I just wasn't sure if there was a better time to move because right now I have all summer to get up there and I'm only basing my decision on the fact that I have a job here.
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