Safe, inexpensive, walkable apt in Triangle area? (Raleigh, Durham: sublets, apartment complex) - Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, Cary - North Carolina (NC) -The Triangle Area - City-Data Forum

Murrquan · 05-07-2011, 12:27 PM

I'm a 20-something, freelance writer moving to the Triangle area next week to live closer to my girlfriend. At some point, we're planning on living together. Neither of us are planning on having kids, and neither of us need to commute for school or work.

I'm looking at Chapel Hill / Carrboro, since they've got a Whole Foods Market and a farmers' market, plus a free bus system that apparently connects with the Triangle buses. I don't know how to find an apartment, though, and am scared of getting stuck with a lemon, especially with my price range (as cheap as possible). Can anyone give me suggestions for what to look for, and/or recommend any specific apartments? Many thanks in advance ...

CHRSB · 05-07-2011, 06:42 PM

I have lived in Carrboro for about 10 years and can tell you the good and the bad. There is not much left that is affordable AND nice any more. Many people found out about Carrboro and have either bought or are renting in town. Both of which have caused rental prices here to be unreasonable for the working class.

Stay away from the apartment complexes close to town like Abbey Court and Estes Park. They are horrible.

Your best bet is to search craigslist for a sublet, and now is the perfect time to do that! But you do not want to rent site unseen. Most one bedrooms in town for $600 are not very nice at all.

Good luck and post any questions you have here and I will tell you what I know.

Murrquan · 05-07-2011, 08:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CHRSB

I have lived in Carrboro for about 10 years and can tell you the good and the bad. There is not much left that is affordable AND nice any more. Many people found out about Carrboro

I'm looking at Craigslist, but the sublets seem like they're all for single rooms and/or just for the summer. I'd rather not move again after the summer is over (and compete with students for housing), and I'd like at least two rooms total (bdrm + living) plus a separate kitchen and entrance. Unfortunately, that seems to narrow my options down.

I gather the 1 bedroom apartments in the big complexes are all corporate-managed and cater to students, which means they can abuse tenants (since their familes are paying for it) and there are wild parties every night, or something. I'm not sure what other choice I have though. What else can I do, and/or what's the best way to keep from getting burned by imperial management overlords?

CHRSB · 05-08-2011, 06:46 AM

I guess it would help to know the upper limit of what you can spend? But I will say you will not find a decent in town one bedroom for less than $700. Now, if you are lucky enough to find a studio and be lucky enough to be the first one to respond to the ad, you might be lucky getting a place for $550.

You can live cheap here but something has got to give, like putting up with a roommate for a while. But I would not be suckered into the fake apartment complex pictures that are posted on craigslist. And the complexes do not cater so much to students, but rather to the working poor.

The best way to find a decent place here is by word of mouth. Period.

I am actually looking to leave the area because they keep raising the rent in the area. I am on a very low budget and a fixed income. I prefer to live a simple life but everyone keeps making it difficult for me to do so.

CHRSB · 05-08-2011, 09:28 AM

Carrboro and Chapel Hill have suffered from an influx of very wealthy people attracted to the schools and the idea of "Carrboro". As a result, rental prices have been increasing at a quick pace.

Murrquan · 05-08-2011, 11:12 AM

Are there other parts of the Triangle that would work better? I.e. are there safe, walkable neighborhoods in Raleigh that I haven't considered yet? Because yeah, I'm an out-of-state liberal who was attracted to the Carrboro / Chapel Hill area, but I'm not a wealthy out-of-state liberal, and I'd rather not compete with them for food and housing.

I just want to live someplace in the Triangle where I can get around without needing a car, buy groceries at a Whole Foods Market or similar, and not pay sky-high rent. Which, $700 would be stretching it for me, unless there were utilities included. Are there any neighborhoods that are like this?

librarySue · 05-08-2011, 11:37 AM

Where does your girlfriend live? That might help...

You might enjoy the Cameron Village area of Raleigh, there is a lot to walk to and you can find some inexpensive but not fantastic apartments since it is near NCSU campus.

Murrquan · 05-08-2011, 11:57 AM

She lives in the Triad area, but she doesn't have a car either and she has a bunch of friends in the Triangle. So the plan for right now is to move to the Triangle, although I might reconsider if there's something significantly better elsewhere.

I'll take a look at Cameron Village, thanks. (Note: I updated my last reply with a rough spending limit for rent, and with other criteria for a neighborhood.) Is there anyplace else that I should be looking at?

Murrquan · 05-08-2011, 01:20 PM

Okay, continuing research ... Raleigh looks like it's a lot bigger than I'm used to, and Cary's basically a suburb. On the other hand, Durham's got its own free downtown bus line, plus a Whole Foods Market. And the housing there is Moderator cut: link removed, linking to competitor sites is not allowedapparently a lot cheaper than in Chapel Hill.

I may still go with Chapel Hill (probably not Carrboro) if I have to, but I'm considering Durham as an option. Is it possible to get a safe apartment at a decent price there, with convenient access to transit? As long as I can buy groceries without having to drive them home, I'm good.