Cost of Apartment on East Side (Providence, East Providence: apartments, renters, condos)

[Woof Woof Woof!]

Can someone with experience please tell me what apartments are reasonably going for on the East Side.

I'm looking for something nice, not a run down building with 20 layers of old chipped pain. How much is a 1 bedroom? How about a 2 bedroom?

I found one huge 2-bedroom, beautiful, very clean in the blackstone area for $1300 a month and that includes heat and off street parking. Is that reasonable or two high?

I'm wondering if I should keep looking for a cheaper one bedroom.

thanks

[Hollytree]

That rent is reasonable. You have to remember that many parts of the state, including the East Side, are historic and we have a strong preservation movement. Most people are very happy about this because it preserves the unique character & history of this area. And there aren't loads of new apts, esp. on the East Side since there hasn't been much land available to build on. New or newer places on the east Side will be even more expensive. Also, some landlords obviously don't keep their properties up as well as they should. In their defense, it is extremely expensive to paint & maintain a historic house and property taxes here are also high so rents can not be low. Condo conversions can be good to rent as apts because they often have the upgraded kitchens and baths and many of the multi unit houses here have also been converted to condos. In sum, rent in highly desirable neighborhoods in RI will not be cheap- and you have chosen the (or one of) the most desirable parts of the East Side.

[Woof Woof Woof!]

Well, I've been driving around a lot and I do like the East Side. I like that I can walk to so many different places. I looked at another apartment in East Providence. It was nice, too, but I can't really walk anywhere. I want to world outside my door to be pretty and stimulating.

[GermanSpy]

Sorry, but it's pretty silly to call entire parts of a state historic. There's a big difference between a truly historic building of any kind and the plain old. While there might be a larger concentration of remaining historic buildings in the East Side than in other parts of Providence people are still facing comparably new construction mostly.

Also, while a historic building might be gorgeous to look at I'd think twice before moving into one. There are reasons for technological advances in building materials as well as changes in how we construct buildings today when compared to the way it was done three hundred years ago. Insulation is a good thing.

Meanwhile, a 1300 dollar rent for a two bedroom apartment including heat and parking is within fairly reasonable limits. Location is certainly nothing to scoff at. Not having to pay for heat is pretty big, too. Nevertheless, what kind of heat are you looking at? You say the apartment's rather big so the kind of heating system utilized can make a difference, regardless if you're paying for it or not.

At the end of the day it's not a rent to get crazily excited about though. As you've noticed yourself the market favors renters at the moment so you can certainly be a bit picky. If you want to pinch pennies I'd say you can find something comparable for a little bit cheaper, probably around the 1.1k range for a nice 2 bedroom on the East Side.

[Woof Woof Woof!]

Hi German Spy,

I did find a nice two-bedroom in East Providence for $1,000. However, I averaged out the gas usage (gas, not oil) over a 12 month period, and that added at least $175 a month onto the rent.

So for $125 more a month, I can live in a great area and walk all over the place on the East Side.

I saw another nice 2-bedroom on Hope Street on the East Side. The rent dropped to $1,000 a month. But it is Oil heat, and as soon as I'd move in, I'd have to pay about to fill up the oil tank. And gas being expensive, it would certainly add $200 (maybe more) to the rent over a 12 month period.

So a cheaper apartment is not always a bargain. I'm still hunting though.

[GermanSpy]

It's a good thing you're not forgetting to include heating in your budget, it can be a considerable money sink. You're certainly right when you say that a cheaper apartment is not always a bargain.

Nevertheless, 1300 dollars for a two bedroom, even with heat and around Blackstone, that's still 15k a year for a 2 bedroom apartment. That's half an income for some. So yes, keep on looking for a while, there's no reason to rush. But if you do decide to take that apartment at least you don't have to feel totally ripped off when forking over that rent check every month. Could be worse.

[Woof Woof Woof!]

Yes, there is a reason to rush. I'm sleeping on the floor of a friend's apartment and my work is piling up on me. I'm starting to feel stressed and tired. I'll keep looking around. Thank you for your advice.

[Hollytree]

[quote=GermanSpy;5260154]Sorry, but it's pretty silly to call entire parts of a state historic. There's a big difference between a truly historic building of any kind and the plain old. While there might be a larger concentration of remaining historic buildings in the East Side than in other parts of Providence people are still facing comparably new construction mostly.


I really must disagree. I don't think it's "silly" at all nor does the Providence Preservation Society or the RIHPC. We have many designated historic districts in RI and parts of the Blackstone neighborhood are among them. I do agree that there is little worse than a badly maintained drafty old house in terms of comfortable living, however.

[Woof Woof Woof!]

Okay, guys, please stop arguing. I really don't care what's historic or not. The first apartment I signed up for didn't go through, so now my situation is desperate. I'm one step away from living out of my car, okay? The last thing I care about is the Providence Preservation Society.

Stray Woofers

[Hollytree]

Woof, there are loads of nice apts available on the east side in your price range, so not sure why you are near homeless. However, if you want to post a few links from Craigslist, I'll be happy to vet each one as to street. I know the area very well. And, who knows, when your mood improves, you might want to join the PPS.