Hi folks - Canadians coming to SLC! (Salt Lake City, Sandy: apartment complexes, rentals)

[onmyway83]

Hi everyone,

My fiancé and I are moving to Salt Lake City in July. He got a job at the U so we're leaving our city life in Toronto, Canada and hoping to enjoy a new, outdoorsy life in Utah.

We're planning to come for a visit to find a place to rent for a while before we buy, probably in April or May. We've been advised that Sugarhouse or the Avenues are good places for us to live, though we're also considering living downtown.

If we hope to take possession of a rental apartment or house in July, when would be a good time to visit and find it?

Also, if you have any advice about what those different neighbourhoods are like, I would greatly appreciate it.

A little about us: I'm 28, he's 30, we are both quite used to living in a large city but we're looking forward to the change, we like walking from our house to work restaurants, and theatres (not sure if this will be possible in SLC). We're Jewish but not really religious, and we're looking to meet other young professionals. I also need a job. Anybody out there want to hire a Canadian sociologist/researcher?

Looking forward to the adventure!

[mrsmetpet]

Welcome to the USA! We visited Toronto in winter 2003 - so cold but so beautiful! We loved Canada and Canadians...can't wait to go back.

Sugarhouse and the Avenues are awesome. Both have their advantages with the Avenues being nearest to downtown and the U. However, Sugarhouse is 10 minutes from the U in good traffic, but we all know what the U traffic is like (or you'll soon learn).

If you would like to walk to shopping/eating/movies etc the Westminster college area of Sugarhouse is pretty nice. Or, if you're not fussed about walking and want a neighbourhood with less road traffic and less crime etc, go for Canyon Rim (at the mouth of Parley's canyon and 5 minutes from Millcreek Canyon). I've seen rentals come up in that neighbourhood from time to time. There's also a Synagogue in case you're interested! Canyon Rim is pretty friendly and on the liberal side from what I've seen. I'd buy a home there if we weren't planning to move out of state in the semi-near future.

April/May is perfect for locating a place to live...be sure to look at craiglist and ksl.com (ksl is a local news station, we've sold cars etc on ksl.com).

I hope it all goes well for you! Let me know if you want more info. We're a 30-something child-free couple and moved here from from the UK.

[BuckeyezRule]

Welcome! I moved from Ohio to Utah just over 4 years ago. LOVE it here. I do have kids & we live on the SW side of the valley.

I have a really good friend who moved here from north of Toronto. Though, they are having to move back in a few mos to Toronto. We do not have poutine here. =( There is alot less traffic here. I remember being stuck in traffic in Toronto, like 7ish lanes on both sides stopped dead. =P I've been in the CN Tower, & hubby was scared of the glass bottom. lol I've been to Blue Jays games & the Hockey hall of fame. =)

For a non kids couple I've 'heard' the areas you mentions, Sugarhouse, the Avenues, downtown, & 9th & 9th (though, that might be the Avenues, I live on the opposite side lol) are the 'best'. =) Hope you will like it here. It is beautiful & not as congested as Toronto. We have a light rail system that goes from the U of U to downtown, south to Sandy, & I think it's called a monorail (it's faster) that goes north to Ogden. Currently, spurs are being built, but, it's not a 'one size fits all'. &, forgive me if Toronto has one. I was always in a car when we visited.

We have more of the arts & theater in the areas you've mentioned. I'm more of a homebody, so, that is not an interest of mine. I am more a sports person, as referenced from above. lol There really is alot of outdoors things to do here. The people, by far & large are friendly & welcoming. We love it here. =)

[SouthernBelleInUtah]

There are several apartment complexes along Foothill, the main street along the edge of the campus. Don't know anything about them. In the center of Sugar House are the Irving Schoolhouse Apts., on 2100 South. They are pretty nice and it's a safe area. You would be across the street from SH Center, which has a Wild Oats grocery, Bed, BAth, & Beyond, several fast food places, a few restaurants, and a dollar movie. You would be a few blocks from I-80 and thus easy to get around. It's probably 15 min. to the U edge of campus.

There are small apt. comlexes in the lower Avenues, just a block or two up from South Temple. Not so much commercial stuff close by but a pretty area. Good luck!

[mlb]

Originally Posted by onmyway83

We're Jewish but not really religious, and we're looking to meet other young professionals. I also need a job. Anybody out there want to hire a Canadian sociologist/researcher?

The JCC up above the University has a wealth of activities for people of all ages. Also might be a great place to connect with young professionals.

My spouse and I moved here from Los Angeles - 20 years ago - he's Jewish - but not religious. We've not been connected to the JCC (we live in the southeast end of the valley) - but they've always extended open arms to us and have a wealth of activities going all year 'round.

You also might want to look to the U for researcher jobs...School of Social Work, Gerontology Program, Schools of Nursing and Medicine..... there's got to be stuff going on.

[onmyway83]

Thanks for all the responses! Yes, Toronto is cold and horrible for traffic. We're excited to leave some of that behind, though SLC isn't exactly a beach vacation destination! We'll miss the poutine for sure.

[UtahRoots]

Here's another vote for the "Avenues" or "Sugarhouse" because of their proximity to things you like. Because of the number of out of state students, there might be more rental apartments and rental houses in the Westminster College area. You might look in the "Harvard/Yale" area which is closer to the U. of U. but it's considered a more exclusive neighborhood and I'm not sure how many rentals you'd find. The Avenues have many houses and apartments for rent, with a big range in how expensive the places are.

Since college semesters end in early May, you might want to think about coming out then as opposed to April. I would imagine that May would have the largest number of rental units becoming available. It's also a really nice month in SLC - nice temperatures and a distinct "spring" season.

I did a quick search for home for rent in the Harvard/Yale and Sugarhouse areas. It looks like rents/leases are about $1,200 - $1,800 (U.S.) in that area for 3bdrm. homes. The homes in the area are post WWII mostly brick bungalow style. The rentals I found in the Avenues are running between $700 - $1,000 a month and are mostly apartments, not houses. In Sugarhouse, there's a lot of variation in rents from $700 for an apartment in a less desireable area to $2,000 for a house in a more desireable area. Hope that helps you narrow your search.