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As a general rule, is it safe to look north of I-40 for a relatively safe neighborhood? I will be moving from Illinois to Albuquerque in mid to late April and I will be by myself looking for affordable apartment rentals.
Generally speaking, south of I-40 is more downscale, north is more suburban and middle to upper middle class. I haven't spent much time there, having lived way north of there.
There are other posters on here who live in the area, so hopefully they will chime in.
Don't listen to that obviously disturbed person that loves to comment about RR and ABQ even though they don't live there.
I was told when I first moved here in 2012 that the further north you go the relatively safer it is and after living here I can attest to that. All you have to do is bring up a crime map to see how stark the relative crime is south of I40, especially in SE ABQ compared to most areas north of there. And the further north you go the safer it gets. This is coming from someone that lives in ABQ, frequents mostly southern RR, and I drive throughout the entire city on a daily basis because of work. Not some mentally disturbed person that lives in the east mountains which is a completely different world.
Your biggest question should be what side of the river you want to live on and then go from there. If I was advising a family member or close friend I would suggest living north of Montano/Montgomery. I still love living in ABQ because it's a great city that has a lot going for it but it's definitely getting worse since I moved here regarding crime and the statistics back that up although that is a national trend in blue cities.
There are many large apartment complexes on Montgomery but I would avoid that area, especially the western portion. Unfortunately the safer areas are probably more expensive. Agree with Rob that looking at crime map is a good idea.
Just be sure to have renter's insurance. It doesn't matter where you live, just choose a location that appeals to you. Especially when renting an apartment, there are going to be bad apples wherever you go.
I had an apartment I liked near San Mateo and Osuna, until a family moved in below me with smokers and a screaming baby. I had to move out, since I couldn't insulate myself from the screaming or the smoke. That was worse to me than any "safety" concerns.
When choosing apartments, be sure to look at the rents specified on the website. Complexes owned by Real Estate Investment Trusts typically don't provide a set rent. They give a range for each unit or class of units, with the top rent being almost double the introductory rate. They raise the rent by around $100/mo. each year. If you can't afford that type of rent raise, you'll end up moving again within a couple of years.
Buildings with local owners don't do that. Rents tend to remain stable for a few years, at least. You can also ask the LL or manager if the rent is stable.
When choosing apartments, be sure to look at the rents specified on the website. Complexes owned by Real Estate Investment Trusts typically don't provide a set rent. They give a range for each unit or class of units, with the top rent being almost double the introductory rate. They raise the rent by around $100/mo. each year. If you can't afford that type of rent raise, you'll end up moving again within a couple of years.
Buildings with local owners don't do that. Rents tend to remain stable for a few years, at least. You can also ask the LL or manager if the rent is stable.
Thanks for the advice, I am flying out in April to look at a few rental communities.
Thanks for the advice, I am flying out in April to look at a few rental communities.
FYI our rents are going up about $200/month.
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