safe place to live for hopkins grad student - apartment recommendations please (Baltimore: apartments, lease)

[baltimort]

i'm an incoming johns hopkins public health student, so i will be going to class at the medical campus. i'm overwhelmed trying to find somewhere to live, as no where seems really safe enough or the really nice places are super expensive. i don't mind living up to a half hour away on public transportation.

it seems like charles village, mt. vernon, fells point, bolton hill, and federal hill are safe and have a decent number of students.

does anyone have any apartment recommendations in these areas? my budget is $1300 per month, and while i'd like that to include utilities, i'd be willing to look at places that don't. i need my place to be furnished as well. i don't think it's worth buying furniture if i'm only going to be here for a year or 2. i also need secure parking for my car (which can also be on top of my monthly rent).

[mpheels]

I'm sort of in the same boat, and was just in town last weekend looking at apartments. Check craigslist - there are tons of apartments available in owner-occupied row houses in Mt. Vernon. I have seen a few ads for furnished apartments, but I already have lots a pretty nice furniture so I haven't really paid much attention to those. I limited my search to Mt. Vernon and the Mt. Vernon/Center City border area because I am not going to have a car and wanted to be walking distance to both the JHU shuttle and the light rail. If you're going to have a car, definitely expand the search area.

Whatever you do, do not go with the Stafford. I scheduled a tour because they only lease to Hopkins and Peabody affiliates during the summer (Hopkins owns the property and contracts with a management group). I figured it would at least be a good back up plan if I couldn't find anything else. After touring, I would rather put stuff in storage and live in a hotel for a few weeks. The halls were dimly lit and apartments were dull looking and not especially well maintain. The assistant manager that gave me a tour didn't know much about the property - showed me a "two bedroom" that was clearly only one. Then they were really aggressive over the next few days, emailing and calling every day until I told them I had applied elsewhere.

I just signed a lease with Bay Management for a studio in 300 Cathedral. The building is newly renovated, and they said about 1/2 of the units have been leased to Hopkins students. The studios are in the high $1200's, but they are offering 1-2 months free depending on length of lease. Utilities are not included, and not furnished, but worth looking at.

As for safety, I walked and rode the light rail exclusively from Friday morning to Monday noon. I took the light rail from BWI as far north as Penn Station, and used stops at Camden Yards, Lexington Market, Centre Street and Cultural Center. I walked all over from the harbor up to Biddle St and from Eutaw East to Calvert, and didn't have any problems. I didn't see anything I haven't already seen in NYC/Boston/Seattle (the cities I've spent the most time in). I'm a 30 y/o white woman, if that puts things in context at all. As long as you have decent street smarts and pay attention, you'll be fine.

[MrRational]

Originally Posted by baltimort

it seems like charles village, mt. vernon, fells point, bolton hill, and federal hill...

They're all nice enough but not very convenient for the medical campus.

my budget is $1300 per month

1) Plan on sharing.
2) Plan on parking the car and leaving it put for 5 out of 7 days.
3) Look on the east side: Patterson Park, Canton, etc.

[nifear]

Are you planning on driving in? Parking at Hopkins is not free. You'll need to apply for a parking pass. If you're not planning on driving, Mt Vernon is VERY convenient for JHMI. The Hopkins shuttle stops both at Penn Station and Peabody and drops you off at JHMI. Depending where in Fells Point, it can be very convenient as well. Just take the green Circulator and it drops you off at JHMI. Both neighborhoods are doable for about $1300 (1bed/bath). I think the hardest part will be finding a furnished apt. Are you considering having a roommate?

[lanhvtnymd]

When I was in grad school, (in public health, actually), the school had a message board or listserv just for students looking for housing or roommates. Doesn't Hopkins have something like that? You could always try that. Perhaps a current student is looking for a roommate.

I was taking some classes at JHSPH, and one of my classmates lived somewhere in East Baltimore in the Bubble.....she seemed really comfortable. As long as you stay in the Bubble, it really is not that bad in my opinion.

[KLynch10]

I would look for a one bedroom in Butchers Hill. A friend just got one for $800 on a great block. It would be an easy walk.

[baltimort]

i think i've given up trying to find a furnished place. my family is now willing to buy furniture, so that makes things a bit easier. i'll try to focus my search on the areas that everyone said is convenient.

i'll look at 300 cathedral. that actually came up in my searches before.

i'll have a car, but my intention is to keep it in a garage and take the train to school and use it for going home to NY or down to DC or other longer trips. i absolutely hate driving in cities and want to keep it at a minimum, so i won't be driving to school.

what are you referring to when you say "the bubble"?

[mpheels]

Honestly, if that is your plan for the car, don't bring it. Parking will be at least $100/month in a garage, plus registration and insurance. If you are only planning on occasional trips, it will be cheaper to rent a car as needed. Use amtrak for trips to NYC (less than 3 hours) and MARC/amtrak for DC. Again, I'm in the same situation. I hate driving in general, and am used to riding the bus to/from work. Depending on where you choose to live, you can take either the JHU shuttle or the circulator to school, both are free.

[kharing]

Check out the Cresmont Loft Apartments in Remington. Shared space that includes free parking and utilities for under $800 a month, plus walking distance to school. Cresmont Loft Apartments I Johns Hopkins Apartments

It's next to the Papermoon Diner.

[baltimort]

Originally Posted by kharing

Check out the Cresmont Loft Apartments in Remington. Shared space that includes free parking and utilities for under $800 a month, plus walking distance to school. Cresmont Loft Apartments I Johns Hopkins Apartments

It's next to the Papermoon Diner.

if this had one bedrooms available, i'd have considered it! thanks for the suggestion