Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I was almost going to get some kind of agent to help me find a place.
That might be your best bet. Try Plaza Midwood. Lots of upscale gay bankers living there. Maybe NoDa too (North Davidson). Both are pretty funky artiste, pseudoBohemian locales.
If you are gonna use crime stats to run your life, make sure you take into account the times of the crimes and the actual areas. Most thinking people will soon realize that even the worst stats show a definite pattern "bad things happen after midnight." Then, just avoid the bad places at the bad times. It is very simple really.
Oh yeah, though I have left the quagmire of Charlotte, I seem to recall that university city is kinda north of Charlotte, and the airport is kind south...That would be pointing a gun at your foot, commute wise.
Location: The place where the road & the sky collide
23,814 posts, read 34,678,989 times
Reputation: 10256
Quote:
Originally Posted by B1purtle
I guess im screwed then if 700.00 isnt realistic. Might as well stay in CA for something at that price. Oh well, next time i relocate ill make sure to look at updated housing prices....so many places fo $500.00 and 600.00 looked so good...on paper, Guess i should have known better. Unfortunately 38.5K isnt much of a salary in Charlotte is it?
Anyways, i really appreaciate the help and suggestions so far. I was almost going to get some kind of agent to help me find a place.
You can get a perfectly good apartment in your price range in Gastonia, with a commute to the airport of under 30 min.
You can use the same general formula used for mortgages to determine what monthly rent you can afford (within a range suited to your personal comfort level). Divide annual income by 12 to get monthly, then divide that by 3 for 33% of income or 4 for 25% of income - these are typical ranges (no more than 28% is the target for most banks on a mortgage).
This is what I was thinking - so, rent based on this guideline would be more like $800 - $950; you can definitely find something decent in that range. You can for $700, too, it will just take more looking!
The big kicker with me is, unfortunately i have Student debt from college (my own fault i know-im not complaining just trying to deal with it), and a somewhat large car paymetn ( i got hosed by the dealer)--hence why im trying to be cheap. I was possibly going to rid my self of my car, but it sounds like Charlotte doesnt have much of a Mass Transit...or am i mistaken? It looked ok to me when i visited, but then again i was just around the airport. Ill actually be working for the City of Charlotte, monthly medical, is thankfully only $123.
Anywho i think ill be ok, i apreciate all the suggestions--i think i have a good visualization of which areas i should focus on.
The big kicker with me is, unfortunately i have Student debt from college (my own fault i know-im not complaining just trying to deal with it), and a somewhat large car paymetn ( i got hosed by the dealer)--hence why im trying to be cheap. I was possibly going to rid my self of my car, but it sounds like Charlotte doesnt have much of a Mass Transit...or am i mistaken? It looked ok to me when i visited, but then again i was just around the airport. Ill actually be working for the City of Charlotte, monthly medical, is thankfully only $123.
Anywho i think ill be ok, i apreciate all the suggestions--i think i have a good visualization of which areas i should focus on.
Most of the bus routes in Charlotte are pretty reliable. The only issue is that if you have to transfer routes, it can take a while.
If you're working at the airport, the Sprinter shuttle from downtown to the airport has good service. It would just be a matter of getting downtown to transfer. How long are you willing to ride for your commute?
Most of the bus routes in Charlotte are pretty reliable. The only issue is that if you have to transfer routes, it can take a while.
If you're working at the airport, the Sprinter shuttle from downtown to the airport has good service. It would just be a matter of getting downtown to transfer. How long are you willing to ride for your commute?
Also in re: student loans. If they are federal loans, there are income-based programs and a "public service" program for reduction of payments and eventual forgiveness. You should look into those.
Just out of curiosity...does NC have hefty Tax rates? I saw the Sales Tax over there and it seems just about as high as In California...I also tried calculating my taxes with the NC tax caluclator, and im not sure if i screwed up on it, but it ended up saying i was gonna pay way more than in CA...got me a bit nervous, as i dint think anyone had worse taxes than CA. Also what about Utilities? Are they typically quite expensive in CLT overall?
I think Mecklenburg county has a total sales tax (state, county, and transit tax) of 8.25% which is kind of high. But better to be employed than not.
As far as "good" or "bad" areas I'd suggest that if you're single, just pick somewhere close to your work that is affordible, and keep a low profile, sign a six month lease. Most crime is between related parties doing shady business or a domestic dispute and won't affect you. Spend a few months "learning the city" and move out when you know where you want to be.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I was almost going to get some kind of agent to help me find a place.
