Graduating and relocating to Dallas (Greenville, Henderson: apartments, rental homes, low crime)

[OSUarch07]

Hi everyone. I'm graduating in May and have a job that will start in June in Dallas (downtown area). My fiance and 2 cats will be moving with me so we need a house or apartment with at least 2 bedrooms (or 1 bed with study) and 1 bath within a relatively short commute to downtown (preferably under 20 min and could be via dart rail). I've been looking around online at both apartments and rental homes but I'm having trouble finding many options that are below 800/m 2 bed allows 2 cats and has w/d connections. Hopefully were's just being too picky or cheap, but that's what we need and staying under that price will allow us to get out of college debts faster.

I've also found that some apartments which do fit our price range require a cosigner for those who do not have 6 months of prior/current work. Both my fiance and I have been in school so we don't meet the 6 months of work needed and the cosigner must make 6 times rent; so we aren't really sure who we could get to cosign. Anyway, finding the cosigner is our problem...I just wanted to know if this is a typical requirement which we should plan on having to deal with. I'm currently living in Stillwater, OK and all you have to do to get an apartment here is pass a quick credit check and pay a deposit.

I'd also like to know if there are any areas which we should stay away from due to safety concerns. I don't want to have to worry about being shot, mugged, etc walking from my home/apartment to my car. Do gated communites ensure this sort of safety or should I still worry about crime rates if I find a place in a gated area? Where I live now is really low crime (almost low enough to leave your door unlocked) so I haven't had to consider this before.

Sorry for the long post...I worry a lot and right now being able to find a place that meets our needs is one of those worries.

[UNT_Eagle]

Hello,
congrats on your new job! If you will be working in downtown Dallas, try looking into the Village, a mix of middle, and upper class apts. and townhomes which are off Interstate 75 around the Knox-Henderson exit (I believe). I'm not sure if all of those apartments are in good condition but they are worth checking into. Oak Lawn is also a very nice area which is approx. 5-15 min. from downtown. They have very nice apartments. If you want your commute to be 20 min. or less, stay way south of I-635 LBJ Freeway.

[kaykay]

But DO avoid southeast Dallas area- I know from personal experience, crime is really bad there.

[UNT_Eagle]

Thanks kaykay,
forgot to mention that one although some parts of Oak Cliff are still nice..

[OSUarch07]

Thanks so much...my employer also mentioned the Village after I had posted here. I haven't heard of Oak Lawn but will also be sure to check them out when we are down there to look after graduation.

I found some appartments which are called UpperE just north of Deep Ellum and to the east of downtown...is that area safe? My understanding is that Deep Ellum is not very safe at night but I wasn't sure of the area north of there.

[Lakewooder]

Perchance are you also looking at these?

http://www.powerproperties.com/lease.shtml (broken link)

Some of the complexes along Gaston and Live Oak have been a bit spotty, but they are now being snapped up by developers:

Lincoln eyes E. Dallas apartments

City, homeowners likely to request lower density than in Uptown


10:39 AM CST on Tuesday, March 6, 2007
By STEVE BROWN / The Dallas Morning News
stevebrown@dallasnews.com

One of the country's biggest apartment developers is making a play in an East Dallas neighborhood.

Moderator cut: Provide a link instead of copying everything here, please

[Lakewooder]

I live in the adjacent Junius Heights Historic District and have never had a problem with crime. We have great meetings and parties, usually at "The Tipp" (Tipperary Inn). Anyhow, if you lease on either street, you will be one block from Swiss Ave. http://www.sahd.org/ the grandest, most historic street in Dallas.

The closer you are to Lakewood Shopping Center the better. That's to the northeast.

There are just many, many things to do around here..a lot of younger college grads go to the Lakewood Landing http://www.lakewood-landing.com and Cosmo's. But there's also the Lakewood Bar and Grill, Legal Grounds Coffee, Lakewood Theater Balcony Club, the more elegant Times Ten Winery and Wine Therapist and York Street, which wows Zagat. A lot of times I walk to these places.

There are lots of restaurants, one-of-a-kind shops and we are getting a new flagship Whole Foods Store. You are literally five minutes from Downtown, Knox/Henderson, Uptown, Greenville Ave and Deep Ellum. There are great parks and golf courses plus Lakewood Country Club.

You'll have a great time in the area, people are friendly and warm and all individuals!

If you don't find something in an apartment, look on craigslist and dallasnews.com classifieds for Lakewood or East Dallas or one of the areas mentioned above. There are a lot of funky 20s and 30s duplexes, fourplexes and eightplexes. A lot of people in bands have traditionally lived on Oram.