2014 rent prices (Des Moines, West Des Moines, Urbandale: apartments, rental, condos)

[wisconsinwoman]

I interviewed for a job in West Des Moines. Rent is very high here and it seems like the only options are these high-priced apartments with small bedrooms and no closet space in huge complexes.

Where are the best places to live if working in West Des Moines in terms of price, commute, safety?

Are there duplexes here? I do not see many advertised and what I see are pretty dumpy for high prices.

I do not understand how the rent can be so high with this economy and lowering wages. Are that many people making salaries, esp in Iowa, that will allow them afford to pay $1100 -$1600 in rent?

I don't care about a swimming pool, exercise room or clubhouse. Just want a single level, quiet, clean, spacious rental that is well-maintained, preferably with a garage and W/D in the unit.

Any suggestions where to look? Are there rental locators in this area? I haven't found any yet.

[springfieldcollegealum]

How about property management companies or Craigslist?

[maniac77]

I realize West Des Moines has a reputation of being expensive, but I live in West Des Moines and rent a nice, small studio apartment for $530 a month (garages are $45 a month). It has a swimming pool too, but no W/D in the units (but laundry facilities right next door to me). I know of plenty of places that are much cheaper than $1100-$1600 a month in West Des Moines. In fact, most of them are. I think the key for cheaper apartments i.e. $500-$700 a month range, is looking away from the Jordan Creek area. The more reasonable rents seem to be closer to older areas in the city like Valley Junction where I live. The apartments around me usually run $600 or slightly more for a 1 bedroom, and it's very safe here.

How much are you looking to pay and how many bedrooms do you need? I think the reason most of the apartments you're looking at might be so expensive is that because most of the places that have W/D in the unit are 2-3 bedroom apartments. I went on apartments.com and found 9 mostly 2-bedroom apartments and condos in West Des Moines with W/D in the unit and garages (not sure if included in the price) that are under a $1000 a month. I can't speak to the quality of any of them, but they're all in decent areas.

Outside of winter, the commute is really easy in the Des Moines area. If you can't find what you're looking for in housing in West Des Moines, you can live anywhere in the metro area including Waukee, Clive, Urbandale, Windsor Heights, and Des Moines itself in addition to perhaps Ankeny, Altoona, and Pleasant Hill. All of the suburbs are safe, and most of the areas in Des Moines are safe too.

I agree $1100-$1600 would be outrageous to pay for a rental here. I know no one who pays near that, and you definitely won't have to resort that. I'll DM you some places once you let me know how many bedrooms you need and how much rent you're willing to pay. Good luck!

[runewell]

You might be looking in the wrong neighborhood; for something less expensive try the intersection of 19th and Grand - closer to Valley Junction. There are apartments to be had for $600-$800/mo on the low end if you look. But yes, you will find more expensive housing, and frankly if someone wants to rent a house, it's going to need to be $1,500 just to cover the mortgage and expenses of home ownership.