Moving to Peoria - Help (Chicago, Pekin: apartment complexes, rental homes, condos)

[ani4040]

Hi, I'm considering a move to the Peoria area for a recent job offer and coming from California I have a lot to consider. I realize I will have the weather to get used to and that set aside, my biggest concern right now is housing. I have visited the area and really love the village of north peoria heights. Can anyone recommend a good way to find houses for rent in the area? or are there nice apartments in the village? My home in California is new so I'm used to living in a nice place and would like to find something similar. An older home is fine but I would like it to be in a nice area and renovated.

Thanks in advance for the advice.

[linicx]

The Village of Peoria Heights is a lovely area and a desirable address. The weather is Peoria is not as severe as Chicago, but, be warned, Illinois is a humid state. There is no ocean or Trader Joe's. But there is a Costco and stores with familiar names like Old Navy. PH is surrounded by the City of Peoria. From Prospect Avenue in PH You'll be 4 stoplights from all the shopping you can stand, and 2 from the nearest hospital. There is a state-of-art fitness center downtown.

There is no Whole Foods but there is Simply Yours, a natural food store, and a permanent farmer's market, plus meat and fish market, and a deli or two. If you like upscale women's clothing look at Broms Furs. You'll be quite surprised at what you find in clothing and accessories. There are plenty of restaurants, and if you are religious the church community is large, very diverse and quietly active

Peoria Heights is larger than it looks. N-S is between London and Wilson, but E-W is from Galena Road IL 29 to nearly Knoville Avenue on Lake. I know of two apartment complexes. One is near Forest Park Hill and Galena Road at the stopligh and the other is on Prospect north of Glen. Lake and Glen are the major streets into the shopping area with two malls.

I would look in one of three places located at the bottom of the page. Peoria has a very wide selection of housing stock. What I suggest is a short term lease while you take your time and get to know the city. Almost anywhere in Peoria that is North of War Memorial Drive is a desirable location. The City of West Peoria is very small and a very nice place to call home. This too is surrounded by the City of Peoria. Another nice area is Rolling Acres. These are generally well maintained single family homes with attached garage and basement.

Peoria Journal Star is a good newspaper to read, but it very difficult to search. They would rather sell the paper. PJS does deliver daily to the home.
Home - Peoria, IL - pjstar.com

Apartments. Click on a name. I think one or more will meet your immediate needs.
Homes for Rent in 61615 - Rental Homes in Illinois

Peoria.com is easy to use and helpful. Do not rent on any street with a state name.
Peoria Illinois Apartments

[mdand3boys]

Originally Posted by ani4040

Hi, I'm considering a move to the Peoria area for a recent job offer and coming from California I have a lot to consider. I realize I will have the weather to get used to and that set aside, my biggest concern right now is housing. I have visited the area and really love the village of north peoria heights. Can anyone recommend a good way to find houses for rent in the area? or are there nice apartments in the village? My home in California is new so I'm used to living in a nice place and would like to find something similar. An older home is fine but I would like it to be in a nice area and renovated.

Thanks in advance for the advice.

Nice apartments in Peoria Heights? No. Some nice, older homes - yes.

Forest Park Apartments are a dump and full of crime and the other complex that linicx mentions is actually condos (and quite old) If you want a new apartment with all of the nice amenities you will need to go further North, out towards Alta, off of Route 40 (Knoxville Avenue). Lots of CAT professionals live in that area.
That area is also full of new homes at what you would consider to be a bargain price compared to California pricing.

[linicx]

No, the Forest Park Apartments have been cleaned up since you moved to Hawaii. There is downside to living on Knoxville and farther out. Traffic on Knoxville is more and more like Lake Shore Drive in Chicago. It it keeps up it will look like the I-5. It's horrible. It was originally designed for commercial traffic. That changed as residents and business moved north. There is a sink hole near the intersection of Alta and Allen that will be closed for another year.

If the OP wants brand new McMansions she'll have to rethink where she wants to live.

[Zoness]

I'm not sure how it was in the past, but Forest Park is pretty nice now. I mean, I'm just a young guy living in a studio and I don't feel particularly unsafe. My female friend lives in the same building and doesn't feel unsafe either. I'm assuming it was much worse in the past?

[linicx]

There was a time maybe in the 80's or before when it started to turn into a rowdy drunken mess with all-night parties, loud music, fights. It went on for a long time primarily because it was isolated and the owners didn't seem to care. Eventually it changed. I don't know what precipitated the change, but after they threw the bums out, renovated it, and began to enforced rules, it's been a decent place ever since. Both complexes in PH are managed by the same people.

The interesting thing about PH is for the area off Prospect the housing stock varies from mansions with a view, where lawyers and executives live, to small 1 bd single family homes that are in the original part of the village.

[mdand3boys]

Originally Posted by ani4040

... My home in California is new so I'm used to living in a nice place and would like to find something similar. An older home is fine but I would like it to be in a nice area and renovated....

That is the key. Forest Park Apartments are OLD, even if some of the units/buildings have been updated.
If one lives at the bottom of the hill - Gardner Lane - and the slightest snow/ice occurs, it is a long drive out to get up to the top of the bluff. Our OP should look UP the bluff for housing. Assuming that living in a new house in California and taking a job offer across the country means that the OP probably isn't making $10 an hour...which means that Forest Park Apartments aren't in the mix.

I wouldn't consider a 2000sf house a McMansion either? Besides, property taxes are lower in the Dunlap School District than in either Peoria or Peoria Heights.

[ericav123]

Originally being from the Chicago area, I can't help but be amused at the comparison of Knoxville (one of Peoria's main drags) being compared to getting anything close to Lake Shore Drive traffic wise. Peoria "traffic" is practically non- existent, even with construction at "rush hour" if there was a five car pile up. I would equate traffic here to make your commute an extra 15 minutes. It's no hour or two hour delay you'd find in a major city. And by 9pm, there is hardly a car on the road! It's something I still can't get over after living here for four years, that by 830, I'm like, where did all the people go, is this the zombie apocalypse or what? The only instance it's ever considerable is if you are trying to get over the river, and there is a lane closure on the bridge, or heaven forbid the whole bridge is closed from an accident. Then you are really stuck for a while.

Aaanywho, Although you might like the "old downtown feel" of the Heights, if you want something nice and renovated and newer, I would recommend looking into the area out by Grand Prairie Mall, or the apartments/condo's on North Knoxville, north of route 6. Prairie Lakes is the mega complex, and while they have newer construction, I've heard alot of horror stories about management there. And as another person mentioned, you'll want to avoid Prairie Vista as well, due to the sinkhole nearby which will be a hassle.

Websites such as zillow.com and trulia.com have options to search for rental properties (not just apartment buildings necessarily), and I've found them to be a great resource besides the sometimes sketchy craigslist. Also, if you are looking into a complex, you can look up reviews on the website apartmentratings.com (although consider, most people who seek to leave reviews are often the collective group who had issues, but still, helpful)

Since you want to be in a nice area, you will definitely want to avoid the downtown/south side area of Peoria. (if you click on any trulia listing, scroll down to the map, there is a crime tab, and you can see the areas that have more/less crime...and handy tool since you are not familiar with the area)

If you are looking into houses, stay north of Forest Hill (it's a street, google it), that area is apparently going to hell in a hand basket and everyone I know in that general area is looking to get out.

The general rule of thumb for Peoria is that the farther North you are, the nicer the area. You might also want to consider Washington (if looking into houses) or Morton if you don't mind a short commute. Pekin is closer than Morton, but generally considered not as nice.

Good luck!

[linicx]

My recent experience on Knoxville about 10:30 am is that I waited about 10-15 minutes to make a left hand turn. This was in nice weather with dry roads and several blocks north of Pioneer Parkway.

Forest Hill is an E-W residential street that crosses the city from Prospect to Sterling. As far as I know there are still some parts that are safe but it certainly not as safe as it was say 40 years ago. There are streets N of Forest Hill that aren't very nice too. It is still better to be N of E-W residential Lake Street.

Nevertheless, it is still a good idea to take a short lease while you settle in and become better acquainted with the city.