Columbus Again :)- Utility Costs/general COLA? (Tipton: real estate, rental)

[mkat321]

Looks like we may get to move to Columbus after all. Hubby had to switch majors due to his OIF injuries and his new major is offered in Columbus. His cost of living increase if he switches campuses will be high enough to cover the average rental costs I've been watching on the Republic, and if the current House Bill passes, perhaps even the utilities. This comes on the heels of finding two separate Realtors/real estate rental managers whose rental criteria match our qualifications. So I'm trying to crunch the #'s and have a couple questions.

1. What can I expect for average electric, water & sewer bills? Are these presented as 1 bill or individually or ? We'll be getting a 3 br 1.5 or 2 ba and our current bills on these items fall in the 'average to low average' range according to the billing agencies we're under ATM.

2. Is trash included on the public works billing or separate? If separate, how much can we expect to pay under 'common and standard' circumstances?

3. Comcast shows digital cable & internet bundle for $129.99/mo {79.99 intro} is this the best/only bundle deal in town for these items? The channels listed for the digital premiere through Comcast are far better than what we have currently for about the same price [It's included in our rent so not sure of the exact numbers] but if there's a better deal I definitely want to know where

4. My eternal question- what are the best spas & other massage studios in town? We'll be coming down in October for a couple of days and I would love to try one out and perhaps chat with the HR manager about employment options.

TIA

[kelhuck]

Looks like we may get to move to Columbus after all. Hubby had to switch majors due to his OIF injuries and his new major is offered in Columbus. His cost of living increase if he switches campuses will be high enough to cover the average rental costs I've been watching on the Republic, and if the current House Bill passes, perhaps even the utilities. This comes on the heels of finding two separate Realtors/real estate rental managers whose rental criteria match our qualifications. So I'm trying to crunch the #'s and have a couple questions.

1. What can I expect for average electric, water & sewer bills? Are these presented as 1 bill or individually or ? We'll be getting a 3 br 1.5 or 2 ba and our current bills on these items fall in the 'average to low average' range according to the billing agencies we're under ATM. Our avg bill for our all-electric, 5 year old 2000 sq ft house is around $215 a month. We are pretty conservative with our consumption, but we are a family of 5......so our usuage is going to be a little high no matter what. In the summer it's ALOT lower than that, and in the winter it's a LOT higher than that. We decided to use balanced billing so that it's a predictable amount throughout the year. Duke Energy tells us that we are in the lower usuage category as well.

2. Is trash included on the public works billing or separate? If separate, how much can we expect to pay under 'common and standard' circumstances? You have to pay for your trash. In the city, I don't think it's an option.....you pay for it whether you use it or not. There was a huge uproar over this recently because it used to be "free". I'm not sure on the amount- $12 a month is ringing a bell in my head, and they attach it to your water bill. In the county- you can hire Bestway or Rumpke to come get your trash- around $20 a month, or you can take it to the dump yourself for free (we do this).

3. Comcast shows digital cable & internet bundle for $129.99/mo {79.99 intro} is this the best/only bundle deal in town for these items? The channels listed for the digital premiere through Comcast are far better than what we have currently for about the same price [It's included in our rent so not sure of the exact numbers] but if there's a better deal I definitely want to know where Comcast is your only cable option. You can check out Direct TV or DISH for satellite options. We have the very basic cable package (which gives us HD on the local channels) and the "economy" cable internet thru Comcast and we pay about $50 a month.

4. My eternal question- what are the best spas & other massage studios in town? We'll be coming down in October for a couple of days and I would love to try one out and perhaps chat with the HR manager about employment options. Alternatives for Health is supposed to be an excellent spa/massage/hair place. I think there's a massage studio offered inside the Tipton Lakes Athletic Club. There used to be a place called Face and Body- not sure if they are still around or not. They are who I used to go to. Other than that???????? I haven't had a massage locally in a LONG time, so maybe someone else can offer up better options.

TIA

[JulieL]

Mkat321, After you have been here and rented for awhile you may want to see if you would be eligible for budget billing. They look at your usage and figure a year round amount. It varies with everyone. Water, Sewer, and Trash are all on the same bill. My total bill was $74.00 for all three. The trash varies on container size. The 96 gallon is $14.00 per month. The next size down, I think, is $12.00 or deliver your own to the dump and it is free unless you are over 250 pounds then they start charging you. I cannot answer your questions about Comcast or the spa. I use Directv and I haven't been to the spa.
Good Luck,
JulieL