Where to look for housing for Dr. Residency Program... (Indianapolis: apartment complexes, for rent)

[Luvs2Trvl]

I have a family member moving to Indianapolis in a couple months for 3 years as a resident at several of the downtown hospitals including Riley. She is single, late 20's with no kids, would prefer not to have a roommate and she is very active so having a gym or nearby recreation would be key. She probably wants to limit commute time to less than 20 minutes.

She'll be taking a house/apartment hunting trip out there in a few weeks and has no idea where to look. Any suggestions for good neighborhoods with houses either for rent or to buy that would be in the $100,000 range. She also considering apartments since we have pointed out all the responsibilities that come with owning a property. Definitely looking for a safe neighborhood/area where she can take a run and not have to worry about safety. She would LOVE to live by a lake and it looks like some areas like Oaks of Eagle Creek Apartments or Island Club have that feel.

Does anyone have suggestions for where to look?

[msamhunter]

20 minutes away from downtown covers a lot of area on all sides of town. Cheapest housing prices will be east and south esp. if you want something within the 100k range. One good bet is to check craigslist to see who has what for rent and where. The north side is good but gets expensive the further north you go or hit an older neighborhood like Meridian-Kessler or Butler-Tarkington but there are some nice older neighborhoods in the immediate vicinity that aren't as pricey due to name but also very nice. Another spot to check for buying is MIBOR (Metropolitan Indianapolis Board of Realtors) MIBOR.

[domergurl]

There are nice loft apartments downtown. Also, I have friends who lived in Riley Towers out of law school, again, downtown.

IUPUI has athletic facilities, so finding a place to work out isn't an issue. Living downtown also gives her access to the canal, which is also available for running, walking, etc.

I say move downtown.

[msamhunter]

Going the apartment route, I would agree. She's not finding a house for 100k downtown unless it's jacked up or something.

[sweetana3]

Apartment living is the way to go. Spend your time on the job and money not trying to maintain a house. I think you will find that the costs for an apartment downtown will be pretty even considering all the costs of ownership and the decreased possibility of appreciation in the short term and 3 years is too short term to consider buying.

I would reverse this if the person's hobby and way of relaxing was to remodel and work on a property. However, these are few and far between.

Indy has some new apartment complexes currently being built downtown. There is one at 1010 N. Central (one block from where I live) that is a blend of new building and renovated loft apartments with new huge wonderful windows. Right next to a very popular yoga studio and one mile or less from the hospital complexes off 10th. She could run or bike to work for some of the time. National Institute of Fitness is on the same campus. Methodist Hospital is close and connected to the campus with a monorail.

The Avenue by Buckingham group is right next to the hospital but will probably be full by the time she comes. IT is a brand new apartment building getting a lot of interest since it will be used by hospital staff and students of the IUPUI.

[jarcolem]

I would also suggest looking into Cosmopolitan on the Canal. I have a few friends there in PhD programs, and a few med students/resident friends there, and they love it. Nice, young, professional vibe. Gym in the complex complete with an infinity pool. Definitely pricey, but the apartments are gorgeous and still very close to the hospitals. I have a friend on the 5th floor and the view of downtown from his balcony is amazing. IMO, well worth the money.

[sweetana3]

If she really wants ownership for some reason, there are a couple of very nice condos downtown in the $115000(or less) range on 13th and Alabama. The outside is kept beautifully, nice yard, they are one bedroom and in the historic area called the Old Northside. Again only a mile or less to the 10th street campus.

The $115,000 one has a garage spot. You can find them on MIBOR.

[JMMH]

Living inside the beltline or very close to the interstate should be able to make a 20 minute commute manageable. I lived in the Pike area and had an easy 16-20 minute commute to Riley either driving local or on I-65.

If I were single, I think it'd be fun to live downtown in an apartment to be honest. The downtown area is very walkable and has a lot of things to do. Safety of course can be an issue living downtown but common sense goes a long way.

[Luvs2Trvl]

Thanks everyone for all of the advice. She just went out there this past week to check out areas and she read this thread and I think it gave her some good ideas. Waiting to hear about what she found!

[stan4]

I don't know if she has thought of this, but something REALLY important is also an area that is VERY QUIET during the day time.