Living near 38th Street (Southport, Greensboro: renting, house, landlord)

[domergurl]

Holy cow!!! Makeme ... get out now. I always swore I would never live in a place where I felt that I needed a gun for safety.

[Alan W.]

I'm moving from to Indy shortly from smaller city and came up to look at studio/1br apts just once, this last weekend, and was dismayed at how unclean/unsafe several of them looked that were in the price range I was looking ($350-$400). So, I started checking $500-$600 and it still seems I'm reading lots of "bad" reviews on these ratings sites and forums. I don't have super-high standards, just small size to lay my head because I'll be gone alot (school, work, commuting to 2nd home) but I do want CLEAN and SAFE! Can you believe what these forums say? I wonder if sometimes they put these horror stories about apartments for kicks and giggles. I've gotten taken by two apartment places so far that got my processing app fee up front then showed me the unit and it was lousy, so I withdrew and lost the fee. I don't know who to trust unless its some $1000 month for 1 BR that I can see is nice but I can't afford. Can you believe these forums/ratings sites? Any other suggestions? Thanks.

[BU191433]

Originally Posted by Alan W.

I'm moving from to Indy shortly from smaller city and came up to look at studio/1br apts just once, this last weekend, and was dismayed at how unclean/unsafe several of them looked that were in the price range I was looking ($350-$400). So, I started checking $500-$600 and it still seems I'm reading lots of "bad" reviews on these ratings sites and forums. I don't have super-high standards, just small size to lay my head because I'll be gone alot (school, work, commuting to 2nd home) but I do want CLEAN and SAFE! Can you believe what these forums say? I wonder if sometimes they put these horror stories about apartments for kicks and giggles. I've gotten taken by two apartment places so far that got my processing app fee up front then showed me the unit and it was lousy, so I withdrew and lost the fee. I don't know who to trust unless its some $1000 month for 1 BR that I can see is nice but I can't afford. Can you believe these forums/ratings sites? Any other suggestions? Thanks.

I think you can believe them overall. Meaning don't just take one persons word for it, but if you read several posts talking about the same problems over and over, then yes believe them. I tend to discount any talk about not liking the office people.

But I know for a fact that in Indianapolis - you get what you pay for. anyplace for less than $500 would be downright scary to me. where are you looking to live??

[sweetana3]

In that price range, I would be more inclined to look for a roommate situation than an apartment. One roommate in a larger space would be preferrable to a small cheap apartment with questionable location. You might even find a special one off type of place if you expand what you are looking for. It will take work.

[Naptowner]

Originally Posted by sweetana3

In that price range, I would be more inclined to look for a roommate situation than an apartment. One roommate in a larger space would be preferrable to a small cheap apartment with questionable location. You might even find a special one off type of place if you expand what you are looking for. It will take work.

I think that's absolutely correct. You can get a nice 2 bedroom for $800 in a relatively safe area, and if you up the budget to $1000 you can get something pretty good-sized. But it would be almost impossible to find something decent for $400 and still difficult at $500.

Just for reference, I remember 15 years ago looking at apartments in the Penn Arts building at 16th and Penn, which was not too run-down but definitely nothing special, and the going rate was $300.

[X-Greensboro Resident]

Originally Posted by makeme

Is living near 38th Street really that bad? I've lived in Indy for 18 months and moved to this place in the past few months from downtown.

Please tell me I'm not just overreacting. I grew up in a small town with next to zero crime but I'm not naive. I lived in Muncie for college and spent a few months in Chicago. I knew there would be crime, just didn't expect to see drug deals going down on the street behind my building. I've seen fights, I've seen drugs, I've been followed while walking to my car. I'm considering buying a gun and that scares me in itself. I've taken self defense and carry mace. I still don't feel safe.

Once my lease is up - in December no less - I'm considering moving to Southport, Greenwood, Fishers, etc. I love the city feel but hate having to go out at night (I work night shift at a local hospital).

Am I overreacting? Or is it like this everywhere?

So, on the way to work this morning around 5:30 AM, there were police cars EVERYWHERE at Meridian and 38th street right in front of your building. The road was actually closed, I had to take Capital down. Turns out 3 people were shot there this morning. I hope you're well and I hope you move soon.

[domergurl]

I saw that on the news ... my god.

[X-Greensboro Resident]

Originally Posted by domergurl

I saw that on the news ... my god.

Yeah, I saw the news people there. It was absolutely crazy, there were so many police cars, news people etc... that it looked like a movie set!!

[domergurl]

I kind of overheard on the radio that it was a coke deal gone bad.

[X-Greensboro Resident]

Originally Posted by domergurl

I kind of overheard on the radio that it was a coke deal gone bad.

Oh really! I wouldn't be surprised, there is all kinds of shady stuff going on over there. I wonder what I'll see this morning on the way to work!!!??