Short Term lease (3 mos) options? under $400? possible? (Knoxville: extended stay, apartments)

[CompSecurity]

I have searched on craigslist for a few rooms to share locations. I will be headed out to Nashville ahead of the family so that my 2 teenagers can finish out the school year. My employment will be near Centennial Park so I would love to have somewhere near there. Does anyone have any recommendations for a room for rent or even month to month apartments? Ideally, non-smoker environment that would be around $400 or less per month with all bills included. Sounds like that price point would be nearly impossible, but I might get lucky. I am a professional 42 year old married man that is very clean and tidy and will only need a place for 3 or 4 months starting around March 18th.

As always, your time and answer are greatly appreciated in advance.

[RJS5689]

Check www.airbnb.com. Many users will allow this type of rental. I used airbnb to book a place in Nashville, and many of my friends use auibnb to book vacation stays; we've all had great experiences.

[nashvols]

$400 is less than half the average market rent in the area. And with bills included...that's even more unlikely (which would push the actual apartment rent under $300...maybe under $250).

I'm not sure I would want to actually see what apartments might rent for that. More than likely, it will be a place in a very undesirable area...not bad part of town...more like straight up ghetto. And it will likely be in very bad shape.

Factor in that most places do NOT want such a short term lease (usually shorter terms cost more money because high turnover means a lot more cost for the apartment management)....I think you're looking at something that's virtually impossible.

Bump it up to around $600 and don't include bills, and you still might not be looking at the greatest places, but much more livable.

Have you talked to your employer about relocation expenses? Perhaps they have an arrangement or know of one that will work. Your best bet may be paying about twice as much for an extended stay place. $400/mo works out to about $13/night. That's like hostel cheap.

[CountryGirl2b=]

You could get a room in a house for about that much. Lots of offerings on Craigslist for rooms in that price range. It's really your best bet. (If not your only bet . . . )

[nashvols]

FWIW, I paid about $425/month for a shared 4BR 2BR college apartment in Knoxville, where furniture, water, cable, and internet were included (electricity was extra, as was parking, bringing the total bill to around $490). That was with 3 roommates. It wasn't a ratty place, but certainly not luxurious. This was 4 years ago and in a city with a slightly friendlier average rent.

The rental market in Nashville is TIGHT right now. It's really not good for someone looking for something cheap and short term. Maybe if you're willing to take something like what CountryGirl suggested...a single room in a house...or be willing to have roommates...you MIGHT find something close. But I'm skeptical.