Looking for apartments in the Binghamton/JC/Vestal/Endicott area

[bj2386]

Thanks for all the replies everyone.

In the month or so since I originally started this thread, I have not been able to find another apartment that meets my age criteria besides the one in Endicott posted upthread. I have been checking Craigslist on a daily basis and even enlisted the help of several real estate agents in the area. Either they knew of nothing offhand meeting my requirements or they pointed me back to the same apartment building I had found during my initial search. Most likely, I will end up going this route if the past month is any indicator of most rentals. It's just a little frustrating seeing newly renovated apartments with hardwood floors and granite countertops listing for the same rent amount, but I just can't be sure of the mold growth in the older, exterior buildings in which they are located.

Another annoying aspect of my apartment search has been encountering the numerous listings without pictures. It seems half or more of the craigslist postings do not have a single picture included. Because it would take forever to individually contact all of these posters and request pictures, I have just assumed these properties are all dumps whose pictures would deter potential rental seekers from inquiring about them. Some great apartments may have been in this group, but it was not very practical for me to sort through them all.

As an aside, I hope the above average temps continue in the area when I arrive in May. This past week I pulled up the weather in Endicott out of curiosity and found it to be warmer there than down here in Atlanta!

[Tioga]

...Keep in mind..mold problems are not as much a problem up here as down south. Also, this has been an unusally mild winter up here. Third, have you thought of looking at a residential home that is for rent?

[bj2386]

Yeah, the mold issue is tricky for me. I have done some research on the mold growth in the northeast region, and, generally, it is definitely less than the South due to the lower average humidity throughout the year. In this regard, it would seem to indicate that the mold may not be a problem for a large number of rental properties. However, the slim chance of locating myself in a moldy environment (which basically means keeping the equivalent of a cold for months on end) still deters me from branching out of my initial apartment requirements.

I am also considering homes as well, granted they are under my $1000 rent budget. There were a couple of homes that had potential, but they were 3br/$1200, which would simply be wasted space and money for a single guy just out of school like myself.

[katlupe]

Originally Posted by bj2386

Yeah, the mold issue is tricky for me. I have done some research on the mold growth in the northeast region, and, generally, it is definitely less than the South due to the lower average humidity throughout the year. In this regard, it would seem to indicate that the mold may not be a problem for a large number of rental properties. However, the slim chance of locating myself in a moldy environment (which basically means keeping the equivalent of a cold for months on end) still deters me from branching out of my initial apartment requirements.

I am also considering homes as well, granted they are under my $1000 rent budget. There were a couple of homes that had potential, but they were 3br/$1200, which would simply be wasted space and money for a single guy just out of school like myself.

One thing I thought of when reading about your issue with mold. Owego and most of the surrounding area suffered from bad flooding last September. You may find some apartments will have mold due to that, even if they are not very old buildings. I can't say for sure as I don't really know myself.

I found a few newer complexes. This one Cambridge Square says it is a newer complex. This one too, Jefferson Court Apartments. In Glendale which is not that far to Owego. I used to drive it to church every Sunday and it was quick drive. I am not sure if this is what you are looking for. If so, there are more.

[EndicottNewYork]

Originally Posted by katlupe

One thing I thought of when reading about your issue with mold. Owego and most of the surrounding area suffered from bad flooding last September. You may find some apartments will have mold due to that, even if they are not very old buildings. I can't say for sure as I don't really know myself.

I found a few newer complexes. This one Cambridge Square says it is a newer complex. This one too, Jefferson Court Apartments. In Glendale which is not that far to Owego. I used to drive it to church every Sunday and it was quick drive. I am not sure if this is what you are looking for. If so, there are more.

I'm not certain, but I think the first floor of those apts. flooded. I think they gutted them and remodeled them. Those are nice complexes though and are definitely the some of the nicest in the area. The Legacy Bay Town Homes in Binghamton are nice as well and rent for about 750-850 I think.http://www.legacybay.com/

[bj2386]

Originally Posted by katlupe

One thing I thought of when reading about your issue with mold. Owego and most of the surrounding area suffered from bad flooding last September. You may find some apartments will have mold due to that, even if they are not very old buildings. I can't say for sure as I don't really know myself.

I found a few newer complexes. This one Cambridge Square says it is a newer complex. This one too, Jefferson Court Apartments. In Glendale which is not that far to Owego. I used to drive it to church every Sunday and it was quick drive. I am not sure if this is what you are looking for. If so, there are more.

When I learned about the flood a few weeks ago, I was so disappointed. There is likely a much higher potential for mold growth in these areas than before, regardless of how well things were cleaned/repaired afterwards. Now whenever I see an advertisement for a "newly renovated" apartment or home, my first thought is that the place probably received flood damage and had to be gutted. And that is a chance I am not willing to take.

Thanks for the apartment suggestions. I had not seen the either of those before, but some research showed them to be about 13 years old, which is definitely acceptable from an age standpoint. Unfortunately, I called their leasing office, and, indeed (as Endicott mentioned), the first floors were flooded at each location. The other apartment in Endicott I had picked out is still preferable on this fact alone.

Originally Posted by EndicottNewYork

I'm not certain, but I think the first floor of those apts. flooded. I think they gutted them and remodeled them. Those are nice complexes though and are definitely the some of the nicest in the area. The Legacy Bay Town Homes in Binghamton are nice as well and rent for about 750-850 I think.Legacy Bay Townhomes - Binghamton, NY

Legacy Bay is one of the first apartments I looked at online but was scared away after reading all the negative reviews on Google and Yahoo about their management team. A couple of the complaints particularly applicable to my situation was regarding the penalty for breaking a year lease early. In my job at Lockheed Martin, I have been hired into their leadership development program, consisting of a 3 year employment period divided into (4) 9-month rotations in different positions. Each rotation may be at a different site and may require me to move every 9 months. Obviously, this does not coincide well with the 1 year lease requirements at most places. The most common penalty for breaking the lease early is paying an extra months rent beyond my length of stay. At Legacy Bay, though, they send you a bill for the entire remaining 12 month period (according to the online reviews). So even if I stay for 9 months, I have to pay for the full 12. That would greatly increase the effective rent I would be paying each month and probably not worth it.

[EndicottNewYork]

Originally Posted by bj2386

When I learned about the flood a few weeks ago, I was so disappointed. There is likely a much higher potential for mold growth in these areas than before, regardless of how well things were cleaned/repaired afterwards. Now whenever I see an advertisement for a "newly renovated" apartment or home, my first thought is that the place probably received flood damage and had to be gutted. And that is a chance I am not willing to take.

Thanks for the apartment suggestions. I had not seen the either of those before, but some research showed them to be about 13 years old, which is definitely acceptable from an age standpoint. Unfortunately, I called their leasing office, and, indeed (as Endicott mentioned), the first floors were flooded at each location. The other apartment in Endicott I had picked out is still preferable on this fact alone.



Legacy Bay is one of the first apartments I looked at online but was scared away after reading all the negative reviews on Google and Yahoo about their management team. A couple of the complaints particularly applicable to my situation was regarding the penalty for breaking a year lease early. In my job at Lockheed Martin, I have been hired into their leadership development program, consisting of a 3 year employment period divided into (4) 9-month rotations in different positions. Each rotation may be at a different site and may require me to move every 9 months. Obviously, this does not coincide well with the 1 year lease requirements at most places. The most common penalty for breaking the lease early is paying an extra months rent beyond my length of stay. At Legacy Bay, though, they send you a bill for the entire remaining 12 month period (according to the online reviews). So even if I stay for 9 months, I have to pay for the full 12. That would greatly increase the effective rent I would be paying each month and probably not worth it.

Here check out this link, it's for End, Bing and JC flood damaged properties.http://broomegis.co.broome.ny.us/web...assessment.pdf

[Binghamton]

Watch out for toxic plumes.

[EndicottNewYork]

Originally Posted by Binghamton

Watch out for toxic plumes.

That's for the most part only in Central Endicott though, and that's probably a last resort to look in.