Relocating from Columbus, Ohio (Philadelphia, Washington: middle-class, apartments, rentals)

[philaviaOSU]

Hello all..

I have recently moved to the greater Philly area from Columbus, OH (currently staying with family in NJ until I find my place) and am looking for an apartment in a great neighborhood in the city. I have been reading through threads and have seen different opinions about all of the places I've been looking, which is good, but equally confusing.

I am 24 years old, a nurse working in northern Philly, and would like to live in a walkable area, that has easy access to shops/restaurants/bars but also to grass/trees because I see a rambunctious dog in my near future. I want a 2 bdrm apt with a balcony/outdoor space of some sort and am looking in the $1300-1500 range. I've been looking on so many sites I can't name them all, and when I think I've found a good place, I drive by it, and it's dead center in the middle of a ghetto. Any help would be greatly appreciated..!

Thanks

[FindingZen]

By "northern Philly", do you mean Temple,Drexel or Einstein Hospitals? Or do you mean a hospital in the suburbs?

If you do intend to live in the city, then the easy answer is downtown aka Center City. Your rent budget should allow you to live in an above average 2BR apt in any Center City neighborhood. The communities of Washington Square West, Rittenhouse Square and Fitler Square are also the namesake of their respective urban parks. Both WSW and RS will have al of the amenities you're looking for although RS attracts even tonier clientele. RS park itself is the best for people-watching, however. FS, is a bit south of RS and more mellow as well; you'd still be a decent walking distance from RS, however. In fact, FS and WSW are perhaps a 20 minute walk between each other.

FYI, if you enjoyed the Short North back in Columbus, you'll enjoy visiting Old City and Northern Liberties; they're both rather artsy and arguably the hippest Philly neighborhoods these days. However, there's not a park nearby for your upcoming companion to roam.

[philaviaOSU]

Thanks for the info!

I have looked at those areas, but it seems for the rental amount I'm willing to pay, the spaces aren't so nice.. I am continuing to look though. Would you happen to know of any websites that post rentals near those areas, I've had quite the time finding any..?

I have recently started looking outside center city, in areas such as Art Museum, Mt Airy, Manayunk.. Any recommendations on those areas? It seems you can rent a larger/nicer space for the same $$ amount as CC and there are decent amounts of parks/outdoor spaces.

And FYI, I am at Einstein. And yes, I loved short north back in cbus, and do enjoy old city/south st. I haven't tried northern liberties yet since I'm kinda far outside of the city right now, but will definitely have to soon.

Thanks again for the help!

[newmarlig]

You might want to check Jenkintown. You can take the 55 bus to the Olney Transportation Center - a block from the hospital.

[FindingZen]

Originally Posted by philaviaOSU

Thanks for the info!

I have looked at those areas, but it seems for the rental amount I'm willing to pay, the spaces aren't so nice.. I am continuing to look though. Would you happen to know of any websites that post rentals near those areas, I've had quite the time finding any..?

I have recently started looking outside center city, in areas such as Art Museum, Mt Airy, Manayunk.. Any recommendations on those areas? It seems you can rent a larger/nicer space for the same $$ amount as CC and there are decent amounts of parks/outdoor spaces.

And FYI, I am at Einstein. And yes, I loved short north back in cbus, and do enjoy old city/south st. I haven't tried northern liberties yet since I'm kinda far outside of the city right now, but will definitely have to soon.

Thanks again for the help!

Note that Center City - let alone much of Philadelphia proper - is filled with older, often historic buildings. What might seem run-down on the outside can be nicer than one expects on the inside as many more upscale properties have been renovated. Most brand new construction downtown has been commercial rather than residential.

North Philly, as locals call it, is a collection of mostly lower-to-working class primarily communities -with the occasional middle-class exception (e.g East Oak Lane) - on its suburban fringes. Depending on one's viewpoint, it is either one of the least desirable areas of the city or a source of pride for those locals who have survived and even thrived there.

Would it be fair to assume that you're already looked at apartments.com, apartmentguide.com, philly.com, 4wallsinphilly.com, philadelphiaweekly.com and citypaper.net?

The Art Museum may be a good idea, especially because it backs into huge Fairmount Park, one of the largest urban parks in the country. The restaurant and bar scene is a bit more mellow compared to the rest of Center City but you'd still be close enough to easily meander around during your off-hours.

Mt. Airy is a peaceful, leafy area, among the more diverse and liberal areas of the city. I don't recall if there are any apts with balconies there...although in your budget range, you might be able to afford a small home or perhaps part of a duplex which your dog would appreciate. West Mount Airy has been traditionally preferred but East (of Germantown) Mt. Airy is becoming increasingly popular as well. You'd be close to the cobblestone streets of upscale yet laid-back Chestnut Hill for nights out; in fact, CH might be a place to consider living as well.

Manayunk is a mix of post-college socializing professionals and the begruding "lifers" that tolerate them. You may enjoy the many diversions on Main Street. However, winter will make it tough to traverse the hills in your car.

newmarlig's idea of Jenkintown is a good one. It's a walkable, family-friendly social hub for many of the immediately surrounding suburbs. The #55 bus would be a reliable and convenient route to Einstein.

[JasmineFlower]

Originally Posted by philaviaOSU

I am 24 years old, a nurse working in northern Philly, and would like to live in a walkable area, that has easy access to shops/restaurants/bars but also to grass/trees because I see a rambunctious dog in my near future. I want a 2 bdrm apt with a balcony/outdoor space of some sort and am looking in the $1300-1500 range. I've been looking on so many sites I can't name them all, and when I think I've found a good place, I drive by it, and it's dead center in the middle of a ghetto. Any help would be greatly appreciated..!

I'm curious to know some of the promising apartments that you've visited that are sitting dead center in a ghetto, it would give us an idea of what areas you aren't comfortable with.

I don't think your price range gets you everything that you want in certain areas of Center City, like in Rittenhouse Sq and Fitler Sq. Rents aren't as low as they used to be (not that RS was ever low), a friend was just looking for a place and prices have definitely gone up in the last several years. I think $1500 might get you a 2br just fine but it might be a bit tight in terms of space. I think you do better with that price range in Art Museum and WSW and next to CC in Bella Vista and Queen Village, all areas that you should consider. I think maybe WSW fits the bill the best for what you want.

And you just missed the more plentiful stock of apartments in the city IMO. Colleges are back in session, students, especially grad students have taken up many of the apartments in some of the areas that I think you'd have been interested in. That friend who was just looking for a place is going to grad school at Penn and all his classmates were looking for places just like him in the same areas of Center City. Since I looked about 5 years ago with a different friend attending school here, I can tell you, 2 br places that were then going for about $1300 are going for more like $1700/$1800 now, some even $2000/$2200, depending on space and finishes, I think its because the Grad Hospital area has come up so much over the last few years and pushed up other prices. You can definitely find stuff in your price range, I'm just not sure if it would meet with your expectations since I don't know them.

Areas to consider - I think University City near Clark Park gives you everything you are looking for, but so does West Mount Airy, East Mount Airy, Chestnut Hill, East Falls, and the west side of Germantown near West Mount Airy. Germantown and East Mt Airy will be less expensive than the others. If you want a dog, be aware of places that won't take them or places that will only take certain size dogs.

If you are working overnight shifts at Einstein or you are thinking you'd rather be closer to the hospital, skip University City and Center City, and focus on the others, also look in Elkins Park and Melrose Park (both suburbs but sit next to the city) in addition to Jenkintown. EP and MP are about 10 minutes from Einstein, have tons of trees and are minutes from Jenkintown and not far from Chestnut Hill either.

[kidphilly]

Have you considered No Libs or Bella Vista/Queen Village? Maybe more in the price range for a 2br

Also, coming from a newer area like Columbus, Philly may appear rougher around the edges than a more modern/newly developed area...

[philaviaOSU]

Thanks to all for the info, with so many neighborhoods to consider, it is all appreciated.

I hadn't looked much into Washington Square, or Jenkintown, so I think that that will be my next step.

Tone: I had checked most of those site, save the last one, and will be checking on that today. The hardest thing with most of the sites, though, is that if you don't already "know" the neighborhoods and streets that make them up, it's tough to know what address is in what neighborhood. Some posts may say they're in University City, but really they're five blocks west..if you get my drift.

On the aesthetic note, it's not so much what the building looks like on the outside to me, but more it's space, kitchen, and safety of the block it sits on. I do work nights, so being able to safely walk from my car/the bus stop to my apartment at 3 am is a necessity.

[JasmineFlower]

Originally Posted by philaviaOSU

On the aesthetic note, it's not so much what the building looks like on the outside to me, but more it's space, kitchen, and safety of the block it sits on. I do work nights, so being able to safely walk from my car/the bus stop to my apartment at 3 am is a necessity.

Well Philly is a large city that comes with the problems of a large city. Neighborhoods in the city especially ones that have been suggested are relatively safe, but there's a difference between what people consider safe, that's an individual determination, and safe during when most people are out is not safe at 3am necessarily. Not much is going to happen in Rittenhouse Sq, but I'd say there's a greater likelihood that if it does happen, 3am would fit the bill. This isn't to scare you, I'm just trying to be realistic. Its the city, you have to be aware of your surroundings, even if you are in the high rent district.

Assuming you are moving from less Columbus and more Upper Arlington, living in the city may be a major adjustment. If anyone asked me too many questions about safety and I knew they'd regularly be out at 3am going from their car to their apartment, I'd suggest living in the suburbs. I just think its a better option for those who might not be as comfortable with the city and aren't familiar with the challenges of living in a city of this size. Better to play it safe in this regard until they are familiar enough with the city to make their own determination. Now, if this is you, maybe living in Jenkintown, Elkins Park, or Melrose Park will work best for you. If you want to remain in the city, I'd stick to West Mount Airy, Chestnut Hill, the west side of East Mount Airy, and East Falls.

Another issue with living in and near Center City is parking. You will be driving to work, not taking the bus. Parking isn't always right in front of where you live, you might need to spend money on a space in a parking lot. At 3am, parking on the street won't be open in most areas, everyone is in for the night, and not sure if you'd feel comfortable with that. Personally, I'm comfortable with quite a bit, but I don't do multi-level parking lots by myself in the middle of the night. Unless you get a designated spot, you will need to take that into consideration above and beyond the cost of parking in CC.