NOT to sound Redundant--BUT..Moving to PHILLY! HELP! (Philadelphia: subletting, apartment)

[jessika859]

Hello all,

I am a 22 year old female that will be moving to philly from lexington, kentucky in september. I'm not very familiar with the city. I will be working at an apple store there and will be attending the Art Institute of Philadelphia. I am single and know no one there (spare me on the lectures :] ). Obviously I'm a fan of spontaneity. . I'm curious though--of some neighborhoods that philly natives (or residents) would recommend. I've heard of University City, Center City, Germantown, and Manayunk. I'd like to be around individuals of my age but I'm not set on that. I'd also like a neighborhood that was relatively close to nightlife, etc. I'm a tough girl so I don't scare easy and wouldn't mind living in a less than appealing neighborhood. My budget for rent is 1,000. I'd prefer a home (so scratch the apartment suggestions), with 3bedrooms.

Thanks!

[pman]

Why a home with three bedrooms? If you lived in cc tou be a ten min walk to work and school

[Angus215]

the apple store is in rittenhouse (on walnut st) and the art institute is on broad st (not far from rittenhouse). maybe try the "graduate hospital" area, south of South St, west of Broad, which would be close to both but cheaper than center city, although i'm still not sure you'll find what you're looking for in your price range. if you really need a 3 br house, you'd probably have to go further into south philly (east of broad), and you could take the broad st line to work/school. or you would have to live in a not-so-nice suburban area and commute, although i don't know why someone your age would want to do that. you might find that in germantown, but it's a very "mixed" area.

[jonnybdas]

$1,000/mo doesn't get you much in the nicer areas of Philadelphia. A 3br house will very difficult to get at that price. I would try for the Northern Liberties, or in S. Philadelphia along Passyunk Ave. where there is a renaissance going I hear. Manyunk is our Venice, CA, lots pretty girls there looking for pretty guys. Night life is just okay there.

[FindingZen]

$1000 will indeed not go as far in Philly as it apparently does in Lexington. That's the going rate for a slightly above-average 1BR apt downtown, to give you some perspective. As others have said, you may want to adjust your expectations on living arrangements. For purposes of getting familiar with the city, I might suggest finding the nicest accommodations within your budget that are within walking/short transit distance of your job and school.

[newmarlig]

I'd rethink attending the Art Institute.

Colleges that profit, students who don't | Philadelphia Daily News | 03/25/2011

[a75206]

The Art Institute is not on S. Broad...that would be the University of the Arts. Art Institute is on Chestnut St, the main building being between 15th and 16th St I believe. The Apple store on Walnut is just a block south and a block or two west from Art Institute.

And like newmarlig said, Art Institute may not be the best investment in higher ed. One of their students works the counter at a popular cupcake place in a mall in Center City while going to school; can't imagine how much debt she already has, and what sort of job she will get once out of school.


From what I can tell, the Univ of the Arts is much better. As is Moore College of Art and Design. And the art school at Temple University, of course.


As far as finding a 3-bedroom house in Philly, yeah, definitely way south of South St, but that area is rapidly changing for the better, especially west of Broad (East of Broad, it's already very nice and thus expensive/out of reach of your price range).


You might find something up north of Fairmount, in the Frainklintown area...can still take the Broad St subway or the north-south bus routes....tons of people use buses and public transit here.

[jessika859]

Firstly, thanks for all of the input!!! As far as choosing AIP, all of the other schools suggested do not offer an audio production and/or audio engineering program so those are, unfortunately out of the question. From what I hear though the Art Institute is what you make of it. Very honestly, for the career path I'm choosing a degree from the aforementioned would suffice. In fact--a degree isn't even required but that is beside the point. Again thanks for the suggestion. I'll reevaluate and take into consideration apartment living. I'd just prefer a house. Thanks so much guys and gals!

[jessika859]

If I may ask (for the ones who suggested not attending AIP) have any of you heard of The Recording Connection Audio Institute? And if so--what are your thoughts?

[skydivers-in-reverse]

Have you considered looking into subletting or getting roommates? I live in Spring Garden(on the northern end of it, so considerably cheaper than areas closer to downtown) and am currently in a 3 bedroom rowhouse that's 1000 a month, not including utilities(and we pay for eveeerything, nothing is included - we do not have central air, and it's a cute place with some great amenities like a tiny yard and finished basement, but don't get me wrong it's definitely not luxury living. ) - we somehow negotiated rent down from 1400. It's possible, but unless you're looking at a roommate situation 1000 is really probably not going to get you far in the areas you're looking at. But I'm just reiterating what everyone else is saying haha.