Thinking of moving to Philly.... Am I crazy?

[Pine to Vine]

Originally Posted by jennm59

Let me give you some advice. You are 30 years old and single - you need get a job secured first before moving. There are jobs in Philadelphia, but thinking you may secure one easily in this economy might be a big error. It might not be, but I wouldn't move until you have one. You don't have a "fall back" person who is employed...and if you are renting at $1000/month - this will go quickly.

I know that there are people like Marius who have apartments for far less in good neighborhoods - but I'm betting that Marius knows their way around Philly, knows where to look, and where to avoid - you don't. As a single woman, it's a big mistake to think you are going to find cheap rent in a safe area if you have no idea of the landscape of where you are living.

It sounds all romantic and fun to just pick up and leave...but that will fade quickly when you're broke and have a sketchy neighborhood. Please do your homework, and don't leave until you have a job.

This. Living in a strange city with no job has no upsides. If Philly is your dream city (you haven't explained "Why Philly?" v any other city, including your own), then test to find if you can even land a job FIRST. In this economy, you will be competing with many experienced but unemployed local people who know the industries and businesses here. Once you have an offer, find out if you can afford the rent in a safe neighborhood that will offer you the conveniences you would like. If you can, go for it. if not, keep searching. I can't imagine anything more discouraging and depressing than living in $400 apartment in a very sketchy area without a job while receiving rejection notices during your search.

Usually people who pick up and leave with no job prospects are running from something - not running toward something. Simply leaving a bad situation thinking this is the solution is most often a fool's errand. Start your adventure armed with a job you are looking forward to and the means to enjoy your new life.

[phillies2011]

Originally Posted by Marius Pontmercy

I disagree. There are plenty of apartments you can find under $500 a month in good neighborhoods. I pay $420 a month and I'm right in Cedar Park/University City proper. Of course you need to check these places out first to find out what you're getting yourself into. I would recommend finding a job first though.

There are places under 550 in decent neighborhoods in this city. But I would very much disagree with the term "plenty". 550 and lower basically price you out of the entire downtown area from Girard to Washington inbetween the rivers. That means you be looking further away from the city core. South Philly has some of the cheapest rent rates in the city, but there are hardly any 1BR or Studio apartments in south philly, it mostly all rowhomes, which go for anywhere between 700-1200 a month depending on where you're at and how big or nice the house is.

Fishtown and Port Richmond are similar in the sense that studios and 1BRs would priced in the 550 range or so, but again it's hard to find them... although particularly in fishtown it's easier than south philly.

West Philly with many small apartments due to the universities, and fairly low rent is probably the best place to find an apartment under 550 that is in a safe area, and you appear to have nagged one of these apartments yourself, but in general rent is normally at least slightly higher in nice areas of university city.

Beyond that there are the nice areas chestnut hill, manayunk, etc but again these tend to be areas that do not have many studio/1BR apartments and would likely be above 550 even if they did.

There are plenty of places in point breeze, north philly, southwest, that are under 550, often full 3BR houses... but again this not a place you want to live.

So in the end while it is possible to find a decent place under 550 you would have to search really hard and likely be restricted to university city or fistown/port richmond... or the off chance you find a small place in south philly. Also keep in mind what is safe and acceptable to you is not universal. I myself lived in a place in university city that was 385, and this was less than 10 years ago. It was perfectly safe for me, but i'm a 200 pound man who has lived in philly most of his life. This is a very different than a single woman who is unfamiliar with the city.

Considering she has a budget of 1000, I think she'd be much better off and happier if she spent a little bit more of that budget. I think 550 is a pretty good floor to start at and eliminate a lot of mostly undesirable apartments from your search.

Originally Posted by jm02

This. Living in a strange city with no job has no upsides. If Philly is your dream city (you haven't explained "Why Philly?" v any other city, including your own), then test to find if you can even land a job FIRST. In this economy, you will be competing with many experienced but unemployed local people who know the industries and businesses here. Once you have an offer, find out if you can afford the rent in a safe neighborhood that will offer you the conveniences you would like. If you can, go for it. if not, keep searching. I can't imagine anything more discouraging and depressing than living in $400 apartment in a very sketchy area without a job while receiving rejection notices during your search.

Usually people who pick up and leave with no job prospects are running from something - not running toward something. Simply leaving a bad situation thinking this is the solution is most often a fool's errand. Start your adventure armed with a job you are looking forward to and the means to enjoy your new life.

Sound advice. However I disagree a little bit. Running away from a bad situation will not solve your problems. However sometimes people are simply in a rut and want to start a new chapter in their lives. I see no problem with making a quick and decisive decision to make a move. Looking for an accounting position in Philly from NYC would likely be a long and frustrating experience. Delaying the move and adding the frustration of frequent long trips for interviews etc to her plate when she is already itching for a move, could be very draining.

That said, you should have SOMETHING lined up here, even if it is just working as a temp or in retail (rite aid, old navy, etc) and making 9 bucks an hour or whatever. With a college degree, these are the types of jobs you could probably easily acquire. This way you at least have a job to pay your expenses while you're here and you're not eating into your savings. If you find a place under 650 (which is very doable) even a job like this will pay your expenses, considering you only need to provide for one person(assuming of course you don't have a lot of debt).

Then while here you can search for a better job, feeling content in the fact that you have already made your move and have begun to make change in your life. And of course the job search will be easier with you actually in town. Just come in with the understanding that your job search may take awhile and you should be fine. Then once you finally get a more permanent position that takes better advantage of your college education and pays better, you can always move again to a bigger or nicer place.

I agree that a certain amount of caution should be taken, and you should not come without ANY job at all and just start eating into your savings. At the same time, if you feel the time has come to make a move, I don't see a problem in being quick and decisive in exercising this idea.

[bluemonday]

I was wondering why you picked Philadelphia? Are you adverse to living other places on east coast (i.e. Baltimore, DC, Philly, etc.)? Why not apply for a bunch of jobs everywhere, and see who calls you - what if you get an excellent offer somewhere, and you can base your move on your job?

[Marv95]

Originally Posted by phillies2011

There are places under 550 in decent neighborhoods in this city. But I would very much disagree with the term "plenty". 550 and lower basically price you out of the entire downtown area from Girard to Washington inbetween the rivers. That means you be looking further away from the city core. South Philly has some of the cheapest rent rates in the city, but there are hardly any 1BR or Studio apartments in south philly, it mostly all rowhomes, which go for anywhere between 700-1200 a month depending on where you're at and how big or nice the house is.

Fishtown and Port Richmond are similar in the sense that studios and 1BRs would priced in the 550 range or so, but again it's hard to find them... although particularly in fishtown it's easier than south philly.

West Philly with many small apartments due to the universities, and fairly low rent is probably the best place to find an apartment under 550 that is in a safe area, and you appear to have nagged one of these apartments yourself, but in general rent is normally at least slightly higher in nice areas of university city.

Beyond that there are the nice areas chestnut hill, manayunk, etc but again these tend to be areas that do not have many studio/1BR apartments and would likely be above 550 even if they did.

There are plenty of places in point breeze, north philly, southwest, that are under 550, often full 3BR houses... but again this not a place you want to live.

You forgot NE Philly. Found a 1br apt off Rising Sun within walking distance of Lawndale station for 550 on craigslist. Heat and hot water included.

[phillies2011]

Originally Posted by Marv95

You forgot NE Philly. Found a 1br apt off Rising Sun within walking distance of Lawndale station for 550 on craigslist. Heat and hot water included.

true, it was not intentional in this case, although I do often TRY to forget about NE philly

[BayAreaHillbilly]

I just had to comment ... this thread is the "un San Francisco" - LOL!

Here you rent a rat infested trashed room facing condemnation in the hood for $400 / month.

[Eric_96SC]

We lived in the Bustleton area off Haldeman and paid I think it was 700 a month for a nice 2 bedroom 2 bath apt in what I would call a nice, safe, fairly quiet complex. The same complex had 1 bedrooms for somewhere around 600/650. I can't remember the name of them, but they were right at Haldeman and Clark. There was a bus stop right there, and the Blvd was right around the corner.

If I ever moved back to Philadelphia, depending on where I worked, I would probably look into the far Northeast area again.

[phillybound11]

Originally Posted by bluemonday

I was wondering why you picked Philadelphia? Are you adverse to living other places on east coast (i.e. Baltimore, DC, Philly, etc.)? Why not apply for a bunch of jobs everywhere, and see who calls you - what if you get an excellent offer somewhere, and you can base your move on your job?

I chose Philly because I read that the job market there is not as bad as other parts of the country. Also, it's close enough to NY and family. I was considering Fort Lauderdale and Phoenix but decided against them. Philly just seemed like a good fit for me.