Looking at houses in South & West Philly, would like opinions on "safety" (Philadelphia: leases)

[krystea]

Hi all! I'm posting in behalf of three ladies. I am one of them. When our leases up, we're looking to get a house together around this May or June. Our budget is landing around $1700. Don't want to live too far outside of the city (we all work in CC), but we'd also like to have the options of a yard, porch, etc. So we've been narrowing it down and it seems the most plausible options are South and West Philly.

My question's for those of you who know the city like the back of your hand. I am familiar to most of the city and I know a lot of these areas can be on a block-by-block basis... So can anyone shed some light on what, if anything, we should avoid while looking at places in South Philly/West Philly? I know safety is relative and all but I'd just like to hear everyone's opinion. If you have other suggestions that's cool too and they are totally appreciated.

A little about us, in case you know any secrets and/or would like to convince me to look somewhere else:
We're not new to the city. We're pretty street smart and are not dainty little flowers. We're artsy folks. We like music and going to shows sometimes. It'd be nice to be around local shops/businesses/markets and community art stuff, if possible. We also have cats. We like all kinds of people.

ALSO! I've been browsing Trulia/CL/Zillow... Are there any other places for me to find properties aside from hopping a bus and walking around until I find a FOR RENT sign in the window?

Thanks in advance!

[2e1m5a]

I would just try to find a neighborhood that you do want to live in. Passyunk Square and Clark Park/Cedar Park areas would be tops for me in South and West Philly respectively. Bella Vista and Queen Village are great too albeit more expensive.

Hotpads.com is a good site.

[sj08054]

Originally Posted by krystea

Hi all! I'm posting in behalf of three ladies. I am one of them. When our leases up, we're looking to get a house together around this May or June. Our budget is landing around $1700. Don't want to live too far outside of the city (we all work in CC), but we'd also like to have the options of a yard, porch, etc. So we've been narrowing it down and it seems the most plausible options are South and West Philly.

My question's for those of you who know the city like the back of your hand. I am familiar to most of the city and I know a lot of these areas can be on a block-by-block basis... So can anyone shed some light on what, if anything, we should avoid while looking at places in South Philly/West Philly? I know safety is relative and all but I'd just like to hear everyone's opinion. If you have other suggestions that's cool too and they are totally appreciated.

A little about us, in case you know any secrets and/or would like to convince me to look somewhere else:
We're not new to the city. We're pretty street smart and are not dainty little flowers. We're artsy folks. We like music and going to shows sometimes. It'd be nice to be around local shops/businesses/markets and community art stuff, if possible. We also have cats. We like all kinds of people.

ALSO! I've been browsing Trulia/CL/Zillow... Are there any other places for me to find properties aside from hopping a bus and walking around until I find a FOR RENT sign in the window?

Thanks in advance!

$1700 plus utilities or $1700 already include the utilities?

The nicer part of South Philly will put you closer to in the $2000+ for rent. Areas with "bad pockets". $1-$1.50 sq/ft

[RightonWalnut]

South Philly, avoid the areas with the boundaries of Washington Avenue to the North, Snyder Avenue to the South, 18th Street to the East, and the Schuylkill River to the West. Also, a small sliver between 3rd Street, 7th Street, Washington Avenue and Snyder Avenue.

Good neighborhoods in South Philly include Graduate Hospital, Bella Vista, Queen Village, Hawthorne, Passyunk Square, Pennsport, East Passyunk Crossing and Newbold. Anything further south would probably be too far removed from Center City for you.

In West Philadelphia it's a little more complicated. Past University City, the "good areas" tend to be divided by a zig-zagging diagonal line between 39th and Lancaster Ave and 50th and Powelton. Anything North and West of that tend to be rundown and troublesome. Then the neighborhoods out by City Avenue tend to be great, but again far removed from Center City. Good neighborhoods in West Philly include University City, Spruce Hill, Powelton Village, Clark Park, Squirrel Hill, Cedar Park, Garden Court, Woodland Terrace and Walnut Hill.