place to live (York, Washington, Penn: rentals, condo, broker)

[atomiix]

hi. i:m going to be starting grad school at upenn this fall. i was born and raised in nyc, so i:m not really scared of cities and have enough street smarts. but i would like to finally spoil myself and get a nice place to live while i:m studying. so i was wondering if you have any recommendations as to neighborhoods, streets or buildings. i:m looking for somewhere safe and not too far from school. i was thinking of a budget around 1300 or less with no roommates. any suggestions on where to avoid would be welcome as well!

honestly, i:ve been daydreaming of a luxury rental or a floor of a townhouse with modern furnishings... i know.. daydreams.. maybe i should get a broker. but i would like to try to do this myself first. so yes, any suggestions, thank you!!

i suppose broker suggestions are welcome also. anything that:ll help.

[newmarlig]

Look in center city - either the Rittenhouse Square area or Washington Square West. You can get to school in 10-15 minutes by public transportation (Rittenhouse Square is closer). Don't bring a car, parking can be a pain. You can use PhillyCarShare.

Check Craigslist. You may not get a one bedroom in a highrise, but should have no problem getting a nice one bedroom in a brownstone in either of those locations.

[atomiix]

thanks for the advice!!

[solibs]

FYI - this isn't New York so you'll probably find working with a rental agent a waste of time and money. Most rental agents work for property management companies and will try to funnel you into one of their units. There is next to nothing on the MLS here when it comes to rentals. On the other hand, if you're looking in center city almost everything is controlled by a couple of property management firms so you might not have a choice.

Use craigslist, the CityPaper and the South Philly Review. Watch out for all the fake ads for the rental locator services. I think the best deal will be to find someone who is renting out their condo for a year or two.

For $1300 you can find a nice studio or one-bedroom in almost any neighborhood. If you look around the edges of Center City (South St. & Spring Garden) you'll find more space. For ease of getting back and forth to Penn you'll want to live in close proximity to Market St. (the el), Walnut St. (21 and 42 bus) or Lombard St.(40 bus). Those neighborhoods are Old City, Society Hill, Queen Village, Bella Vista, Washington Square West (Wash West for short), Graduate Hospital (G-Ho), Fitler Square, Rittenhouse, Logan Square and Chinatown.

[kimrocktherealtor]

I can send you some listings if you want to send me your requirements - I am a realtor in PA. You can reach me @ kimhandloff@remax.net