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I am a single 30+yr old guy moving to Providence for school at J&W Harborside in the July-Aug timeframe. I will be making a trip there around March-Apr to find a place, if that isn't too early. I am doing a career change from IT to culinary field. While a full time student, I will work part time and have 6-12 mo. rent to put down. I have a few questions and read a few postings and they were very helpful.
Is $500-800 unrealistic for a somewhat decent 1 BDRM apt? I currently have a 1 BDRM, with king bed, sofa and loveseat. I have seen on craiglist, rentprov and projo apts listed in this price range. Just wondering if I need to sell because it will be too much furniture.
What should I look for and ask in a visit to these apts for the winter months? I have read a few threads asking what type of heating is used (electric, gas, oil). I am a southern and our winters are not brutal compared to the NE .
What areas should I stay away from to avoid getting my head blown off ( I use this term loosely but while joking, I am serious), car stolen, robbed, etc? Jokes aside, I am realistic that my price range will likely not put me in the best of places.
I am a single 30+yr old guy moving to Providence for school at J&W Harborside in the July-Aug timeframe. I will be making a trip there around March-Apr to find a place, if that isn't too early. I am doing a career change from IT to culinary field. While a full time student, I will work part time and have 6-12 mo. rent to put down. I have a few questions and read a few postings and they were very helpful.
Is $500-800 unrealistic for a somewhat decent 1 BDRM apt? I currently have a 1 BDRM, with king bed, sofa and loveseat. I have seen on craiglist, rentprov and projo apts listed in this price range. Just wondering if I need to sell because it will be too much furniture.
What should I look for and ask in a visit to these apts for the winter months? I have read a few threads asking what type of heating is used (electric, gas, oil). I am a southern and our winters are not brutal compared to the NE .
What areas should I stay away from to avoid getting my head blown off ( I use this term loosely but while joking, I am serious), car stolen, robbed, etc? Jokes aside, I am realistic that my price range will likely not put me in the best of places.
Thanks in advance for any replies.
I can’t say for sure, but $500 would be a reach for a rent around Providence. I would contact a Realtor, or look on-line at Realtor offices in Providence for rents. My guess would be around $750 a month would be the minimum.
As far as the weather goes, Providence is not really in the New England/inland northeast climate zone – so the winters are really not that bad at all. Being so close to the Atlantic Ocean, modifies the winters in Rhode Island (especially south Rhode Island, Newport…etc) to some degree. Yesterday here in southern Rhode Island it was 54 F and sunny. Real winter is confined to Dec – late Febuary, and even then it’s touch and go – the last few days here in Rhode Island it was 52 F and sunny. A rain/snow mix is forecast tomorrow. It’s Rhode Island, not North Dakota.
If your coming in the late March-April time frame winter is over and the days can be quite nice - 65 F sunny and mild with no humidity. However, by late May the heat and humidity combine to make it feel like quite humid. If you’re from Dallas your are probably somewhat used to the humidity, but being near the coast in a humid climate means humidity at night as well.
Here is something you might not get to do in Dallas, that you may like about Rhode Island ....those are waves from Tropical Storm Beryl in 2006.
I am a single 30+yr old guy moving to Providence for school at J&W Harborside in the July-Aug timeframe. I will be making a trip there around March-Apr to find a place, if that isn't too early. I am doing a career change from IT to culinary field. While a full time student, I will work part time and have 6-12 mo. rent to put down. I have a few questions and read a few postings and they were very helpful.
Is $500-800 unrealistic for a somewhat decent 1 BDRM apt? I currently have a 1 BDRM, with king bed, sofa and loveseat. I have seen on craiglist, rentprov and projo apts listed in this price range. Just wondering if I need to sell because it will be too much furniture.
What should I look for and ask in a visit to these apts for the winter months? I have read a few threads asking what type of heating is used (electric, gas, oil). I am a southern and our winters are not brutal compared to the NE .
What areas should I stay away from to avoid getting my head blown off ( I use this term loosely but while joking, I am serious), car stolen, robbed, etc? Jokes aside, I am realistic that my price range will likely not put me in the best of places.
Thanks in advance for any replies.
J&W Culinary is the best in the country. Emeril speaks well and loudly about his experiences there!
Try this link to Rhode Island's one major newspaper as you can search and find answers to most of the questions you have without getting it third and fourth hand by those who are biased...either way.
You can register there online and there is no charge.
Try looking into apartment rentals in Warwick as there are many good ones and the rents are reasonable in some. Many heat and cool via electricity while others use natural gas/forced hot air. RI can get pretty cold but you will eventually get used to it. Just be careful when driving in the snow and ice as, being a southerner, you probably haven't had too much experience with that. You might want to stay away from South Providence at night, but that is my opinion.
Good luck in school...hope we will be watching you soon on The Food Network!!!!
Hi!! As a former Rhode Islander for 30 odd years or so who has been living in Austin since June, 2006, I might be able to give you some advice/insight into the Texas-Rhode Island transition. It's very different.
I don't have specific advice to give you about the rent cost, however I agree with the pp that I think you might have a tough time with the rent you are looking for. Is there any way you can work with J&W for a roommate?
And as a former school/college counselor for several years, CONGRATS on J&W! It is one of the top programs in the country, and you will get a great education. I had several students over the years go there for the culinary program, and they spoke very highly of it.
Dallas to Rhode Island is a big change - be prepared for some culture shock. Feel free to PM if you want to ask questions off board.
Thanks for the replies, I will definitely look closely at these places. Some were in Warwick and the surrounding areas but I check them out. I thought it seemed really cheap but wasn't sure.
As for the winters...yes yes, we are not that familiar with snow, we get an annual light ice storm and everyone is in a panic and no one leaves the house. Schools, work, pretty much the whole city shuts down
School will be very interesting but REALLY excited about it.
wavehunter..I am originally from VA near the coast so that does bring back memories...good seafood especially. WOW...now i am hungry....
Culture shock, I am pretty open minded so it shouldn't be too bad adjusting..
In any case, I will definitely keep you all updated on the move and life in RI.
lol - after the outgoing friendliness and graciousness, Rhode Island might seem very cold and impersonal. That's not to say that Rhode Islanders are cold and impersonal, but in my opinion, there's not much use for superficial pleasantries. It took me some time to get used to everyone making eye contact and smiling and saying "hello, how are you?" when I moved to Texas. I was used to everyone minding their own business in Rhode Island!
Also, I feel Texans (and especially Dallas) value appearance much more. If you've lived in Dallas a long time, you might be taken aback by the general appearance of Rhode Islanders. I don't mean that to sound superficial or snobby - I was just genuinely surprised when I moved to Texas at how much more appearance-conscious people are here. I was used to running to the store in windpants, a ponytail and no makeup in Rhode Island - and I can still do that in Austin, but according to my Dallas friends, that's a major faux paus (one of my dearest friends from Dallas came to visit me and marveled over all the women in flip flops with no makeup in Austin).
Oh, and kids are much more respectful here. Everyone from my teenage grocery baggers to the other kids at my own children's sporting events to the neighbor's kids call me "ma'am" and my husband "sir", make eye contact, and are friendly. I never experienced that in Rhode Island!
lol - after the outgoing friendliness and graciousness, Rhode Island might seem very cold and impersonal. That's not to say that Rhode Islanders are cold and impersonal, but in my opinion, there's not much use for superficial pleasantries. It took me some time to get used to everyone making eye contact and smiling and saying "hello, how are you?" when I moved to Texas. I was used to everyone minding their own business in Rhode Island!
Also, I feel Texans (and especially Dallas) value appearance much more. If you've lived in Dallas a long time, you might be taken aback by the general appearance of Rhode Islanders. I don't mean that to sound superficial or snobby - I was just genuinely surprised when I moved to Texas at how much more appearance-conscious people are here. I was used to running to the store in windpants, a ponytail and no makeup in Rhode Island - and I can still do that in Austin, but according to my Dallas friends, that's a major faux paus (one of my dearest friends from Dallas came to visit me and marveled over all the women in flip flops with no makeup in Austin).
Oh, and kids are much more respectful here. Everyone from my teenage grocery baggers to the other kids at my own children's sporting events to the neighbor's kids call me "ma'am" and my husband "sir", make eye contact, and are friendly. I never experienced that in Rhode Island!
Lots of differences....
Rhode Islanders are a very independent lot and what you see is what you get...no bs or put ons. After you have lived there for a while you will understand that and it won't seem so harsh.
I agree that down south the kids always address you as "sir" or "ma'am" and that is admirable, and everyone makes eye contact here whereas they don't up north, not just in RI. There is more paranoia and mis trust up there than there is down here because of the difference in the set living pace.
There is also a large ethnic diversity there that you seldom see down south. We had to make the adjustment moving from New England to North Carolina 11 years ago and the culture shock was terrific at first, but since we are positive people and wanted to be here we adjusted and now we feel like southerners...after all The State of NC now gets our tax money..lol.
BUT...the fantastic world class food will take your mind off all that and summers in Narragansett and Newport is just spectacular.
Mikey, you seem like a great guy - and I enjoy your posts; but I am so tired of hearing this myth about Rhode Island being so much more ethnically diverse than the South.
Providence is, but outside of there, it just doesn't hold true. If it does, why is it that the last Census Bureau had SC coming in at 69% white, and Rhode Island coming in at 83 white? Simple: Because Rhode Island is actually far LESS diverse than most Southern States!
EVERY time someone visits me up here from FL or GA, they can't believe how "white" it is. There is nothing wrong with this, of course, but it CAN get a little boring at times. Fortunately Providence itself happens to be very diverse and these different groups like to express themselves through the art of cooking.
Mikey, you seem like a great guy - and I enjoy your posts; but I am so tired of hearing this myth about Rhode Island being so much more ethnically diverse than the South.
Providence is, but outside of there, it just doesn't hold true. If it does, why is it that the last Census Bureau had SC coming in at 69% white, and Rhode Island coming in at 83 white? Simple: Because Rhode Island is actually far LESS diverse than most Southern States!
EVERY time someone visits me up here from FL or GA, they can't believe how "white" it is. There is nothing wrong with this, of course, but it CAN get a little boring at times. Fortunately Providence itself happens to be very diverse and these different groups like to express themselves through the art of cooking.
By diverse I meant that there are many more ethnic nationalities there than here. You won't find areas where the people are Polish, Greek, etc. What you find here are mostly English, Irish, Scotch, German, Dutch, Black and now Mexicans. I consider all the Europeans as white. There are far more black people here than I ever recall seeing in RI but that matters not to me as I am not racially charged.
By diverse I did not mean to imply that it is "whiter" here than there or vice versa.
BTW I like your posts too.
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I use this term loosely but while joking, I am serious), car stolen, robbed, etc? Jokes aside, I am realistic that my price range will likely not put me in the best of places.
A link for you
