I'm single, and I'm switching apartments in a couple months. I'm trying to decide between three places right now:
1) I could move to a building in the middle of an urban area. The crime rate there is low compared to the rest of the Cleveland area. The building and surrounding neighborhood are mostly young people close to my age (ages 25-35, roughly), and the neighborhood is full of bars, restaurants, shops, etc. within walking distance, and is a pretty hoppin' location. The building itself is old and dingy, with old fixtures, old countertops, etc. (but it's one of the nicer apartment buildings in the area -- it doesn't "smell" old, and it's not falling apart), the apartment is a little small (but big enough for my own needs), and parking is outdoor/uncovered. Oh, yeah... the rent is about $100-$150 less than the other two places, at $460/month.
2) I could move to a building which is about a 3-mile drive from the same neighborhood. It's in a much more suburban setting, quieter, and with pretty much nothing within walking distance, but still a short drive to the aforementioned bars/restaurants. It's a newer/nicer building, and the residents are much more diverse in age. They're offering a great move-in special, but I'd be paying about $600 a month, plus an extra $35 if I decide to pay for garage parking.
3) I could move to a comparable building which is on the outskirts of a very ritzy neighborhood (ritzy for Cleveland). This area is also suburban and quiet, with nothing within walking distance (but closer to "stuff" than the above place), but the residents are mostly older/married people. A couple miles away is a huge mall, with lots of nice shopping centers, restaurants and stuff nearby. In short, this is essentially the same situation I'm in now, but on the "better" side of town... no matter where I set down roots, I believe I will be happier than where I am now.
I also get a discount at places 2 and 3... 3% off, or some such thing, and one month of free rent.
In my current situation, I'm starved for a social life (due to the lack of single people/people my age nearby), which is the main reason I'm moving to the other side of town to begin with. I like the idea of being around "cool" people, as well as the idea of being able to stockpile a bunch of extra money every month, in case things still don't work out; in a year, I'd like to be able to afford to leave Cleveland in the dust if necessary. But I also like the idea of being able to get away from the hustle and bustle of the urban social scene, into my own quiet setting, at will -- after all, that's what I'm used to.
So, what would YOU do? I'm just looking for some input, as I've never really been this ambivalent with picking a place before. I guess I did my research a little TOO well.
Oh yeah... in case anyone's familiar with the west side of the Cleveland area... the three neighborhoods are 1) downtown Lakewood, 2) Fairview Park, and 3) North Olmsted. Right now, I'm in Mayfield Heights, on the far east side.
1) I could move to a building in the middle of an urban area. The crime rate there is low compared to the rest of the Cleveland area. The building and surrounding neighborhood are mostly young people close to my age (ages 25-35, roughly), and the neighborhood is full of bars, restaurants, shops, etc. within walking distance, and is a pretty hoppin' location. The building itself is old and dingy, with old fixtures, old countertops, etc. (but it's one of the nicer apartment buildings in the area -- it doesn't "smell" old, and it's not falling apart), the apartment is a little small (but big enough for my own needs), and parking is outdoor/uncovered. Oh, yeah... the rent is about $100-$150 less than the other two places, at $460/month.
2) I could move to a building which is about a 3-mile drive from the same neighborhood. It's in a much more suburban setting, quieter, and with pretty much nothing within walking distance, but still a short drive to the aforementioned bars/restaurants. It's a newer/nicer building, and the residents are much more diverse in age. They're offering a great move-in special, but I'd be paying about $600 a month, plus an extra $35 if I decide to pay for garage parking.
3) I could move to a comparable building which is on the outskirts of a very ritzy neighborhood (ritzy for Cleveland). This area is also suburban and quiet, with nothing within walking distance (but closer to "stuff" than the above place), but the residents are mostly older/married people. A couple miles away is a huge mall, with lots of nice shopping centers, restaurants and stuff nearby. In short, this is essentially the same situation I'm in now, but on the "better" side of town... no matter where I set down roots, I believe I will be happier than where I am now.
I also get a discount at places 2 and 3... 3% off, or some such thing, and one month of free rent.
In my current situation, I'm starved for a social life (due to the lack of single people/people my age nearby), which is the main reason I'm moving to the other side of town to begin with. I like the idea of being around "cool" people, as well as the idea of being able to stockpile a bunch of extra money every month, in case things still don't work out; in a year, I'd like to be able to afford to leave Cleveland in the dust if necessary. But I also like the idea of being able to get away from the hustle and bustle of the urban social scene, into my own quiet setting, at will -- after all, that's what I'm used to.
So, what would YOU do? I'm just looking for some input, as I've never really been this ambivalent with picking a place before. I guess I did my research a little TOO well.
Oh yeah... in case anyone's familiar with the west side of the Cleveland area... the three neighborhoods are 1) downtown Lakewood, 2) Fairview Park, and 3) North Olmsted. Right now, I'm in Mayfield Heights, on the far east side.