Help me pick an apartment

[booB]

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.

 

[Bear]

LOL!!! Sorry Bob I wish I had that problem. My rent is $1300.00 for a one bedroom. Good luck

Bear

 

[dcowboys311]

I'd probably choose number 1...I live in the middle of downtown Atlanta and I love it. I'm never bored and there is always something to do, so I'm sure you would find plenty of activities in urban Cleveland.

 

[TychoCelchu]

1 or 2 I'd say, depending on where you live now (I'm not familiar with the Cleveland neighborhoods).

I live in a 15x20 square foot studio and pay over 700. Gotta love downtown/college areas, heh.

 

[J-Dubya 777]

Go with #1 or #2. As much as I love being out in the middle of nowhere (my unincorporated town doesn't even have mail delivery!) I do miss the hustle/bustle of the city at times. The other alternative is to go cheap, and start saving for a house. Good luck!

 

[James]

I would exclude number 1): If you're within walking distance to bars, restaurants, shops, etc. you're easily going to spend that extra $100 to $150 per month, so you're really not saving anything, and you're stuck in a dingy old apartment.

I would exclude number 3): I hate malls.

That leaves us with number 2): You're close enough to the neighborhood in number 1) without being too close, and you get to come home to a nicer apartment. Option 2 probably ends up costing basically the same as Option 1, plus you get that discount and a free month of rent. You also have roughly the same access to the same nightlife, but you can also get away from the hustle and bustle whenever you want.

Good luck Bob!

 

[ashaman7122]

Go with #1, Boob...have some fun and enjoy...it's not like you'll be there for forever...

Rock on!

 

[Princess Jenna]

I would exclude number 1): If you're within walking distance to bars, restaurants, shops, etc. you're easily going to spend that extra $100 to $150 per month, so you're really not saving anything, and you're stuck in a dingy old apartment.

I would exclude number 3): I hate malls.

That leaves us with number 2): You're close enough to the neighborhood in number 1) without being too close, and you get to come home to a nicer apartment. Option 2 probably ends up costing basically the same as Option 1, plus you get that discount and a free month of rent. You also have roughly the same access to the same nightlife, but you can also get away from the hustle and bustle whenever you want.

Good luck Bob!

I totally agree with the above. The 2nd sounds like the best option.

 

[Meedleyx10]

#2 for sure, you avoid all the downsides that come with living in an Urban area while still having extremely easy access to all the better things (social scene, bars, shopping, etc.)

I have an apartment in downtown St. Paul, MN (about 2 blocks from the Xcel center for those familar) that I live in while I'm at school and it's totally destroyed my perception of bigger cities. It's nice because it's really close to my school and is in a very central location (much like your "#1" place), but it's a terrifying place after dark, you can't walk more than 10 yards from the front door of the building without being accosted by panhandlers, I'm pretty sure my neighbor is a drug dealer, and it's just really dirty overall. Then again, this is from the perspective of someone coming from small-town Montana. Personally, I like the "scene" that city life has to offer (to an extent) but even as a young college kid I still prefer a slower-paced, quieter living environment.

 

[Stingray11214]

Urban areas can be a bitch when it come to parking. Since you have a car, it would be in your best interest to grab #2 and run. Why? Insurance costs drop when you have a carport or a garage and put your car there. So, you will be actually SAVING money long-term.

As for the "social life", most people are finding mates either a)through friends, or b)online. If Cleveland is not doing it for ya, you can try what I did and go Filipina. My future missus will be at PP (If the US Consulate in Hong Kong is cooperative), and we will be married in November. Good luck!

Peace,
Ray C.

 

[sh0kr0k]

#2 all the way. #3 is very nice but it is around an older crowd, whereas #2's diversity of ages and proximity to the nightlife allow for the social potentials you are hoping for. Take #2 & get the carport. I have a carport for the first time and I can't tell you how wonderful it is! Good luck, booB! Check craigslist.com for people giving away free moving boxes!

 

[Bryan316]

#1

Closer to things to do, easier to crawl home on a Saturday night, maybe some single hotties in your age range, and saves you money.

If you're really not that impressed with the construction quality of the apartment, then I'd say to go with #2. But if you had some construction-savvy friends who like to do home improvements, you could put in a new counter and ask the apartment complex to go halvsies on the material costs.

Saving money and gaining a social life is a very cool combination. I'd trade a slightly dingy living environment for that. Just cover all the ugly spots with metal posters!

 

[Dragongrrrl]

How about #4 - move to VA. True, you'll end up paying almost twice what you're paying now, but we've got Jaxx! And Division! And...me! lol. And traffic 24/7...so nevermind

I'm leaning towards option #3, but I'm a chick and I like to shop, so the mall is a good draw. Plus #1 won't do because I'd rather a bit more space (inside and out). I like the 'burbs. Also, with predominately older/married couples, you'll likely have less chance of someone blasting their subs at 2am. Would seem that I'm the only one so far that likes this one...but you know me - I gotta go my own way

 

[sh0kr0k]

From a girl's perspective (read: this girl's perspective), a man living in situation #1 isn't very high on my "hot babe, I want this one!" list. C'mon, an old dingy building either says, "Look, I can't afford to live in a nicer neighbor so I'm probably unstable professionally and I just don't care that much," or it says, "hey I'm such a party animal that I need to be next to the action all the time so I don't miss out on any of the bar girls that wanna come back to ma' looooove nest! So baby, don't trust me or fall in love with me, cuz I'm too busy chasing as much tail as I can get!" Please... I've seen it a hundred times, the guys are always the same uke: So from my perspective, a guy in situation #1 is about as attractive to me as a one-night stand.

Since you aren't that kind of guy (right?), and are just looking for a more social active life, I would definitely go with #2, maybe #3. Let's face it, if you want to meet a bunch of drunk bar chicks and young dumb guys that like to act tough (and don't forget the awful traffic and late-night noise!) then #1 is your choice! If you want to escape all that and impress a girl, make it look like you've outgrown your frat days by living in a clean, quiet, newer neighborhood that's still hip because of it's diversity. A home is a man's castle, but I've never found a knight in shining armor living down the street from the bar scene.

 

[Kenso]

"number 3"
"but mr president!"
"i was born to lead, not to read, NUMBER 3"

 

[booB]

I would exclude number 1): If you're within walking distance to bars, restaurants, shops, etc. you're easily going to spend that extra $100 to $150 per month, so you're really not saving anything, and you're stuck in a dingy old apartment.

Two things I should mention:

1) I don't drink much. The bar scene would still be fun, but I wouldn't be spending TOO much in bars; I'd be there mostly for the socializing. If you've seen me at ProgPower, you'll know that I rarely ever have a drink in my hand. Plus, I already go out to eat quite often (2 or 3 times a week, sometimes more), and I go out shopping for cds, dvds, books, etc. often, so even if I would be spending more, it wouldn't be TOO much more.

2) I have a pretty strong motivator to save money: if I still dislike Cleveland after a year of living in a more interesting area (the west side is considered much more interesting than the east side), then I want to make sure I can save as much money as possible to get the hell out of here.

Urban areas can be a bitch when it come to parking. Since you have a car, it would be in your best interest to grab #2 and run. Why? Insurance costs drop when you have a carport or a garage and put your car there. So, you will be actually SAVING money long-term.

The insurance company doesn't need to know I'm no longer parking in a carport. :Smug: Plus, the crime rate there is pretty good... there are much worse areas of town. I have to admit, I hadn't thought about the car insurance angle... but at the *very* most, my insurance would only go up a couple hundred bucks a year. That's only about $10-$15 a month. Parking is ample. It's not downtown Cleveland -- it's less "urban" than that -- but it would be the most urbanized setting I've ever lived in.

How about #4 - move to VA. True, you'll end up paying almost twice what you're paying now, but we've got Jaxx! And Division! And...me! lol.

heh... I already tried that, remember? They don't want me. I can't deny that I'd be much happier there, even though I've never been there... but I can't afford to move out of state yet, and my job skills aren't marketable enough for me to find a company to hire and relocate me.

From a girl's perspective (read: this girl's perspective), a man living in situation #1 isn't very high on my "hot babe, I want this one!" list. C'mon, an old dingy building either says, "Look, I can't afford to live in a nicer neighbor so I'm probably unstable professionally and I just don't care that much," or it says, "hey I'm such a party animal that I need to be next to the action all the time so I don't miss out on any of the bar girls that wanna come back to ma' looooove nest! So baby, don't trust me or fall in love with me, cuz I'm too busy chasing as much tail as I can get!" Please... I've seen it a hundred times, the guys are always the same uke: So from my perspective, a guy in situation #1 is about as attractive to me as a one-night stand.

Since you aren't that kind of guy (right?), and are just looking for a more social active life, I would definitely go with #2, maybe #3. Let's face it, if you want to meet a bunch of drunk bar chicks and young dumb guys that like to act tough (and don't forget the awful traffic and late-night noise!) then #1 is your choice! If you want to escape all that and impress a girl, make it look like you've outgrown your frat days by living in a clean, quiet, newer neighborhood that's still hip because of it's diversity. A home is a man's castle, but I've never found a knight in shining armor living down the street from the bar scene.

I've actually been living in suburban areas ever since I graduated from college, and I've always had a hard time meeting people since then. I think it's time for a change of pace. I'm not a super-social butterfly, and I pretty much have to be immersed in the middle of social people in order to break out of my shell. If I stay in a suburban setting, I don't know if I'll *ever* start making friends. People in suburban areas tend to live there specifically BECAUSE of its asocial, detached nature, at least from my experience. The neighborhood in option #1 is crawling with perfectly normal, socially-aware 20- and 30-somethings.

As for your one night stand comment above... you're right, I'm not generally that type of guy... but, then again, I can't say that's not an enticing option for me, either. I haven't dated, or gotten any "action" at all, in... well, let's just say if I told you how many years, you'd never believe me. (If you really want to know, PM me and I'll tell you. ) . I'm not necessarily interested in meeting Ms. Right; I'd much rather play the field for a while. Lord knows I've certainly been warming the bench for most of my life.

Lastly: if a woman doesn't want to be with me because she's not impressed by my physical or monetary "trappings", then she's probably not a woman I want to be with, either. I've been poor most of my life, and physical possessions mean very little to me. Besides, I've been living in a pretty swank place for the past two years, and it hasn't done me a lick of good in the lovelife department; I can't use my place to impress a woman if there aren't any women around to impress. And, it's not like this place is in terribly bad shape. I looked at a couple other places, which are some of the higher-rent buildings in the neighborhood, and they were old, decrepit, falling apart, and/or "old-smelling" (you know, that old, musty smell). This place is old, but it's none of those other things.

Believe me, I do appreciate your comments here... that's definitely a very important issue for me, and you really did make me think. But I still think that, for every woman out there who shares your opinion, there's one who can potentially enjoy my company regardless of what kind of building I live in. I can't please everyone.

---

Anyway, after much deliberation and gnashing of teeth...

I've pretty much decided on option #1... the way I see it, if I don't like it, I only have to be there for a year, and it can't be any more lame than my current situation. If I still hate Cleveland, then I can save up some dough and move to a whole new city next year, or simply move back to the suburbs; if I DO end up liking it, then I'll have more money to spend on doing fun stuff. The size of the apartment doesn't bother me, nor does the "age" of it (as long as stuff works)... after all, if I fill the place with modern touches, it'll look newer... and my 32" TV will look much bigger in a smaller living room. LOL

I've been in "modern" apartments in suburban-type settings ever since college, and I've been bored for most of that time. I need some excitement in my life. Also, I have co-workers who live, or have lived, in the same area, and they have nothing but good things to say about it.

The only problem I'm worrying about is the lack of covered parking. I have a newer (2005) car, and I don't want anything to happen to it. Then again, the crime rate is pretty low in the area, from what I've heard. For example, there's a much newer and more expensive part of Lakewood, near the coast of Lake Erie, where the crime rate is much higher.

The place I'm hopefully going to hold, as of tomorrow, has a beautiful view of the Cleveland Metroparks' Rocky River Reserve. If/when I move in this October, I'll get pics.

 

[Cheiron]

BTW. If you want to meet women, go where your chances are high. A lot of areas have dating scene activities going on. DC has a whole group that throws events. That works well, because there's always more women there than guys. Its also a good way to just meet people when you move to a new area.

Personally, I think the best way to meet people is to have a hobby, and go to 'events' where other people with that hobby are practicing that hobby, and then just hang out and meet.

 

[yardleybates]

Woo Hoo BooB!!! I was so voting for option 1! Rock on dude!

 

[sh0kr0k]

Lastly: if a woman doesn't want to be with me because she's not impressed by my physical or monetary "trappings", then she's probably not a woman I want to be with, either. ....... But I still think that, for every woman out there who shares your opinion, there's one who can potentially enjoy my company regardless of what kind of building I live in. I can't please everyone.

You're absolutely right, but I must clarify that "trappings" are not essential, but rather are indicators of many other important things. Stability in a job/career, responsibility, good taste, clean, organized, etc.. but of course, I'm probably one of the few women that isn't impressed with the STUFF as much as I am with what it projects about the man. You can learn a lot about a person from how and where they live.

BTW. If you want to meet women, go where your chances are high.

You know, every girl will see right through this and know that's exactly what's going on!

booB, I'm glad you chose #1! It'll force you to be active in the community, even if it's just with your neighbors at first. The metro crowd is much more open to things like get-togethers and nights on the town. I think you'll have a blast! Good luck!!

 

[Angrafan]

Oh, yeah... the rent is about $100-$150 less than the other two places, at $460/month.

.

Please tell me that was a typo! 460 a month?????? Here in South Florida/Miami you can't rent a room in somebody's house for that! lol