I just accepted a job off on N Graham St down in Charlotte. its pretty close to the downtown area.

I'm not from the Charlotte area so I'm sorta lost on where to look. I've heard alot of different talk. Most say to stay away from the Independence blvd area. I was told the best place to stay is either the University Area or South Eastern Charlotte.

Does anyone have an recommendations? such as specific apartment complexes or areas to avoid.

12/21/2005 10:12:46 PM

There's some nice ones on Tryon Road.... right near the Charlotte Coliseum (Hornets old place).


Forget the name... but they're probably really expensive becuase they're near the South Park area


And I agree.... stay away from Independence.

12/21/2005 10:14:56 PM

I worked at a place on N. Graham and had pretty good luck living around the university.

Check out University Club townhomes.. they're cheap, have a pool and a workout room, and are a decent place if you don't mind living with 3 other roommates.

12/21/2005 11:01:13 PM

I would look for a rental unit either on the south side (between South Blvd and Monroe Rd), or outside of the Charlotte city limits. Some of university area is getting seedy, but you may be ok if you ask for demographic information from the owners.

12/21/2005 11:13:44 PM

anything in south, southeast(matthews), or southwestern charlotte(pineville area) would be fine, but would probably be about a 20-25 minute drive to downtown.

stuff around the southpark and myers park areas is going to be pretty expensive, but pretty nice.

as far as the university area goes, i dont know much about that area, but i've never heard anything bad.

i would avoid west and east charlotte

12/21/2005 11:17:14 PM

Get an apartment complex near UNCC for now. You'll appreciate 15 minute commutes and cheap rent while you are starting out. You can then take your time to scope the area and figure out if you want a nicer apartment, condo, townhouse, house, etc. See if they'll let you go with a 6 month lease w/o the extra monthly fees.

Also depends heavily on your personal lifestyle and what things are important to you in proximity to where you live. Church, Gym, etc. etc. Of course, you move anywhere within Charlotte city limits, you'll have at least 3 of everything within 10 miles of where you are, but that's besides the point.

Oh, right, if you are thinking South Charlotteish, 45-60 minute commutes every day each direction.

[Edited on December 21, 2005 at 11:43 PM. Reason : .]

12/21/2005 11:42:14 PM

Cleve man, take it from me, i'm from not too far north of charlotte...boys like me and you need to live somewhere like Moorsville or somewhere on the outskirts North of charlotte...places are ALOT cheaper, alot nicer, and you dont have that much of a commute to work...IM me if ya need any help down that way...

12/21/2005 11:58:38 PM

Depends on what you're looking for in your apartment.

Do you go out a lot, are you going to be going out uptown? If yes, look at Fifth and Poplar, Gateway Village, there's plenty of places uptown.

Eastover Ridge is about 10 minutes from uptown and it's basically all young people. People at the pool all the time, it's nice, expensive, but really nice, have a couple friends that live there.

Southpark is always a good area.

University isn't the safest of places to be, higher crime rate up there.

Off of Tryon Road isn't a great area either to be honest, you don't really want to be near the Colisseum.

12/22/2005 1:08:42 AM

DOWNTOWN!!!!!!!!!!

[Edited on December 22, 2005 at 1:28 AM. Reason : UPTOWN!!!!!!!!]

12/22/2005 1:27:58 AM

Not sure what your current financial or living situation is ... but I just started a new job in the last two months. Reason I mention this, this is the first time "on my own" so to speak, and there were a lot of expenses starting out.

Wal-mart: $800 - food, various odds and ends
Rent: $600 - 500 deposit, 100 for first month
Clothing: $300 - 6 suits, 10 shirts, 10+ ties, dry cleaning
Electricity Deposit: $150 - refundable, but still need it up front
Student Loans: $125 - started early for me; 6 months after I got my first degree, not 6 months after my second degree
Car Insurance: $100
Parking: $100 - yearly pass
Phone: $100 - 40 sign up fee for Vonage; 60 for actual phones

2000+ needed in one month's time. Reason I mention this, I got lucky on the rent. Some places may require a month's rent for deposit AND a full month's rent upfront.

Fifth and Poplar uptown won't be cheap ... according to Rent.com:
Studio 1 $1106 - $1971 583 - 889
1 Bedroom 1 $1168 - $2760 708 - 1436
2 Bedroom 2 $1545 - $2706 1104 - 1332
3 Bedroom 2 $2135 - $2932 1479 - 1579

Gateway Village is also bad:
Studio/1 Bath 529 $838
Studio/1 Bath/Loft 539 $838
1 Bd/1 Bath 689 $993
1 Bd/1 Bath 822 $995

[Edited on December 22, 2005 at 6:43 AM. Reason : .]

12/22/2005 6:42:56 AM

Yeah it is gonna be pretty expensive.

12/22/2005 7:21:19 AM

As someone else mentioned.


If you want to live cheap... you're gonna have to go outside the city limits and drive a little.


Pineville is super super nice. Great city...and there's a lot of stuff to do there as well.

12/22/2005 8:13:28 AM

geez rent prices are rediculous.

dad is almost set on just buying a co-signing a townhome b/c the payments would be close to the rent costs. dunno tho.

I'm really wanting an apt around or under 600 but that doesn't look possible. I'll be back down on Monday to continue to looking.

btw East side is scary

12/22/2005 9:49:23 PM

we should hang out cleave, why didnt you tell me you were getting a job in charlotte

12/22/2005 9:50:04 PM

Dilworth if you can afford it

12/22/2005 9:59:33 PM

Cornelius/Huntersville is nice and has many new apartments in the Birkdale area.

12/22/2005 11:19:06 PM

yeah I've heard about that area. would you happen to know how long it would take to get to Graham St from there in the morning?

12/22/2005 11:35:52 PM

My girlfriend lives really close to Graham Street if not on it--Gateway Village. The apartments are all very nice and unique rather than generic rooms you will find elsewhere. I'm not sure of the price, but I'm sure it's not cheap--however I find that you might end up paying more there, but you will save a lot not having to drive everywhere since you live downtown and the convenience makes up for everything

12/23/2005 2:07:55 AM

^^^Cornelius is also nice.

[Edited on December 23, 2005 at 9:46 AM. Reason : ]

12/23/2005 9:46:40 AM

^^^ I live in Huntersville, it's about 10-15 miles to downtown. Traffic can be a bitch sometimes cuz lots of people live in Huntersville/Cornelius/Mooresville. So it'll take anywhere from 15 minutes to get downtown to an hour.


btw, i have a pretty nice 2bdr apt for 750/month

12/23/2005 2:03:47 PM

I just got a place in South Charlotte...off the Rae Rd. exit...there's a lot of nice stuff there and not far from downtown really...b/c you just hop on I-485 and it takes you there. But I am actually starting a job in Monroe, not in Charlotte, so that worked out better for me.

My boyfriend lives in the Apartments at Birkdale Village in Huntersville and loves it and unless I-77 is too backed up, it's a quick commute.

[Edited on December 23, 2005 at 2:37 PM. Reason : .]

12/23/2005 2:36:13 PM

I live at Post Park at Phillips Place across from SouthPark. It really isn't as expensive as everyone thinks. The prices vary on each unit and sometimes if you get in at the right time, you can get an awesome deal! I would check it out! Very convenient to everything - walk to the mall, Teeter, Dean and Deluca, movies etc...

12/23/2005 5:18:37 PM

#1. Dont live near the UNCC area, the apartments are pure shit and WT Harris is right out.

#2. Your best bet would be to stop by the Charlotte Chamber of Commerce and see what apartment companies are with the chamber. These places need to be in good BBB standing to be part of the chamber meaning that they are of good/ better quality.

#3. Dont settle on just downtown, look into areas off of the I-77 , I-85 path that you can get to from other roads, like apartments off of HWY 16 and maybe easy to get to beaties ford rd. from....

I live at the Lake Norman area off of 25 (pretty much on the Huntersville/Cornelius town lines) and really enjoy it, I can ride a bike to Birkdale and walk to the grocery store. But if you didnt choose to go up there, be careful these bitches will try to over charge you.

If you need any help relocating stop into the Lake Norman Visiotrs Center off of exit 28 from I-77.

[Edited on December 26, 2005 at 5:39 PM. Reason : add]

12/26/2005 5:35:04 PM

well I'll be in huntersville. made an offer on a nice house and was accpeted. Closing on the 10th. the realtor showed us several houses and the closer I got to charlotte the more I hated the communities I could afford. This house I'm getting was in an area similar to my house at home. it's got a garage so I'm going to be able to take my bike down. I hope the neighbors don't hate me after I crank up the harley

12/26/2005 9:45:04 PM

^
gg. Congrats and enjoy the new job.

12/28/2005 6:39:13 AM

congrats on the job... where are you working?

12/28/2005 10:40:29 AM

The Arbors and 4th Ward Square(?) are cheap and decent - in 4th ward. Very close to Uptown.

Southend Square (might have another name now) was decently priced and new. Can walk to Uptown and Dilworth area stuff.

Otherwise you are going to be paying too much in rent or parking to make uptown affordable.

12/28/2005 10:51:38 AM

^^^^ you're going to absolutely LOVE coming down 77 every morning.

it's a wonderful experience, i assure you.

congrats on the house and all though.

12/28/2005 7:18:57 PM

I have I think 3 alternates to I-77

Statesville Road
Old Statesville Road
one other that I've forgetten the name up but is rather long but was told wouldn't be congested

I don't play on using the interstates to go to work

12/28/2005 10:37:39 PM

Quote :

"Clothing: $300 - 6 suits, 10 shirts, 10+ ties, dry cleaning"

i didnt know eckerds sold suits

12/28/2005 10:49:46 PM

^
GoodWill does. And you can find $200-300 suits there if you are patient.

Cleve, find a blowup doll and tint your windows so you can cruise the HOV lane

12/29/2005 7:41:43 AM

do you not think everyone else in huntersville and lake norman has the same idea? it will all be congested... i work on Graham Street with people who live north of here and they hate the drive... but good luck...

as for the blow up doll, that is funny and a good idea, someone was on the news last week down here because they decided to do that and got pulled and recieved a ticket... funny stuff

12/29/2005 9:51:14 AM