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I know all of you have answered these questions millions of times and I truly appreciate any help you can offer even after I ask some of them again!
I am looking at moving to Albuquerque possibly this summer when our local schools are out. I do have a friend that I can stay with, but it won’t be for long. Simply long enough to find a job and save some money to move.
First of all, I am a single mom with an 11 year old daughter. I have researched schools, school districts and areas of town and I just feel like I am on overload sometimes with all of the information. I do have 2 dogs, one big and one little. I would love a small house to rent, but would take anything, I suppose. Honestly, I do have horrible credit (thank you to my EX) so I don’t know if I even COULD rent an apartment or anything. How strict are they?
I just wanted to know the best/safest area for us to be and where the better schools are. She will be going into the 7th grade after this summer.
I know there are probably other things you need to know so I will just let you ask them. Again, thanks in advance
I just wanted to know the best/safest area for us to be and where the better schools are.
The standard answers for best/safest areas will be trotted out and you will probably find there is little in those areas that will be affordable.
The second and third tier schools are just fine though and are in vastly more affordable and safe areas of the city.
A better question may be what are the worst/most dangerous areas and avoid those.
For example, many people recommend against anywhere in the Highland HS district because it draws a very economically and racially diverse set of students. Nonetheless, I know many fine and successful people who graduated from that school and went on to Universities I could only dream of having attended. Valley is another school that suffers a similar reputation.
Graduation rates and SAT scores are not the end all and be all of a school's ability to prepare a motivated and disciplined student for their post-graduation life.
OK - what are the worst/most dangerous areas for me to avoid?
I understand that different people will have different opinions and there is good and bad in all of it. I just want to be able to make an informed decision for my child, her safety and her education.
I am in Texas now and am all to familiar with the concept of 2 tests taken throughout the year judging whether or not my child has a grasp of their studies. I didn't mean that I wanted the best school in the area, but that also doesn't mean that I will settle for any old thing.
I just feel a bit overwhelmed at times as something might look like an OK area to me through the pretty pictures or raving stories they tell, but nobody can tell me better than those that are already there.
My friend has been there only a few months and as they put it are right 'smack dab in the middle of the city.' Now, I have no clue what that means, of course!
If you have really bad credit, forget the apartment complexes. Most of them send the applications out to a service that basically goes by credit score - no calls to landlords for references or anything (or that's what they did to me, anyway). Try renting from a private landlord. Not only will many of them work with you on the credit issue, you'll get a better deal on rent and square footage. Be upfront about the credit issues when you talk to them the first time, all but one I talked to was more than willing to work with me.
Thanks Yukon - I am in that situation here. I don't know how many complexes I went to only to be turned down (after the application fee paid) because of my credit. I was always upfront about it, though. Embarassing as it may have been. It was either that or I didn't meet their income guideline. I hate that. I made enough to pay the rent, but not the 3 times amount that they required.
I found this little house 6 years ago and the landlord really didn't care about the credit at all. In fact, we met for drinks, went over budgets, deposits, utilities and everything else. I signed the lease and here I still am. I hope I can find someone/something like that.
That is my major gripe with apartment complexes. I'd rather live in a little old house with a nice landlady than some uppin' yuppie complex with an attitude about people's suitability and 'viability'.
Plus, in a humble house you can have a nice little garden, a quiet yard to sit in and a neighborhood other than look-alike buildings filled with look-alike people.
I absolutely agree, Convict. I am by far 'cookie cutter' material or want that lifestyle.
I love this little house I am in now - 2 bedroom and 2 bath, just enough for my daughter, myself, 2 dogs and 2 turtles! I wish I could just take it with me.
Rybert - what part of Houston are you in? It is where I am right now, well outside Houston - the Kemah area.
...not too bad - definitely could have been worse so I am thankful. I lost a few big trees in the back and had some flood/roof damage. Luckily the trees that completely snapped fell in the yard and missed the house.
I can't say the same for a lot of my neighbors, though. There was a lot of damage down here. I hate that the Boardwalk and T-Bone Tom's are so damaged, they were 2 of my favorite spots.
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