Help Finding Rental House In Decent Area (Indianapolis, Lawrence: rental homes, cheap house)

[Skeptic68w]

Hello all,

My roomate and I are currently looking at renting a single family home (early May move in date) and despite being all over Zillow/Craigslist, I've been struggling to find something that fits the needs of my roommate and I in budget and in a good area. Any advice would be helpful. I've spent the last two days out scouting the neighborhoods of listings and have looked at maybe 30 places and feel like there must be something I'm missing.

Requirements
2+ bedroom
$1200 or less monthly rent (1000 is the target)
Easy freeway access is a MUST (lots of travel all over the city)
Large 1 car garage minimum, 2 car preferred
Would love an older place but can tolerate newer construction

Now, I've found a dozen or so houses that fit this bill and are not in super bad areas, but when I've went to scout them out...they've almost all been pretty depressing. Uber cheap built subdivisions with really ratty cars in the driveways and crap skewn everywhere. Even though the houses look to be less than 10 years old, they look worn and poorly maintained.

Where I come from, $1200 is a lot of money and I don't want to be shelling out that much and feel like I'm living in a ****hole area.


Thoughts on neighborhoods so far.

Speedway - I currently live here. Possibly best value for money in my opinion. I like the old houses, but there are very few rentals and I would like to leave the area for personal reasons (nothing against the area at all).

Beech Grove - Reminds me of Speedway kinda. Found 1 rental that fits the bill here and it's on the table. Others I've seen listed here have been kinda dumpy but I like the small town vibe.

Pike Township - I can't get a good feel for this place. On one hand, it seems nice, but on the other....it feels like it might be kinda crappy. I've not spent enough time to be certain. There are a few places in subdivisions here that could work. It's strange because the housing areas (especially off 65th street) look really nice, but then you stop into that walmart just south and it's super sketchy...

Southside (past 465 but still Indianapolis) - My favorite so far (roommate concerned about it being too far for her various commutes). I found a couple places near Southport road/65 area and it seems like a great option. These places were all over 1100 and all were kinda cheap subdivision places but seemed clean enough.

Southeast side (past 465 near highway 74) - Super depressing. Few trees, lots of cheap houses and run down garbage. Lots of places in budget and probably safe...but sad. Very sad.

Downtown - Literally nothing even listed in budget with garage...

Old Northside - Can't afford place in the non-sketchy parts

Near Eastside - Super sketchy to me. Last time I visited a friend that lives on Brookside the liquor store we hit had 6 inches of glass protecting the clerk and you paid through a tunnel. No way.

Fountain Square - Like the idea of this area but haven't seen anything that fits the bill here...

Far East - It looks like literally everything between highway 74 and Fort Ben is just trash...am I missing anything here?

North Lawrence - Love this area in theory...but few listings and the ones in budget are really far out. Lots of stoplights on pendleton pike before you can even hit 465.

Far northside (past 465) - Not sure about this area. Even though it's known for being "nicer" these places looked pretty crap. We are also mid 20's and single so the north burbs is probably not for us yet...

Meridian Kesseler - Nothing

Butler Tarkinton - Landlocked with surface streets, long drive times to the outer areas of the city

Broad Ripple - Nothing

Eagle Creek - Couple options, but nothing better than the southside and I liked the southside area better in general I think



Anyone have any suggestions for places I should look, or know someone who is looking to rent a place that fits these preferences?

Thanks in advance,
Mitch

[MortonR]

Have you looked at Plainfield? It's pretty accessible and there are existing (older) areas that are decent, safe and have some nice homes.

The Southside should be much the same and a decent value, especially if you avoid the newer vinyl villages and look at older homes.

RM

[Skeptic68w]

Originally Posted by MortonR

Have you looked at Plainfield? It's pretty accessible and there are existing (older) areas that are decent, safe and have some nice homes.

The Southside should be much the same and a decent value, especially if you avoid the newer vinyl villages and look at older homes.

RM

Thanks for weighing in.

Plainfield is way too far. Roomate is doing rotations in fishers and carmel a good bit and I work down town. with all the stoplights that's a super long drive.

South of 465 right off 65 between southport road and county line road looks to be the best bet so far. Unfortunately, i've only been able to find vinyl villages. Almost 0 older homes for rent except in **** areas or with 1 car garages or no garage.

[MortonR]

Sorry, I missed that part.

Have you looked in Southport or Homecroft? I would think you could find a decent older home there with a garage in an existing neighborhood, or are they renting for more than your budget?

And yes, I second your observation about the southeast side. For as long as I lived in Indy, that part of the county always seemed depressing, even on nice days. Not sure why....

RM

[317xxJax]

Honestly I doubt you're going to find any rental homes up to the standards presented in your post for $1200. Most rental homes are crap anyway and the "decent" neighborhoods in good areas try like hell to fight rental companies from buying these homes because they have a tendency (not all the time) to bring down home values.

The southeast side is just bleh. Nothing special but it could be worse. As far was the entire east side goes, if you don't live in Hancock County, don't bother living there (Ok maybe other than parts of Cumberland). It'd be utterly pointless and hazardous to your life. Beech Grove gets a bad rap just because of the Wal-Mart fights lol. Would you consider Irvington? I would say southside. They have enough stuff that probably fits in that budget.

[Toxic Toast]

Originally Posted by 317xxJax

As far was the entire east side goes, if you don't live in Hancock County, don't bother living there (Ok maybe other than parts of Cumberland). It'd be utterly pointless and hazardous to your life.

Would you consider Irvington?

Uhhhhh........

[Serious Conversation]

Originally Posted by 317xxJax

Honestly I doubt you're going to find any rental homes up to the standards presented in your post for $1200. Most rental homes are crap anyway and the "decent" neighborhoods in good areas try like hell to fight rental companies from buying these homes because they have a tendency (not all the time) to bring down home values.

The southeast side is just bleh. Nothing special but it could be worse. As far was the entire east side goes, if you don't live in Hancock County, don't bother living there (Ok maybe other than parts of Cumberland). It'd be utterly pointless and hazardous to your life. Beech Grove gets a bad rap just because of the Wal-Mart fights lol. Would you consider Irvington? I would say southside. They have enough stuff that probably fits in that budget.

Exactly. He can find what he needs, but it's likely going to be in a bland, vinyl-box subdivision.

[Skeptic68w]

We have come to the conclusion that the southport area is our best bet. I've found a few places (vinyl villages but they fit all other needs and budget) that are really close to 65 making our commutes easy.

I drove around that area the other day (between like southport road and county line road) I know this isn't technically southport. I really liked it actually. Has basically everything we need in close vicinity, quick drive to greenwood for anything obscure, and shorter commutes because of the interstate. Pretty good vibe, I even went in the Walmart and it wasn't full of ghetto people or rednecks...it was like a unicorn. I was amazed! haha.

We are also considering a place or two in south fishers but the pickings are slim.