Apartments -$400 range (St. Louis, Maplewood, Princeton: apartment complexes, leases, credit)

[klynn1283]

After a NYC job loss, I moved back home to the STL area. It took about 8 months to find work and now I have three jobs (50 hrs/week) and I'm in grad school. I'm making minimal money at each but I think I have enough to move out of my mothers.

I've been all over Craigslist and rent.com
I'm just curious if anyone has any other search options. My budget is only upward of about $450 and I would love, love, love to not have a share (7 years of roommates in NYC will do that to a girl). With my work locations, I'd like quick/reasonable access to 364/Page/270.

One problem I'm finding is seeing that leases have a small requirement that one must be employed 24 continuous months. So anyone who has lost his/her job in 08-09, and is trying to get back on their feet cannot qualify for an apartment until 2011? I find that hard to believe...not to mention ridiculous.

What about the Plaza Square apartments? Very affordable, advertising on Craigs...but reviews seem poor. Though I'm hearing rumors of recent new manangement.

Suggestions appreciated. Thanks!

[stlcitygirl]

This probably won't help you because you work in the county and I assume want to live out there? But, the apartment next to my house is coming open. It's in South City and rents for around $450 a month I believe. I know the landlord and could ask him. Just send me a private message if your interested.

[BoomBoxing]

My friend rents a one bedroom apartment in the Lindenwood Park neighborhood of south city for $450 a month. He works near Page and 170 and says it takes about 20 minutes to get to work. I know it's not your ideal location, but he has a nice place for that price. And Lindenwood Park is a very nice neighborhood.

[billiken]

Yeah, many places in South City will fit your budget. Not as familiar with the area where you work.

[jlawrence01]

Originally Posted by klynn1283

One problem I'm finding is seeing that leases have a small requirement that one must be employed 24 continuous months. So anyone who has lost his/her job in 08-09, and is trying to get back on their feet cannot qualify for an apartment until 2011? I find that hard to believe...not to mention ridiculous.

I think that you are making a mistake. As long as you go to apartment complexes, you will be dealing with people who have a list of "rules and regulations" as to who they can rent to.

Head down to the South City where you have a lot of small landlords who are just dying to have people who are trying to make a go of it and who will pay the rent every month.

[VideoEngineerAJS]

Originally Posted by jlawrence01

I think that you are making a mistake. As long as you go to apartment complexes, you will be dealing with people who have a list of "rules and regulations" as to who they can rent to.

Head down to the South City where you have a lot of small landlords who are just dying to have people who are trying to make a go of it and who will pay the rent every month.

Man, I wish that would have been mentioned here earlier. Thankfully my wife and I were able to find something, but we had those issues plus the fact that even a few private house owners were wanting to look at our credit and after having been out of work for 11 months, our credit wasn't exactly good.

However I think we found about the best place we could possibly find for our situation right now. I put an ad on craigslist and someone called us and that's where we are staying now. It's odd, every time I put an ad on craigslist everything works out, but nothing seems to work out when I try to reply to a craigslist ad.

[wustu87]

Out in the Westport area where you are working it would be hard to find something in your price range, especially one not in a larger complex. Another area to consider in your ~$450 price range would be in Maplewood which is right off the "new 64" (highway 40 to us old folks) where there are also smaller landlords with older buildings more lenient than those bigger complexes further west would be.

[jlawrence01]

Originally Posted by VideoEngineerAJS

Man, I wish that would have been mentioned here earlier. Thankfully my wife and I were able to find something, but we had those issues plus the fact that even a few private house owners were wanting to look at our credit and after having been out of work for 11 months, our credit wasn't exactly good.

However I think we found about the best place we could possibly find for our situation right now. I put an ad on craigslist and someone called us and that's where we are staying now. It's odd, every time I put an ad on craigslist everything works out, but nothing seems to work out when I try to reply to a craigslist ad.

My experience has been that if you go meet the owners of fourplexes on the Southside - especially in Tower Grove East, they are desperate for good people to rent and are not going to run credit on you. You have to "come clean" with them as to your problems. And having a neat appearance is a plus.

We used to rent a room to SLU students as we were always traveling on business in our years in St. Louis.

Good luck.

[klynn1283]

Thanks for the replies.
I don't have credit problems but the fact I was unemployed for a few months "disqualifies" me from the larger apartment complexes and their lease rules.

I was trying to avoid south STL because I thought the commute to my jobs would be long but in terms of being affordable, it's looks like my best option. I'll need to check out that area a bit more. Looking at street view on Google maps, some areas didn't look so nice...

[BoomBoxing]

Some parts are better than others but most of south St. Louis is nice to very nice. I think if you're looking for a fairly nice place, safe neighborhood, close to 44/270 then stick with southwest city. Anything in the 63109 and 63139 zip codes would suit your needs very well. This area includes the neighborhoods of St. Louis Hills, Lindenwood Park, Southampton, Northampton, Clifton Heights, Dogtown, Southwest Garden, and Princeton Heights.