Dwelling suggestions

[murderingmouth]

I'll be landing in Charlotte for a visit in 2 weeks in preparation for landing there permanently in mid-June. I'm going to be pressed for time but I wanted to survey the rental housing in some of the neighborhoods I've found interesting.

I'm looking for some suggestions for complexes/buildings that might meet some of my criteria below...

Close to the center city - not necessarily inside the 277, but at least closer to the 277 than the 485.

Mixture of apartments and houses in the immediate area (in other words, if I really like the neighborhood, I can stay there when I'm ready to buy a home)

Foofy coffee within 1/2 mile

Some sort of (useful) commercial/retail activity within walking distance (art galleries and bars aren't quite enough - I'm thinking restaurants, convenience stores, thrift stores, etc)

Possible parking for 2 cars

1br rents around 500/mo

Quietish (not *too* much throbbing nightlife - I'm a bit prudish)

I'm sure there's other things that I'll think of when I'm there and looking at places, but for now I'm looking for some local opinions. I've checked out the rental classified sites but I want something a little more subjective/normative also.

All tips and tricks are appreciated.

MM

[atlrvr]

I would look at the apts. next to park rd. shopping center. I foget the name but are leased by Marsh Properties.

Other than that, you might find some quadplexes owned by individuals for rent that you would like. There are some along East. Blvd, 7th St, Central Ave......these will be tougher to find, but look in the Charlotte Observer or Creative Loafing (a local weekly) in the classified sections.

[DigitalSky]

I would look at the apts. next to park rd. shopping center.  I foget the name but are leased by Marsh Properties.

Other than that, you might find some quadplexes owned by individuals for rent that you would like.  There are some along East. Blvd, 7th St, Central Ave......these will be tougher to find, but look in the Charlotte Observer or Creative Loafing (a local weekly) in the classified sections.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The apartments behind Park Road Shopping Center, is the Kimberlee .. (it's on the nat'l register of historic places)... pretty cool/vintage looking and it isn't too far from uptown (closer to 277 than 485). There's a Starbucks in Park Towne Village

You're about 3 miles from uptown, 3 from SouthPark... and the surrounding neighborhoods are Sedgefield, Dilworth/South End to the north, Myers Park to the east.

It's not a bad area IMO

[uptownliving]

Park Road Shopping Center was Charlotte's first suburban strip mall built back in the 50s. More info on it here:

http://www.parkroadshoppingcenter.com/

[DigitalSky]

Park Road Shopping Center was Charlotte's first suburban strip mall built back in the 50s. More info on it here:

http://www.parkroadshoppingcenter.com/

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

that's a cool site... so Charlotte's first JC Penney was at Park Road Shopping Center. I think that it's cool that a lot of the stores in this shopping center are locally owned.

[monsoon]

If you are looking outside of I-277 then the Rosedale community in Huntersville would offer everything you are asking for and it is only 10 minutes from the center city if you find the need to go there. As a bonus it has access to all of the activities of the lake.

[uptownliving]

Rosedale is a nice complex located outside the 485 loop.

[QC704]

Park Road Shopping Center was Charlotte's first suburban strip mall built back in the 50s. More info on it here:

http://www.parkroadshoppingcenter.com/

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

my grandmother used to get us clothes from that kids clothing store that was located there...used to bore me to death . I also remember there being a woolworth's there with a decent grill.

[monsoon]

Despite the recent new construction around the shopping mall, the demographics and the crime continue to head in the wrong direction. Just the other day they found a body at Charlotte Woods apts that was once considered an upscale complex. It's an area, where I used to live, that I would not really care to be these days.

[DigitalSky]

Despite the recent new construction around the shopping mall, the demographics and the crime continue to head in the wrong direction.  Just the other day they found a body at Charlotte Woods apts that was once considered an upscale complex.  It's an area, where I used to live, that I would not really care to be these days.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

thats true the Scaleybark area and as you get closer to S Blvd, that part has been in a decline

[DigitalSky]

i'd also check out www.apartmentratings.com (don't go solely on the # though, read the actual reviews, as the apartment staff has a tendancy to put in good numbers for themselves)

[peaceloveunderstanding]

cool site. Thanks, I had been loooking for something like that myself.

[Miesian Corners]

The apartments behind Park Road Shopping Center, is the Kimberlee .. (it's on the nat'l register of historic places)... pretty cool/vintage looking and it isn't too far from uptown (closer to 277 than 485).  There's a Starbucks in Park Towne Village

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The Kimberlee is a co-op, not an apartment building. The board has to approve of you before you can buy a unit there. If you buy there, you have to live in it...no rentals allowed.

I think atl was speaking of Park Place Apartments by Marsh Properties. They are next door to Park Rd Baptist Church. Marsh runs a tight ship. Well maintained, locally owned and manganged, and the best bang for the buck of any in-town apartment communities. Most all of their units are huge. Some include utilities. Where else are you gonna get a decent 1,300 square foot in-town apartment for $700 a month?

Good luck finding a place and welcome to Charlotte.

[Miesian Corners]

I'll be landing in Charlotte for a visit in 2 weeks in preparation for landing there permanently in mid-June. I'm going to be pressed for time but I wanted to survey the rental housing in some of the neighborhoods I've found interesting.

I'm looking for some suggestions for complexes/buildings that might meet some of my criteria below...

Close to the center city - not necessarily inside the 277, but at least closer to the 277 than the 485.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

MM, now that you're moving east, remember, only Californians put "the" in front of a highway number. I know you're used to "the 101", "the 880" and "the 280", but here they're simply "277", "485", "77" and "85".