Finding an apartment

06/01/2008 Caitlin S. says:

I found my current apartment on citypaper.com.  I went to see quite a few holes in the wall type places before I found my gem of a spot in the Bolton Hill neighborhood, a bit further northwest than the location you mentioned.  I definitely think you can find a place for yourself for $800, but it may take some time and energy.  If you don't have either of those to dedicate to the search, living with a roommate will be the best way to go.  Sometimes just driving around you will see signs for places to rent, which is how I found my last apartment, where i lived for 5 years.

I'm not sure about the west of Patterson Park advice.  South of Baltimore is a must.  Basically, the closer you get to the water, the safer the neighborhood will be, at least in the Canton/Fell's Pt area.  St. Paul Street is in the Mt. Vernon neighborhood, which has a totally different look and feel.  The apartments will most likely be more architecturally interesting and cheaper, but it's a much less yuppy, more urban environment.  There are pros and cons to both, depending on your preference.  

Apartments tend to rent pretty immediately, as you noted, but doing some research ahead of time isn't a bad idea.  Depending on how much you plan to drive, looking into the parking situation and potentially renting a parking spot may need to be something to keep in mind.

Good luck!  I think you'll like living in our fair city.

06/26/2008 Janet R. says:

Thanks for your advice.  I just got to Baltimore and walked around the area that I thought I wanted to live in, and changed my mind after seeing it.  There's so much empty land and burned out buildings, and I was surprised to see urban decay just a block away from a brand new shiny Whole Foods.  I felt safe walking around at 8 am, but I wouldn't want to walk too close to there after dark.  

I do like the area where I'm staying, at the youth hostel on Mulberry + Cathedral, and may look in that general area (Federal Hill and Mount Vernon, I think it's called?), or I may look out in the suburbs close to the subway station along Park Heights, since my work is right on the subway.  

Thanks for all the help.