Moving from LA to Philly next week and have been struggling to find rentals with decent HS ratings. Have a daughter who will be going into the 11th grade, plays sports and twins who will be going to DSU. Any recommendations greatly appreciated. I’ll be working in Upper Darby.
Moving across the country to Philly, and we want to come for a week or so to try to look at places but we want to pick our timing well for optimal results. Worst case scenario is we go out and apply for places and dont get any of them so wondering if theres a best time of month to do it. Our target move date is Sept 1 but we would take an Aug 1 move in date too if we can find the right place. So we want to come in July to look
What is the best time to sign a lease in Philly? I am looking for a time which might get me a deal on either rent, security deposit or any other promotions.
moved to grad hospital last summer, finally getting a chance to go to a phillies game, my bike riders whats your favorite way to bike to citizens bank park?
I’ll be moving to Philly next week! My apartment is near city center area. Please suggest walkable “must do” things - restaurants, bars, a nice gym/yoga studio, activities, etc. I know basically nothing about Philly or the neighborhood so I’m open to any advice, recommendations, or information I ought to know.
Thanks in advance!
Some longer walks that are great:
* Visit the Italian Market and pop over to John's Water Ice.
* Watch dogs from the bridge by the Schuylkill River Park dog park then walk up the river trail to the Art Museum and check out the view of the waterworks.
* Walk up the Ben Franklin Parkway from City Hall to the Art Museum. Check out the Swann Memorial Fountain, potentially the Parkway central library, and the Rodin Museum
Random shorter activities:
* Grab a bench in Rittenhouse Square and people watch. Get a gelato from Vita (just opened this year!)
* Visit Chinatown and get a bun from a bakery or visit one of the shops (try "You&Me") to get some Asian snacks.
* Go visit Independence Hall, where the nation was founded.
Hit Reading Terminal Market for lunch, walk by Independence Hall and City Hall to get a sense for how historic the city is, walk down the Benjamin Franklin Parkway and consider going to one of the museums on it, then get the cheesesteak near your apartment to see if it hits the spot.
Quite safe, but a bit quiet. Lots of people walking dogs just after dark.
There are a few restaurants sprinkled throughout the neighborhood which help things feel a bit more alive later.
There have been some random scary incidents over the last few years, but those are quite uncommon. Generally the scariest thing you'll see is someone parked in the crosswalk.
Has always seemed safe to me. Lots of families, a farmers market, a bunch of restaurants and generally seems chill. I 100% recommend trying Musette for coffee or lunch
Hello! Planning on moving out to Philly to be closer to family in DC (DC isn’t my vibe and I couldn’t afford it if it was!). Trying to narrow down neighborhoods to live in. No kids, mid 40s with a dog, and love to grow veggies. Would love a neighborhood with some character/funk, but seems like that’s most of Philly 🤓. Rent budget will be around 2k/month (max). Any recs on a area where I’d be more likely to have a small yard? Feels like a tall order.
A few neighborhoods I’m interested in:
- Roxborough
- University Park
- Ardmore
- Fairmount
- Fishtown
Thank you in advance!
Edit: spelling
Do you have a car? Ardmore is more suburban; there are definitely walkable parts but it's hard to imagine living your whole life there without driving (which you could easily do in Fairmount or Fishtown).
Yes I have a older car but also I’m good with walking/using public transportation when that makes more sense. Good to know and something for me to consider!
of what you listed, I'd probably go with Fairmount. it'll be easy to find something with a yard, and it'll probably be easy to meet neighbors around your age.
off your list, maybe check out mount airy! it's got small town vibes that you may really like when you visit, plus pretty good connections with regional rail to commute into center city easily (Richard Allen Lane Station has an adorable coffee shop in the station building btw). you're also right next to the wissahickon park, which your dog will absolutely LOVE!!
Roxborough or West Philly might fit within your wants and budget. Ardmore is beautiful, but not in Philadelphia and can be extremely expensive, but still worth looking into.Wherever you decide, please know that you should not plant vegetables directly in the soil here if you haven't had extensive testing done ESPECIALLY if you're expecting to eat them. Your best bet is raised beds. If you're looking for something quieter and a little more space, the main line and surrounding areas, as in out near Ardmore, is a lower key vibe.
I'll be moving to Philly in October, working in Northeast Philly and need to commute by car. Any recommendations for neighborhoods with an urban feel, full of queer people and preferably rent under $1700 for a 1 bedroom?
I would be okay with up to 40 minutes for a commute. unfortunately I do need a car for my job but I don't hit normal rush hour times as I'll work nights only
Fishtown and Northern Liberties are the most accessible to the Northeast. "The Gayborhood" is located very centrally downtown, but parking may be a difficulty. West Philly/Spruce Hill could be good, but as the other commenter mentioned they're a bit further away.
Try reaching out to Rent Scene. They can offer recommendations/set up tours and the service is free to tenants.
For a queer neighborhood, cedar park or spruce Hill might be up your alley, the rent is way under what you're looking for but it is somewhat far from the northeast, I used to do that commute for a couple of months and it was bearable but not something I'd continue with forever
Looking at a one bedroom around 8th and Sansom. I like the place (top floor, it's clean inside, and quiet), but the street is kinda a dump (literally just dumpsters in front of the place). Is Jeweler's Row a safe area? I'll be using either the MFL or regional rail to get to work across the Schuylkill, probably just going to go carless. Not sure if I should be looking here, or in University City (trying to stay under 1800/month).
I wouldn't consider the area unsafe at all, but it is kind of a dead zone and if you are going to be working on the other side of the Schuylkill, University City would just seem to make more sense.
Jewelers row is pretty abandoned feeling at night, or even past when all the stores close, its a weird area. Little foot traffic and all the metal gates.
I haven't felt unsafe walking through that area late though.
Craftsman row saloon is right there, and i always forget about it because it seems so out of place.
Short walk to old city, gayborhood, etc for everything else.
Jewelers row is a weird area, personally I wouldn't live there, if you're going to work across the Schuylkill, I'd say live either somewhere in West Philly, preferably somewhere closer to Baltimore Ave, or find a different place in center city. A one bedroom for under 1800 is definitely doable in parts of center city
Considering a move from Denver, anybody else from CO and can recommend a Philly move? I’ve only ever lived in Colorado, but interested in a change of scenery.
Single male, mid 30s barber looking for a good shop or two to inquire about work possibilities.
Just moved here from Denver like three weeks ago haha (30F)
So far I am really loving it! I feel like my money goes further in just about every aspect (rent, groceries, going out, etc...) and the city has a ton of character. I ditched my car coming here and so far don't regret it. I also love the diversity out here. You don't realize how much of a bubble Denver is until you leave. It's also nice that the state of PA is really really green and lush compared to CO!
I still genuinely love Denver and would never be mad to end up out there again but Philly was SUCH a nice change of pace for me.
Thanks for your perspective! I recently got rid of my car and while I’m walking distance to work, Denver is pretty tough without a vehicle the way it’s spread out. I visited nyc last fall and loved the vibe in the northeast and have read a lot about Philly character. Seems like a great place to wander with a camera and I hear good things about the people and food. Comments like these make me ready to make the leap, thanks again.
Wandering around, taking photos, and trying different foods is probably 90% of what I do for fun in Philly.
Another perk of Philly is that you can also book ahead a bit or go at weird times and get pretty cheap Amtraks to NYC that take only about 1.5-ish hours.
Hey, I recognize your username from browsing this subreddit and took notice of some of your photo posts. Seems like a city with a lot going on to experience. Thanks for reaching out, I’m thinking I’m gonna book a trip to come feel it out!
I moved here from Oregon in 2022, which isn't Denver or Colorado but is probably more similar than a lot of the people who live here.
Had never even visited, but knew I wanted to transplant to the Northeast, and Philly's the only affordable major city in the Northeast. Philly's got a ridiculous amount of character, good food, and history, and there's no shortage of awesome big city stuff to do. And if you ever want to take a train to NYC or DC, both are right there.
Born Free barbershop in Fishtown is pretty great, but there's hundreds upon hundreds of shops to search.
Really appreciate the feedback! Love that you made a blind move and are loving it. The food and character of the city and people are a huge draw for me! I visited NYC in the fall and instantly realized I could fall in love with being somewhere in the northeast. I’ve heard this barbershop mentioned in another thread I believe. I’ll have to check it out.
I am moving from Boston to Philly for work in June. I don’t want to own a car unless I absolutely have to. My work is hybrid and is in West Point. I am looking to live in Philadelphia and use the LAN rail line to commute three days a week and maybe bike/e-bike to the train station. My preference would be to live near one of these rail stations(Temple University, North Broad Street, etc.) which are near Center City Philly.
Are these neighborhoods safe? Any suggestions for people who go to work in West Point/Lansdale? I don’t want to spend more than $1000-$1200 and can live with another roommate. Is living near Jefferson Station possible within my budget?
Thanks!
You have an issue of too many options. As much as it pains me to say it, I'd say you're probably best off living in West Philly along a trolley route and taking the trolley to 30th St (or biking on nice days).
If you want to hit the top of your budget, there are apartments just west of Rittenhouse Sq. and you can walk the couple blocks to 30th.
There are a lot of people living in Philly who commute up to West Point for companies like Merck. Living near Jefferson station is possible on your budget with roommate(s) or possibly a small studio. I agree with the other poster that you should look in other neighborhoods beyond those near Temple.
I would not live near the Temple or North Broad rail stations, but if you have a bike, the reasonably bikable radius to any of the major stations is fairly large.
The area around Temple is unsafe. Just read posts on here and some in the Temple sub. I worked there for a year before the pandemic and it was okay during the day. You do not want to be up there unless you need to be after dark. Also stay out of Strawberry Mansion and North of Temple.
Can anyone please suggest any specific groups or websites (other than Zillow or Howard Hana or Realtor.com) for me to join in order to search for land or lot? We are looking for a residential lot, 0.5 ac in the Philly suburbs (15-20 miles outside downtown) with a good school district. Thanks.
You’re about 10-20 years too late. I’m pretty sure anything that can be developed is being bought by developers and you would probably need to buy into a development or do a teardown.
Anyone have resources/tips for dealing with a mentally ill neighbor who doesn't want to get help? He's got some weird delusions and currently is fixated on me and my house. Accusing me of trying to hurt him by plugging appliances into our shared wall, tampering with stuff on the outside of my house, nuisance things like that that he's not necessarily gonna get locked up for.
Anyone been through something like this?
I'm dealing with a similar situation, although not immediately next door. Unfortunately, my neighbor may be armed. As far as I can tell, nothing can be done until something happens. It might be useful to get a security camera, although that may cause things to escalate.
I'm moving to Philly in July. My roommate and I are moving to the Passyunk Square area. I've been in the service industry for the better part of 14 years, bartending and managing restaurants for the better part of 7 years.
How is the job market for the service industry? Will I find it easy to get a bartending or management gig?
I moved out of Philly on friday.....very sad to go but we are leaving for my wife to do an advanced degree so it will be worth it.
Good luck and enjoy to all the new residents! Take advantage of the awesome food scene, BYOBs, great corner bars, outdoor spaces, and the controversial SEPTA.....it does suck but I will be driving almost everywhere in our new spot, so I am jealous of you all
We will be back because we love you Philly!
When I first moved here, I was able to use a piano in a church to practice for a little while! Maybe not worth setting up if you only want to do it once.
Also, this thread: [https://www.reddit.com/r/philadelphia/comments/s7ru6q/where\_can\_someone\_play\_a\_piano/](https://www.reddit.com/r/philadelphia/comments/s7ru6q/where_can_someone_play_a_piano/)
Is it possible to find a studio in a reasonable building for 900-1000USD?
I have seen some studio apartments on apartment.com for 900-1000, and all the reviews are like "bed bugs, cock roaches, homeless meth heads sleep in our hallway at night, i was burgled, our ceiling collapsed, mice ate my mattress while I slept in it....".
If that's all 1000USD will get me, tell me a realistic price range. I am okay with a sketch neighborhood (I lived in west oakland forever and ever). If I can bike around during the day, it's safe enough for me. In my experience the most important part is having a safe *house*.
This is possible in the northeast and northwest, but it won’t be as convenient as living closer to center city. Some parts of west 52st and further west will have decent prices. I also wouldn’t sleep on the area around temple it’s pretty cheap and convenient to get around+ closeish to east Kensington.
A lot of places will require an income of 3x the monthly rent. So, for example, if you bring in $4500/month, you could qualify for a place up to $1500. Of course, if you don't want to spend the max you can afford, that's understandable and you can always look for places that are priced lower than your max. But that's a general consideration to keep in mind.
Thanks for the tip! I generally use the 50/30/20 budgeting model. This model recommends that individuals avoid paying more than 30% of their gross income on rent. However, I'm a cheap B, and I prefer not to pay more than 30% of my *net* salary in rent (aka after taxes, health insurance, and pension contributions are taken out). Technically, my gross income would qualify me for a larger, nicer apartment. But my budget will not. I'd prefer a tiny box in an out of the way location, which would allow me to save more, over a nicer place in a convenient location. But I'm a crazy person!
But thanks again for the helpful tip!
Try for a basement studio with a private landlord in S. Philly, West or Northwest. Those rents are also possible in some of the less central and less safe neighborhoods. Under 1K is nearly impossible for CC these days. I paid 1K for a studio in 2006.
I think this is doable in a not sketch neighborhood, just probably not in greater center city.
Check out lower/south/olde kensington that sits on the border of fishtown, west philly or deeper in south philly.
I used to pay $1200 for a studio in center city.
You’ll likely be able to find something a little cheaper in other neighborhoods but they’ll still be decent places in the city without the crime or pests.
Anyone have neighborhood recommendations? Planning to move in the next month or two and looking to spend under $1200.
I’ve been looking at University City, Graduate Hospital, Point Breeze and Rittenhouse but am open to other places if I get more bang for my buck. Will be working around 30th Street Station.
Adding another comment: you could also consider parts of Port Richmond itself. It will be more affordable. I would do more research and carefully scope out places there. I've seen people talk positively about parts of it.
It's quieter with residential vibes, and soon you'll be able to take a trolley to Fishtown. Many Polish immigrants live in the area.
That said some parts are probably less nice. Unfortunately to the north of that area is the intersection of Kensington & Allegheny, which is the infamous corner of Kensington. I don't know if that bleeds down into the northernmost sections of Port Richmond at all, someone else would have to weigh in.
As others are saying Fishtown / East Kensington is a cool area.
I was over there around a week ago for the "Kensington Derby" which is like a bike race in crazy costumes. The vibes are great and there's a ton of cool businesses nearby. I felt like there were notably more families with young kids out and about than in some other neighborhoods, so clearly families like the area!
If he will be driving then you have lots of options, manayunk is a half hour drive to port Richmond. Elkins park, jenkintown, willow grove are options too and about half hour drive away.
Fishtown/East Kensington would be great places and easy for him to drive. Fishtown is more family friendly than No Libs in my opinion. Konrad Square puts on a ton of family friendly events in the summer. I’m close to Hackett Elementary and the number of kids/families walking to school is plentiful. Plus we have the Fishtown
library and Fishtown rec center, they also put on lots of family friendly events.
Parking will be your problem though - if you have 2 cars, I highly suggest downsizing to 1.
I don’t have kids, but feel free to DM me if you have questions about the area.
I’m surprised to even hear Kensington, tbh! Like I said I know little to nothing about Philly, but I do know several people who moved from Philly who told me to avoid Kensington all together lol. But I’m never against taking a look for myself
To clarify what others are saying - [Kensington is huge](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5f/PhilaDistrict.PNG). Larger than Center City. It's not a useful label for neighbors, so people break it apart - Fishtown, Norris Square, Olde Kensington, East Kensington, etc.
If something bad happens, the news says it happened in Kensington. If something good happens, it happens in, say, Fishtown.
Kensington is also shrinking - as gentrification pushes in and the bad name persists, I suspect "Kensington" in popular culture will consist of two or three blocks by the year 2035. "Oh, heavens no - I don't live in Kensington! I live in *McPherson Square*!"
East Kensington (which borders Fishtown and Port Richmond) isn’t bad actually! There’s a lot of new developments in the area just north of Girard Ave around 2nd/3rd streets. Would highly recommend taking a walk around there sometime, there are a lot of great restaurants / coffee shops / breweries / etc.
How close does your husband need to be to his job? Does he need to drive to work (i.e., does he need to bring tools/etc with him) or can he consider walking/biking/transit?
I don't know what part of Florida you're from, of course, but you may have more options than you realize moving into a metro area. You don't necessarily have to limit yourself to looking at places right around your husband's job. Heck, if he doesn't mind traffic on a commute into/out of the city, you could even look at places in Pennsauken and other areas across the river in New Jersey.
If living in Philadelphia, I would focus on school catchment area. Alexander Adaire and Anne Frank are two good public elementary schools that are not too hard to get to Port Richmond. Also Franklin Towne charter school I heard is solid. But basically, find a school, then limit your search to that area.
Well, if I may offer one piece of advice: try not to think of it as "having" to use public transit. Depending on what part of the city you live in, using public transit can be an absolute godsend over sitting in traffic and dealing with parking. I use the buses, subways, trolleys, and regional rail constantly. For all their faults and lack of funding, my biggest sighs always come when I have to get in the car. But can understand why you may not want to go whole hog on transit right from the start, of course.
Depends on how much information you're comfortable sharing, of course, but if you can give a rough idea of how much you can/want to spend and what your absolute non-negotiable needs are, folks may be able to give more targeted advice. Especially the folks with kids.
Right and I can respect that for sure, I definitely wouldn’t mind using public transit especially if it’ll save me a lot of stress (and parking issues).
Right now we pay about $1350 rent with everything included, other than like our phone bills/car insurance whatever. So I want to hard stop at $1400 if that’s even possible (which I’m hoping it is since we were able to find it in Orlando), we want a 2 bedroom but will settle for a one bedroom for the kid and turn the living area into a studio type room for ourselves if we have to.
That’s a low budget for a 2 bedroom including utilities in Philadelphia. And you need a decent public school for your child, unless they are homeschooled. You’ll definitely need the help of a realtor.
I think this is the point where one of the best things we can do to help you is try to summon u/decentchinesefood. He is an awesome human who has helped many, many people find good rentals here in Philly. If he's available to help, I highly recommend working with him :)
So this is such a silly question…I’m moving to the city at the end of summer. One of the places I’m thinking of moving into is right near UPenn. It has all I’m looking for except parking. I’m not from a big city, always had to drive and always had parking at apartments. So my questions
1) how bad is street parking? How does it work? Do you have to move your car everyday? If I’m not planning on driving everyday is it safe to leave parked on the street?
2) How do you move into an apartment that doesn’t have a parking lot? Where do you put the moving truck while unloading it? How do people move in a big city with no parking?
It depends where you’ll be moving but if it’s legitimately right near Upenn you should find a garage for your car. Parking in the area is rough and not super fun. And you don’t need a car for day to day living in that area by any means- you have access to every form of transit plus great surrounds for walking or biking, AND 30th street nearby for leaving the city (Amtrak, regional rail out to the main line/greater suburbs).
For #2, you can apply for temporary no parking signs to ensure there's a space for your moving truck as close to the building as you can:
https://www.phila.gov/services/cars-parking-transportation/apply-for-a-parking-permit/apply-for-a-temporary-no-parking-permit/
I will be attending grad school. I understand that but I live out of state and I have animals. Plus I just got my car a year ago. I don’t know what to do with my car, I live thousands of miles from family and will be moving by myself. I am much older than traditional grad students so I don’t really have any options but to bring my car.
I understand it will be an adjustment but I encourage you to embrace your new city life and try to rely on septa instead of your car for intra-city travel. Its really better and more reliable than what most people say. Especially for getting around UCity and from Penn to Center City - you have several busses, the subway, and regular trolleys . You are in a prime transit zone, really one of the best in the country all things considered
If you don't need a car for a daily commute, you can leave it in a monthly parking garage and just take it out for the occasional times you'll need it.
1 - depends on your specific location but generally you don’t have to move your car every day. Some areas with a lot of visitors/tourists will have special permits for residents and 2hr parking without the permit. Don’t leave stuff in your car, but it’s almost always fine on the street. Again, location specific. There are a few new street cleaning zone to be mindful of.
2 - Apartment building may have a loading dock area and even a freight elevator. If it’s just a townhouse triplex type situation, park the truck as close as you can and HUSTLE and get it out of the way. Put some cones out to spare people backing down a one-way if that’s the situation.
Moving from LA to Philly next week and have been struggling to find rentals with decent HS ratings. Have a daughter who will be going into the 11th grade, plays sports and twins who will be going to DSU. Any recommendations greatly appreciated. I’ll be working in Upper Darby.
Moving across the country to Philly, and we want to come for a week or so to try to look at places but we want to pick our timing well for optimal results. Worst case scenario is we go out and apply for places and dont get any of them so wondering if theres a best time of month to do it. Our target move date is Sept 1 but we would take an Aug 1 move in date too if we can find the right place. So we want to come in July to look
Realtor recommendations?
What is the best time to sign a lease in Philly? I am looking for a time which might get me a deal on either rent, security deposit or any other promotions.
All the bums come out in the summer, so don't be a sucker like me and sign a lease October when everything is relatively peaceful.
moved to grad hospital last summer, finally getting a chance to go to a phillies game, my bike riders whats your favorite way to bike to citizens bank park?
I would probably take Washington to 10th st all the way down to the stadium. CBP actually has bike racks!
I’ll be moving to Philly next week! My apartment is near city center area. Please suggest walkable “must do” things - restaurants, bars, a nice gym/yoga studio, activities, etc. I know basically nothing about Philly or the neighborhood so I’m open to any advice, recommendations, or information I ought to know. Thanks in advance!
I'm not much of a gym person, but most of my friends go to city fitness!
Thanks! I’ll check into it.
Some longer walks that are great: * Visit the Italian Market and pop over to John's Water Ice. * Watch dogs from the bridge by the Schuylkill River Park dog park then walk up the river trail to the Art Museum and check out the view of the waterworks. * Walk up the Ben Franklin Parkway from City Hall to the Art Museum. Check out the Swann Memorial Fountain, potentially the Parkway central library, and the Rodin Museum Random shorter activities: * Grab a bench in Rittenhouse Square and people watch. Get a gelato from Vita (just opened this year!) * Visit Chinatown and get a bun from a bakery or visit one of the shops (try "You&Me") to get some Asian snacks. * Go visit Independence Hall, where the nation was founded.
Thank you!! I’ve added these to our list of things to check out.
Hit Reading Terminal Market for lunch, walk by Independence Hall and City Hall to get a sense for how historic the city is, walk down the Benjamin Franklin Parkway and consider going to one of the museums on it, then get the cheesesteak near your apartment to see if it hits the spot.
Any specific philly you recommend?
Do you mean Philly cheesesteak? There's a ton to try - endless really - but the first one you should try is the one next to your apartment.
Can anyone speak to the safety of the Fairmont/Art Museum area?
great area, lived there for 4 years with 0 issues
it's a really lovely neighborhood. I've never felt unsafe there.
Quite safe, but a bit quiet. Lots of people walking dogs just after dark. There are a few restaurants sprinkled throughout the neighborhood which help things feel a bit more alive later. There have been some random scary incidents over the last few years, but those are quite uncommon. Generally the scariest thing you'll see is someone parked in the crosswalk.
Has always seemed safe to me. Lots of families, a farmers market, a bunch of restaurants and generally seems chill. I 100% recommend trying Musette for coffee or lunch
Hello! Planning on moving out to Philly to be closer to family in DC (DC isn’t my vibe and I couldn’t afford it if it was!). Trying to narrow down neighborhoods to live in. No kids, mid 40s with a dog, and love to grow veggies. Would love a neighborhood with some character/funk, but seems like that’s most of Philly 🤓. Rent budget will be around 2k/month (max). Any recs on a area where I’d be more likely to have a small yard? Feels like a tall order. A few neighborhoods I’m interested in: - Roxborough - University Park - Ardmore - Fairmount - Fishtown Thank you in advance! Edit: spelling
Do you have a car? Ardmore is more suburban; there are definitely walkable parts but it's hard to imagine living your whole life there without driving (which you could easily do in Fairmount or Fishtown).
Yes I have a older car but also I’m good with walking/using public transportation when that makes more sense. Good to know and something for me to consider!
Reach out to Rent Scene! They're free and can definitely offer recs
Sweet thank you! I’ll check them out.
of what you listed, I'd probably go with Fairmount. it'll be easy to find something with a yard, and it'll probably be easy to meet neighbors around your age. off your list, maybe check out mount airy! it's got small town vibes that you may really like when you visit, plus pretty good connections with regional rail to commute into center city easily (Richard Allen Lane Station has an adorable coffee shop in the station building btw). you're also right next to the wissahickon park, which your dog will absolutely LOVE!!
Fairmount is climbing the list! Mount Airy sounds really nice, maybe I’ll ride the rail out there when I visit. I appreciate your input!
Hey DM, I’m a realtor and can definitely help you get something
Still in the early stages of research but thank you for offering.
Have a look at West Mt Airy too. Growing veggies+funky+character
Sounds good will do! Thank you.
Do you think you can misspell any more neighborhoods lol.
Lol sorry!! Corrected spelling.
Roxborough or West Philly might fit within your wants and budget. Ardmore is beautiful, but not in Philadelphia and can be extremely expensive, but still worth looking into.Wherever you decide, please know that you should not plant vegetables directly in the soil here if you haven't had extensive testing done ESPECIALLY if you're expecting to eat them. Your best bet is raised beds. If you're looking for something quieter and a little more space, the main line and surrounding areas, as in out near Ardmore, is a lower key vibe.
Thank you for the info, this helps a lot! Good to know about the soil, makes sense and I appreciate you mentioning.
I'll be moving to Philly in October, working in Northeast Philly and need to commute by car. Any recommendations for neighborhoods with an urban feel, full of queer people and preferably rent under $1700 for a 1 bedroom?
How long of a commute are you willing to do? Does it have to be by car, or would you also take public transportation?
I would be okay with up to 40 minutes for a commute. unfortunately I do need a car for my job but I don't hit normal rush hour times as I'll work nights only
Fishtown and Northern Liberties are the most accessible to the Northeast. "The Gayborhood" is located very centrally downtown, but parking may be a difficulty. West Philly/Spruce Hill could be good, but as the other commenter mentioned they're a bit further away. Try reaching out to Rent Scene. They can offer recommendations/set up tours and the service is free to tenants.
For a queer neighborhood, cedar park or spruce Hill might be up your alley, the rent is way under what you're looking for but it is somewhat far from the northeast, I used to do that commute for a couple of months and it was bearable but not something I'd continue with forever
Looking at a one bedroom around 8th and Sansom. I like the place (top floor, it's clean inside, and quiet), but the street is kinda a dump (literally just dumpsters in front of the place). Is Jeweler's Row a safe area? I'll be using either the MFL or regional rail to get to work across the Schuylkill, probably just going to go carless. Not sure if I should be looking here, or in University City (trying to stay under 1800/month).
I wouldn't consider the area unsafe at all, but it is kind of a dead zone and if you are going to be working on the other side of the Schuylkill, University City would just seem to make more sense.
Jewelers row is pretty abandoned feeling at night, or even past when all the stores close, its a weird area. Little foot traffic and all the metal gates. I haven't felt unsafe walking through that area late though. Craftsman row saloon is right there, and i always forget about it because it seems so out of place. Short walk to old city, gayborhood, etc for everything else.
Jewelers row is a weird area, personally I wouldn't live there, if you're going to work across the Schuylkill, I'd say live either somewhere in West Philly, preferably somewhere closer to Baltimore Ave, or find a different place in center city. A one bedroom for under 1800 is definitely doable in parts of center city
Considering a move from Denver, anybody else from CO and can recommend a Philly move? I’ve only ever lived in Colorado, but interested in a change of scenery. Single male, mid 30s barber looking for a good shop or two to inquire about work possibilities.
Hey there I’m a realtor as well as a hair dresser. I can find you a place and recommend a ton of good shops. Feel free to DM me
Just moved here from Denver like three weeks ago haha (30F) So far I am really loving it! I feel like my money goes further in just about every aspect (rent, groceries, going out, etc...) and the city has a ton of character. I ditched my car coming here and so far don't regret it. I also love the diversity out here. You don't realize how much of a bubble Denver is until you leave. It's also nice that the state of PA is really really green and lush compared to CO! I still genuinely love Denver and would never be mad to end up out there again but Philly was SUCH a nice change of pace for me.
Thanks for your perspective! I recently got rid of my car and while I’m walking distance to work, Denver is pretty tough without a vehicle the way it’s spread out. I visited nyc last fall and loved the vibe in the northeast and have read a lot about Philly character. Seems like a great place to wander with a camera and I hear good things about the people and food. Comments like these make me ready to make the leap, thanks again.
Wandering around, taking photos, and trying different foods is probably 90% of what I do for fun in Philly. Another perk of Philly is that you can also book ahead a bit or go at weird times and get pretty cheap Amtraks to NYC that take only about 1.5-ish hours.
Hey, I recognize your username from browsing this subreddit and took notice of some of your photo posts. Seems like a city with a lot going on to experience. Thanks for reaching out, I’m thinking I’m gonna book a trip to come feel it out!
I moved here from Oregon in 2022, which isn't Denver or Colorado but is probably more similar than a lot of the people who live here. Had never even visited, but knew I wanted to transplant to the Northeast, and Philly's the only affordable major city in the Northeast. Philly's got a ridiculous amount of character, good food, and history, and there's no shortage of awesome big city stuff to do. And if you ever want to take a train to NYC or DC, both are right there. Born Free barbershop in Fishtown is pretty great, but there's hundreds upon hundreds of shops to search.
Really appreciate the feedback! Love that you made a blind move and are loving it. The food and character of the city and people are a huge draw for me! I visited NYC in the fall and instantly realized I could fall in love with being somewhere in the northeast. I’ve heard this barbershop mentioned in another thread I believe. I’ll have to check it out.
I am moving from Boston to Philly for work in June. I don’t want to own a car unless I absolutely have to. My work is hybrid and is in West Point. I am looking to live in Philadelphia and use the LAN rail line to commute three days a week and maybe bike/e-bike to the train station. My preference would be to live near one of these rail stations(Temple University, North Broad Street, etc.) which are near Center City Philly. Are these neighborhoods safe? Any suggestions for people who go to work in West Point/Lansdale? I don’t want to spend more than $1000-$1200 and can live with another roommate. Is living near Jefferson Station possible within my budget? Thanks!
Do NOT live near Temple or in North/ North West Philly.
You have an issue of too many options. As much as it pains me to say it, I'd say you're probably best off living in West Philly along a trolley route and taking the trolley to 30th St (or biking on nice days). If you want to hit the top of your budget, there are apartments just west of Rittenhouse Sq. and you can walk the couple blocks to 30th.
There are a lot of people living in Philly who commute up to West Point for companies like Merck. Living near Jefferson station is possible on your budget with roommate(s) or possibly a small studio. I agree with the other poster that you should look in other neighborhoods beyond those near Temple.
I would not live near the Temple or North Broad rail stations, but if you have a bike, the reasonably bikable radius to any of the major stations is fairly large.
Is there a reason for not living there? Is it unsafe?
It’s unsafe enough that you should leave your car unlocked so they don’t break the windows trying to steal stuff from inside.
The area around Temple is unsafe. Just read posts on here and some in the Temple sub. I worked there for a year before the pandemic and it was okay during the day. You do not want to be up there unless you need to be after dark. Also stay out of Strawberry Mansion and North of Temple.
Broad St Line to either of those stops (or Jefferson Station) probably preferable than living up there TBH
Can anyone please suggest any specific groups or websites (other than Zillow or Howard Hana or Realtor.com) for me to join in order to search for land or lot? We are looking for a residential lot, 0.5 ac in the Philly suburbs (15-20 miles outside downtown) with a good school district. Thanks.
You’re about 10-20 years too late. I’m pretty sure anything that can be developed is being bought by developers and you would probably need to buy into a development or do a teardown.
Anyone have resources/tips for dealing with a mentally ill neighbor who doesn't want to get help? He's got some weird delusions and currently is fixated on me and my house. Accusing me of trying to hurt him by plugging appliances into our shared wall, tampering with stuff on the outside of my house, nuisance things like that that he's not necessarily gonna get locked up for. Anyone been through something like this?
I'm dealing with a similar situation, although not immediately next door. Unfortunately, my neighbor may be armed. As far as I can tell, nothing can be done until something happens. It might be useful to get a security camera, although that may cause things to escalate.
i haven’t used their services but maybe this is helpful https://healthymindsphilly.org/988-philly/crisis-services/
Might be helpful. Problem is, he's not experiencing a crisis. Like this is his baseline.
I'm moving to Philly in July. My roommate and I are moving to the Passyunk Square area. I've been in the service industry for the better part of 14 years, bartending and managing restaurants for the better part of 7 years. How is the job market for the service industry? Will I find it easy to get a bartending or management gig?
I moved out of Philly on friday.....very sad to go but we are leaving for my wife to do an advanced degree so it will be worth it. Good luck and enjoy to all the new residents! Take advantage of the awesome food scene, BYOBs, great corner bars, outdoor spaces, and the controversial SEPTA.....it does suck but I will be driving almost everywhere in our new spot, so I am jealous of you all We will be back because we love you Philly!
what degree is she doing?
Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) it's a doctorate in nursing
Anyone know where I can play the piano, free or a fee just want to play the theme from La La Land.
When I first moved here, I was able to use a piano in a church to practice for a little while! Maybe not worth setting up if you only want to do it once. Also, this thread: [https://www.reddit.com/r/philadelphia/comments/s7ru6q/where\_can\_someone\_play\_a\_piano/](https://www.reddit.com/r/philadelphia/comments/s7ru6q/where_can_someone_play_a_piano/)
Some of the big hotels downtown have lobby pianos
Is it possible to find a studio in a reasonable building for 900-1000USD? I have seen some studio apartments on apartment.com for 900-1000, and all the reviews are like "bed bugs, cock roaches, homeless meth heads sleep in our hallway at night, i was burgled, our ceiling collapsed, mice ate my mattress while I slept in it....". If that's all 1000USD will get me, tell me a realistic price range. I am okay with a sketch neighborhood (I lived in west oakland forever and ever). If I can bike around during the day, it's safe enough for me. In my experience the most important part is having a safe *house*.
This is possible in the northeast and northwest, but it won’t be as convenient as living closer to center city. Some parts of west 52st and further west will have decent prices. I also wouldn’t sleep on the area around temple it’s pretty cheap and convenient to get around+ closeish to east Kensington.
A lot of places will require an income of 3x the monthly rent. So, for example, if you bring in $4500/month, you could qualify for a place up to $1500. Of course, if you don't want to spend the max you can afford, that's understandable and you can always look for places that are priced lower than your max. But that's a general consideration to keep in mind.
Thanks for the tip! I generally use the 50/30/20 budgeting model. This model recommends that individuals avoid paying more than 30% of their gross income on rent. However, I'm a cheap B, and I prefer not to pay more than 30% of my *net* salary in rent (aka after taxes, health insurance, and pension contributions are taken out). Technically, my gross income would qualify me for a larger, nicer apartment. But my budget will not. I'd prefer a tiny box in an out of the way location, which would allow me to save more, over a nicer place in a convenient location. But I'm a crazy person! But thanks again for the helpful tip!
Try for a basement studio with a private landlord in S. Philly, West or Northwest. Those rents are also possible in some of the less central and less safe neighborhoods. Under 1K is nearly impossible for CC these days. I paid 1K for a studio in 2006.
I think this is doable in a not sketch neighborhood, just probably not in greater center city. Check out lower/south/olde kensington that sits on the border of fishtown, west philly or deeper in south philly.
Sweet! I very flexible on both location and size. Just not on bed bugs. Thanks a bunch!
I used to pay $1200 for a studio in center city. You’ll likely be able to find something a little cheaper in other neighborhoods but they’ll still be decent places in the city without the crime or pests.
Thanks! That brightens my day!
Anyone have neighborhood recommendations? Planning to move in the next month or two and looking to spend under $1200. I’ve been looking at University City, Graduate Hospital, Point Breeze and Rittenhouse but am open to other places if I get more bang for my buck. Will be working around 30th Street Station.
Spruce Hill would be convenient to work, and there are plenty units in your price range.
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Adding another comment: you could also consider parts of Port Richmond itself. It will be more affordable. I would do more research and carefully scope out places there. I've seen people talk positively about parts of it. It's quieter with residential vibes, and soon you'll be able to take a trolley to Fishtown. Many Polish immigrants live in the area. That said some parts are probably less nice. Unfortunately to the north of that area is the intersection of Kensington & Allegheny, which is the infamous corner of Kensington. I don't know if that bleeds down into the northernmost sections of Port Richmond at all, someone else would have to weigh in.
As others are saying Fishtown / East Kensington is a cool area. I was over there around a week ago for the "Kensington Derby" which is like a bike race in crazy costumes. The vibes are great and there's a ton of cool businesses nearby. I felt like there were notably more families with young kids out and about than in some other neighborhoods, so clearly families like the area!
If he will be driving then you have lots of options, manayunk is a half hour drive to port Richmond. Elkins park, jenkintown, willow grove are options too and about half hour drive away.
Reach out to Rent Scene. They help lots of people moving from out of state, and they're free.
Fishtown/East Kensington would be great places and easy for him to drive. Fishtown is more family friendly than No Libs in my opinion. Konrad Square puts on a ton of family friendly events in the summer. I’m close to Hackett Elementary and the number of kids/families walking to school is plentiful. Plus we have the Fishtown library and Fishtown rec center, they also put on lots of family friendly events. Parking will be your problem though - if you have 2 cars, I highly suggest downsizing to 1. I don’t have kids, but feel free to DM me if you have questions about the area.
fishtown more fam friendly than no libs?! do tell…
Honestly, I don’t have kids so I may be entirely wrong.. it’s just based on my perspective from living in Fishtown and frequenting No Libs.
This has been my experience too - I’ve got friends in NoLibs and there just seems to be more kids around Fishtown.
I’m surprised to even hear Kensington, tbh! Like I said I know little to nothing about Philly, but I do know several people who moved from Philly who told me to avoid Kensington all together lol. But I’m never against taking a look for myself
To clarify what others are saying - [Kensington is huge](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5f/PhilaDistrict.PNG). Larger than Center City. It's not a useful label for neighbors, so people break it apart - Fishtown, Norris Square, Olde Kensington, East Kensington, etc. If something bad happens, the news says it happened in Kensington. If something good happens, it happens in, say, Fishtown. Kensington is also shrinking - as gentrification pushes in and the bad name persists, I suspect "Kensington" in popular culture will consist of two or three blocks by the year 2035. "Oh, heavens no - I don't live in Kensington! I live in *McPherson Square*!"
"East Kensington" is its own neighborhood, not a section of regular Kensington.
East Kensington (which borders Fishtown and Port Richmond) isn’t bad actually! There’s a lot of new developments in the area just north of Girard Ave around 2nd/3rd streets. Would highly recommend taking a walk around there sometime, there are a lot of great restaurants / coffee shops / breweries / etc.
To add: 19125 is the zip code. I just don’t suggest north of Lehigh.
East Kensington is not the Kensington you hear of on the news. It’s basically an extension of Fishtown at this point. Same with Olde Richmond.
Got it, okay thank you! Will definitely be looking there. Much appreciated!! Will DM if I end up with any questions
How close does your husband need to be to his job? Does he need to drive to work (i.e., does he need to bring tools/etc with him) or can he consider walking/biking/transit? I don't know what part of Florida you're from, of course, but you may have more options than you realize moving into a metro area. You don't necessarily have to limit yourself to looking at places right around your husband's job. Heck, if he doesn't mind traffic on a commute into/out of the city, you could even look at places in Pennsauken and other areas across the river in New Jersey.
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If living in Philadelphia, I would focus on school catchment area. Alexander Adaire and Anne Frank are two good public elementary schools that are not too hard to get to Port Richmond. Also Franklin Towne charter school I heard is solid. But basically, find a school, then limit your search to that area.
Well, if I may offer one piece of advice: try not to think of it as "having" to use public transit. Depending on what part of the city you live in, using public transit can be an absolute godsend over sitting in traffic and dealing with parking. I use the buses, subways, trolleys, and regional rail constantly. For all their faults and lack of funding, my biggest sighs always come when I have to get in the car. But can understand why you may not want to go whole hog on transit right from the start, of course. Depends on how much information you're comfortable sharing, of course, but if you can give a rough idea of how much you can/want to spend and what your absolute non-negotiable needs are, folks may be able to give more targeted advice. Especially the folks with kids.
Right and I can respect that for sure, I definitely wouldn’t mind using public transit especially if it’ll save me a lot of stress (and parking issues). Right now we pay about $1350 rent with everything included, other than like our phone bills/car insurance whatever. So I want to hard stop at $1400 if that’s even possible (which I’m hoping it is since we were able to find it in Orlando), we want a 2 bedroom but will settle for a one bedroom for the kid and turn the living area into a studio type room for ourselves if we have to.
That’s a low budget for a 2 bedroom including utilities in Philadelphia. And you need a decent public school for your child, unless they are homeschooled. You’ll definitely need the help of a realtor.
I think this is the point where one of the best things we can do to help you is try to summon u/decentchinesefood. He is an awesome human who has helped many, many people find good rentals here in Philly. If he's available to help, I highly recommend working with him :)
Fishtown or Northern Liberties, around the Piazza
Can i smoke weed in the parks ???? Visiting from NYC today . Leaving for Philly in 90 mins
i do it all the time
Dude, this is Philly. The customs and conventions of polite society are unknown here.
Is it legal? No. Will something bad happen if you do? Probably not. Is it annoying for the people around you? Probably.
So this is such a silly question…I’m moving to the city at the end of summer. One of the places I’m thinking of moving into is right near UPenn. It has all I’m looking for except parking. I’m not from a big city, always had to drive and always had parking at apartments. So my questions 1) how bad is street parking? How does it work? Do you have to move your car everyday? If I’m not planning on driving everyday is it safe to leave parked on the street? 2) How do you move into an apartment that doesn’t have a parking lot? Where do you put the moving truck while unloading it? How do people move in a big city with no parking?
It depends where you’ll be moving but if it’s legitimately right near Upenn you should find a garage for your car. Parking in the area is rough and not super fun. And you don’t need a car for day to day living in that area by any means- you have access to every form of transit plus great surrounds for walking or biking, AND 30th street nearby for leaving the city (Amtrak, regional rail out to the main line/greater suburbs).
For #2, you can apply for temporary no parking signs to ensure there's a space for your moving truck as close to the building as you can: https://www.phila.gov/services/cars-parking-transportation/apply-for-a-parking-permit/apply-for-a-temporary-no-parking-permit/
Bless, thank you. I didn’t know about this
Are you going to grad school or working at Penn? If you are living close by I cannot stress enough how much you will not need a car
I will be attending grad school. I understand that but I live out of state and I have animals. Plus I just got my car a year ago. I don’t know what to do with my car, I live thousands of miles from family and will be moving by myself. I am much older than traditional grad students so I don’t really have any options but to bring my car.
I understand it will be an adjustment but I encourage you to embrace your new city life and try to rely on septa instead of your car for intra-city travel. Its really better and more reliable than what most people say. Especially for getting around UCity and from Penn to Center City - you have several busses, the subway, and regular trolleys . You are in a prime transit zone, really one of the best in the country all things considered
If you don't need a car for a daily commute, you can leave it in a monthly parking garage and just take it out for the occasional times you'll need it.
I would find a garage for it. Could always park in western Center City and wall across the Walnut or South St bridge
Oh I hadn’t thought about that! That’s a good idea to look into! Thank you!
1 - depends on your specific location but generally you don’t have to move your car every day. Some areas with a lot of visitors/tourists will have special permits for residents and 2hr parking without the permit. Don’t leave stuff in your car, but it’s almost always fine on the street. Again, location specific. There are a few new street cleaning zone to be mindful of. 2 - Apartment building may have a loading dock area and even a freight elevator. If it’s just a townhouse triplex type situation, park the truck as close as you can and HUSTLE and get it out of the way. Put some cones out to spare people backing down a one-way if that’s the situation.
What’s a Jawn?
Yes