Help me choose 1. Rent $810 2.Rent $910 3.Rent $1000?

Question

I am relocating to Salt Lake City and need your help.

Rent 1. is 810 785sqft and is about 30 minutes from my job is close to shopping centers, the mall, and everything I will need when I am not working.

Rent 2. is 910 in the heart of downtown 3 minutes from job. Also, has a bunch of restuarants but no grocery shop close.

Rent 3. is $1000 15 minutes from my job but has a nice layout very close to walmart and cute little places but not all that safe. Big aparments.

Rent 4. is 20 minutes from my job and basically has everything I will need close by. Its $900 and has an

Answer 1

#2. You will have almost an extra hour per workday. Grocery shopping can be done once a week if you plan well, or as a side thing on some other errand.

Answer 2

I would go with # 2 or #4.  You would be further ahead by having a shorter commute to cut down on your need for gasoline.  It would be more fun to have somewhere to "GO" when you want to shop...and you'll only be doing that a few times a month so travelling a little further isn't a huge issue.  Good luck on your move!

Answer 3

I can only suggest what my thoughts would be in your situation.

First - if you're just moving into the area, you probably don't know where you want to live long-term...after a year of being there, you're likely to find a better location/apt/rent situation.  Also as you make friends, you're likely to want to hang out in the same part of town.  3 min from work is great, but if all your friends live near place #1, you're still going to drive a lot.

Stay away from #3.  Not safe, few amenities, highest price.

#2 sounds good if you like to eat out a lot, but not if you want to cook.  Not having a grocery store nearby is a big deal to me.  Also, downtown living may be VERY different than what you're used to, and it doesn't agree with everyone.  One big plus may be if you have to pay for parking at your job - walking saves you that expense.

For me, I'd look to #1 or #4.  One factor you didn't mention - does either have convenient public transportation to your job?  Taking the bus or train to work might be a way to save gas and money, if your car is older you'll have a reliable way to get to work.  It's not quicker, but you can nap during your commute.

All things considered, I'd take #1.  I'd live there for one lease period (six months - a year?), then re-evaluate with everything I learned during that time.  In the meantime, it's the least expensive option (excluding commute fees).

That's exactly how I did it when I relocated to Seattle, and then later to L.A.

Answer 4

rent 4 would be good and rent 1 isnt that bad either.

Answer 5

#2 is the clear standout.  Downtown SLC is great, and walking to work, even in Winter, will mean much less stress than fighting UT commuter traffic.  If you have to drive 15 minutes to the grocery store even twice a week, it's better than have to drive 15-30min each way twice a day to work and back.

Answer 6

I'd say #2. You would be able to walk to work and be downtown. This way you might only need to drive your car 1-2 times per week to shop. Otherwise you would have to spend a lot of money every day to get to and from work.

Answer 7

I would base my choice on what is the safest place to live. If it is downtown that is the best choice. You can probably walk to work. If you shop wisely, you can probably drive to a grocery store once a month.

Good luck!

Al

Answer 8

Because of the price of fuel, why not estimate your fuel costs at various distances and how far you’d have to drive to various services from those locations. Then compare that to the differences in rent.