Apartment Hunting Advice

[AMP]

Sounds like you were getting ripped off by a property owner that was attempting to pay a first and second mortgage on your sweat.

People that own their properties outright do not need to charge such high rental rates.  

Need to seek out more mature property owners that are not trying to retire off of you or pay back loans they took that exceeded their means.

I know of several property owners that have homes, apartment buildings, commercial buildings and other property that do not charge large monthly fees for rent.  Most are in nice areas and they are not in the business to get rich quick, they enjoy long term tenants that respect their property, don't tear it up and work to keep it in good condition.  

That is perhaps the trade off.  You can charge a high rate and expect damage and lots of wear and tear, or a low rate and get increased respect from your renters.    

In 1982 my friend that now lives and works in Kuwait had a dozen or  more muiti-plex units by TU, he rented most of them for $75 a month and had the same students year after year return.  Some were Spartan Students others University of Tulsa students.    

They all loved him for providing them with nice comfortable off campus living. He was invited to many parties and dinners and many of them  still write him and talk about all the great times they had while living in Tulsa.  He still owns several of those units and rents them today for around $125 to $175 per month water and trash paid.      

Life is not all about profits and how much money one can earn or land and buildings they can acquire and use to their maximum benifit to make a profit.  It is about friendships, relationships and sharing and caring and helping others along the way.  Helping people that are wanting to better themselves. Provding them with the tools to boost their knowledge.

Not everyone needs to act like Donald Trump the Earth only needs one of him.  

Yet another reason to get the greedy life style of the Bush Administration out of Washington and out of office as quickly as possible. His style of "money hungry greed" seems to be rubbing off on way too many people in this country each day he continues to be in office.

[YoungTulsan]

This thread has been officially derailed



Anyway, I wouldnt go so far as to say the sort of properties AMP describes would only attract "scum", because the prices mentioned sound more like buddy deals than worthless squalor.  I believe there are actually a few nice people out there who own property which is paid in full, and are perfectly content with charging the same rates they did years ago so long as it covers property tax, upkeep, and kicks a few extra bucks into the owner's pocket.   More sinister owners will raise the rent on people LIVING in a house just because they know they can squeeze a little extra out of inflated valuations or demand.

But I dont think you can just talk like these deals are all over the place to be had.  More than likely these rare generous deals on rent are passed on to good friends and relatives, not really seeking random people applying.

Back to the topic of apartments on Riverside tho, check out Lincoln Park.  There are a few random smaller places scattered about, like 3701 Riverside, Marella (39th and Riverside), Chalet (between 39th and 41st on Riverside).

The bigger places like Sundance and Legacy will likely have more of your typical apartment problems,

There are also lots of small apartment buildings along 21st between Boston and Cincinnatti which seem quaint enough and "near the river".  Most of the places north of 18th on the river are baad bad places.  Possible exception of those condos between 1500 and 1600.  I am guessing the master plan of the Channels people was to level everything within a few blocks of Riverside and Denver.  Just a hunch.

[AMP]

Go to the Tulsa Crimes Map Web site and click on the crime map of Current Crimes in Tulsa.

There is not a neighborhood, or many streets for that matter, that are not "lit up" with a number of Blue Stars when you choose the "All Crimes" selection.  

Seems to be a common problem no matter how high or how low the rent or house payment in the neighborhood seems to be.

My parents home and my sisters home, both located in South Tulsa in Southern Hills have had more burglaries than I have experienced in the past 40 years and I have owned homes.

Don't think it matters where you live, thieves are mobile and they typically either know you or someone you know and know when you are at work and when you come home.  

According to those maps, crime seems to be  everywhere in the Tulsa City Limits.  Does not seem to be a major hot spot or a cool spot according to the maps.    
 

[AMP]

It is amazing to see all the Auto Theft and Personal Assaults that occur in Tulsa.  Make ya want to load up your Glock 9.    

There seem to be a large number of Auto Thefts and Personal Assaults on both sides of the River. From all along from North to South.  Well all over town for that matter.  

Good thing Oklahoma is a "gun toten" sate.  

Map needs a selection to show how many bad folks got shot and or killed while trying to commit a crime.

[AMP]

22 separate cases of property type crimes reported in the Southern Hills neighborhood between Harvard and Lewis and Southern Hills southern property line and back to 71st Street.  22 cases in just the the first two months of 2007.  

Who would of ever imagined that neighborhood having that kind of crime rate?  Looks like crime is everywhere today in Tulsa.  

Things sure have changed in Tulsa over the past several years.

[cannon_fodder]

AMP, simply put - I DONT BELIEVE YOU.

If you provide me with an number to call to lease an office similar to your for a similar price I will pitch it to management and happily give you half of my companies savings.  You stand to get VERY rich off of this deal in the long run.

Likewise, I have some friends who live in apartments and pay vastly larger amounts of money.  Some live in Wagner or Vinita and still chuckled at the rents you quoted.  So if you can get them a deal on a comparable apartment they agreed to pay you half of their savings for the first year.  This could be as much as $400 a month by your figures, nearly $5000 for this favor! Amazing.
- - - - - - -

Please dont give out 'friends rates' or other strange deals you had to new comers looking for an apartment.  They will have a horribly skewed view what they are looking for and may very well pass on a good deal.

[AMP]

I don't need any money, money is not a motivator for me.  Time off, rest and having someone take care of my daily routine would be, but I have yet to find a hired hand that has the amount of knowledge and skills I have that could handle a 1/10 of what I accomplish in a day.  

I would be glad to give you the phone numbers of the owners of the property, however I fear your clients may educate the owners into thinking they should charge more for their rent.  One unit is becoming available, the property owner has been there all week painting and cleaning.  It rents for $250 per month.  

I am constantly working to get the rent reduced and not increased.   Each month before I pay the rent, I always have a punch list of items that need to be addressed.  That is the method I have always used on sellers.  Point out the down sides, rough edges and short falls.  Buy low sell high, the typical retail method.  Guess I learned it from my family over the years.   These owners have no special deals, it is there normal rent, which I think is high.

It would not be in my better interest to invite renters that are willing to pay more than what we are paying here.  Similar thing happened to a couple of Buildings we rent for events.  One rents for $150 per night where the majority of others run $600 up to $1,200 per night.  Word got out of how inexpensive they were and other groups with deeper pockets stole some dates from me and two other event producers held by offering the Arena owners $600 per night.  

So, thanks but no thanks.  I know what I and the other renters in this building pay. And I know what my two gals pay at their apartments.  

I suggest those folks interested need to spend some time searching around for better deals on their own.

[Conan71]

No major hot spots, huh?

Where do you hear about most homicides and drug-related crimes?  61st St. between Peoria and Riverside, north of Admiral and west of about Yale, 31st and Mingo area.  And what do these areas seem to have in common?  Low rent housing.

Take a closer look at the map of the south Tulsa area you are talking about.  The stars west of Lewis look like a bunch of cockroaches, especially the closer you get to Peoria.  Look at 67th & Lewis, very high concentration right about where there is a lower rent apartment complex.  Just south of 71st street at about Wheeling and Victor, there is also another bevy of apartment complexes, and guess what? Higher crime than residential So. Hills.  Jog over on the map to the low-rent apartments northeast of 51st & Yale, more crime than residential area.

[USRufnex]

$200 a month for a midtown apt?!?
On a handshake?

So, is this the special RWW discount (aka "Renting While White") Tulsa used to be so famous for?

Don't know if they have one and/or two bedroom apts available there, but I heard a good review on the Olde English Apts at 16th & Denver... efficiencies are $285-$295 plus electric.  A guy I know has been there about 3 months and seems to like it a lot.

Best thing about apartments in Tulsa... if you don't like the place you picked, the 6 month lease can be a godsend.

[Conan71]

quote:Originally posted by USRufnex

$200 a month for a midtown apt?!?
On a handshake?

So, is this the special RWW discount (aka "Renting While White") Tulsa used to be so famous for?

Don't know if they have one and/or two bedroom apts available there, but I heard a good review on the Olde English Apts at 16th & Denver... efficiencies are $285-$295 plus electric.  A guy I know has been there about 3 months and seems to like it a lot.

Best thing about apartments in Tulsa... if you don't like the place you picked, the 6 month lease can be a godsend.

OE apartments?  Do those come in 40's?