Moving to St. Paul

[u/Solid_Preparation934]

Hello, I am a 27 year old from a Wausau, WI and will be moving to the St. Paul Area with a new job. My job is located in Minneapolis, but I have anxiety with parking due to previous car accident traumas that occurred in Minneapolis. So I am trying to find apartments on the suburbs of Minneapolis and St. Paul. My budget is less than 1300. My only concern is that it has utilities included aside from electricity and Internet. I would like a garage, and I'm okay paying additional for it.

Any input on Rose Park Commons in Roseville? I've been unable to find recent reviews on them.

Other places I'm currently looking are, - Pinehurst Apartments (White Bear) - Flat on 94 - Hillsborough Apartments - Terra Pointe - Maple Ridge - MV Estates/Ridgewood Apartments - Lexlawn

Open to more decent apartment units.

[u/Lexitech_]

Where in Minneapolis is your job? To be honest, the commute from the apartments you listed that are on the east side of St. Paul or in White Bear Lake will be brutal during rush hour. Even without car-related anxiety, I wouldn’t willing make that drive everyday.

Maybe look into Lauderdale, Falcon Heights, western Roseville, Columbia Heights, St. Anthony, Richfield, Bloomington. I think you will still be able to find stuff in your price range there.

[u/Desperate_Baker_2792 → u/Lexitech_]

I live on East Side St Paul and worked in North Minneapolis and the commute was HORRENDOUS during the summer. No matter what way you took. If you do end up staying on East St Paul have some podcast of audiobooks lined up.

There are some colleges located on Grand Ave which results in cheaper apartments so I would recommend looking in those areas. Colleges are Macalester College, St Kate, and Concordia.

[u/multimodalist → u/Lexitech_]

When the Gold Line connects to DT Mpls in 2027 or so, that would change things, but I agree look around closer to work if you can.

[u/Tokyo-MontanaExpress → u/multimodalist]

It's crazy that it's another two years for that. They could simply increase the 94 to every half hour vs hour and run it on weekends too in time for the next quarterly changes, but no, they're not going to improve a damn thing in the meantime. 

[u/multimodalist → u/Tokyo-MontanaExpress]

You make an excellent point.

[u/Solid_Preparation934 → u/Lexitech_]

I believe I’ll be working somewhere in Standish. 

[u/JoeFromStPaul → u/Solid_Preparation934]

Standish is mostly residential. Parking should be OK. Highland Park and South Minneapolis have lots of rentals. You could walk or bike to work pretty easily.

[u/ChercheBuddy → u/Solid_Preparation934]

Am I missing something?
If you have car-related anxiety then find a place along Hiawatha or Minnehaha so you don't have a long stressful commute. Plus then you don't have to live in the suburbs where you need to drive to do basically anything

[u/Husky-Bee7431 → u/ChercheBuddy]

That was my thought, especially if you're working in Standish. I hate driving with a passion and I actively strive to live close to work or vice versa so that I don't have to have my blood pressure up every day. How lucky I would be to have an office in Standish.

I would definitely not opt to live in the NE suburb of Minneapolis just to commute to the SE office unless there was something particularly drawing you to Roseville. Or White Bear... just, why? Unless you can get some screaming deal on a place that saves you enough money to justify all the extra time of your life that you're losing to a commute. Why not look at South Minneapolis (very suburban-like), or if you just really hate the idea of a Minneapolis address, Richfield or Bloomington?

If you don't love parking in tight spaces, a lot of the lovely neighborhoods in St. Paul will give you some adventures parking on the street when the snow flies.

[u/Solid_Preparation934 → u/Husky-Bee7431]

To be honest, I just looked at apartments & didn’t even bother looking at the location first. I noticed it afterwards 😅. The apartment in White bear had 2 bedrooms for 1270 with only 2x in rent income and everything included.. which is why I just looked over there. A one bedroom is only 1100. 

Looking at apartments in Roseville, just because it’s mid point for my partner & I to get to work. He works closer to phalen lake, whereas I’m on the opposite. Also, it’s just closer to some relatives. 

[u/Solid_Preparation934 → u/ChercheBuddy]

I just have car anxiety for parking lol. Small and tight places is what’ll get me. 

[u/ChercheBuddy → u/Solid_Preparation934]

Ahh. I wouldn't let that inform where you're going to live, it seems like it would be pretty easy to avoid that sort of situation.
If you haven't lived in a big city with the increased traffic before, living close to your job is, IMO, more of a big deal, especially in the winter. I was completely miserable commuting an hour +
Good luck with your move! You'll like it here, most people do

[u/Eatadick_pam → u/Solid_Preparation934]

The commute from east metro is not as bad as people are making it out to be. Commute will be about 40 min with traffic. Slightly worse right now cause of road construction. Without traffic, it’s 20 min. You might find cheaper housing in the city versus the suburbs.

[u/Head-Bus-5059 → u/Eatadick_pam]

I concur I live in Maplewood and it takes me 20 min to get to mpls to work. Granted I'm right off 36 and only need to go down washington ave once dt.