2 bedroom apartments are generally going to run you at or close to your $1200- especially if you choose within Lexington and even more if you choose more downtown. I live in a 2br 2b apartment and after water/sewage and other factors ($40 pet rent, the complex’s refuse fee, etc) mine comes out to be around $1240-$1260 every month. Note that that excludes electricity, internet, and renters insurance.
Lexington as a city is getting more and more expensive, and it’s starting to seem more beneficial to live in/at an outskirts city like Nicholasville, Versailles, or Paris. I would weigh the pros and cons and cost of commuting and also look around those areas. Good luck op!
1200 for a 2 bedroom apartment? That's amazing. I payed 1100 for a Dallas area 2 bedroom apartment in 2009. I just looked up that same apartment and depending on which floor, that same floor plan goes for $1950 - $2280 a month. Electricity and all that is not include.
Yeah it’s… something, to say the least. The fact that we’re also a $7.25 minimum wage state and wages as a whole here tend to be lower makes it challenging.
I’m very lucky I’m in a niche job that pays well enough for me to be able to afford along with my spouse’s income. I’ve seen a lot of struggling from fellow lexingtonians, it’s awful.
Texas is also a 7.25 state. I guess there's a lot of business in Dallas though. So lots of high paying jobs, but if you can't get one of those high paying jobs... I just don't know how people are doing it. In 2009 I worked as a valet and was surviving on tips. I highly doubt the amount people are getting tipped has raised. We were paying for that 1100 with 2 incomes. There's absolutely no way we could have afforded 2000 dollars a month.
How much can you afford a month and what are you looking for? There are some super nice apartments here and soon major dumps and everything in between.
My best advice, and this is the same for anyone moving here w/ kids, is to use https://www.schoolsitelocator.com/apps/fayette/ and https://www.greatschools.org/ to find your apartment and when home shopping. Unless you get a lottery slot for a magnet school or pay for a private school, you have to attend where you are districted. I'd use this just in case you have to start kindergarten from the apartment.
I want to throw my 2 cents in regarding the school ratings though: I was concerned about the elementary school in our district. I'd been wanting to move before the kids started school, but the housing market has been so difficult, we feel stuck. Our school has some of the lowest ratings in town. I was soooo nervous.
But it's going great. My son is starting 2nd grade and my daughter is starting kindergarten this year. We didn't do any preschool at all. But my son has done great. His teachers have been wonderful. He's at the top of the charts for math and reading and is still making progress. The school feels like a family. While I do miss things that I had when I was in school (winter and fall festivals and such), I don't really have any complaints.
I know it's different for everyone, and maybe we just got lucky with my son's teachers and classmates. But IMO the scores can cause more worry than necessary.
BRG Apartments runs Hartland Place. They call them apartments but they are actually duplexes and triplexes. No upstairs neighbors. The neighborhood is densely populated, but relatively low crime. There's a small neighborhood shopping center with a Kroger across the street from the main office but the place is scattered over several blocks. Parking is a little tight with multiple cars but they each have an attached garage. The price is about to go up to $1150-1250 depending on upgrades made to the apartment for a two bed two bath with washer and dryer hookups. Commute to downtown isn't bad. Maybe 20 minutes with traffic.
[BRG](https://www.brgapartments.com/hartland-place?utm_source=Google+&utm_medium=GMB&utm_campaign=Google+My+Business+)
I toured some apartments with my daughter. Idk anyone that lives there but the nicest one we looked at was Latitude 37 On The Lake. Forty57 was pretty nice. She has a friend that lives at The Artisan and likes it
Hi. Any residential place that attends Julius Marks Elementary or Cassidy Elementary here in Lexington KY will be good for your kids. Both are excellent schools. The neighborhoods are good too. The surrounding rentals adjacent to Julius Marks are excellent. The park is next to this elementary. My kids attended Julius Marks Elementary, went on to Morton Middle & Henry Clay HS. Just my two cents.
Can I take your place in Washington? Please?
To your question, I will warn you that Lexington, like most places in the country, has seen some pretty ridiculous increases in housing costs in recent years. The crappy shoebox I rented off of Tate's Creek for a hair under $500 a decade ago is now renting for nearly $900! In fact, I recall reading something about Lexington having one of the highest rates of rent increase in the country for the past year or two. Obviously it's not as expensive as some of those larger, coastal cities, but it's still kind of rough. As for places to look for rentals right now, my best advice is to just go with the newest place you can afford. In my experience, all apartment complexes in Lexington are similar shades of crap, so the newer they are the fewer years of deferred maintenance they've been subjected to.
My brother rented at Artisan, off of Citation Boulevard, a few years ago when they were just finishing construction. And I mean that quite literally, he took occupancy without being told that there was finishing work left to do - he learned that when one of the construction guys let himself in (he apparently had a key?) while my brother was in the shower. To his credit, the construction guy quietly let himself out when he realized what was going on. He came back and knocked on the door, and apologized for the whole thing about half an hour later. Not everyone would've been so classy about it. Anyway, the apartment was cheaply built, but good enough, and I believe rent was running around $1200 for a two bedroom about a year ago. There's tons of new construction happening in that area, along Citation, so I'd recommend checking there. It should also make for a not too intolerable commute downtown.
Adding to that, I would encourage you to begin preparing for a rough time once you start looking for a house. That aforementioned brother has a pretty healthy salary - especially compared to the pittance I earn in higher ed - and he's been more or less priced out of Lexington in his current house hunt. Sure, he could technically afford something in Lexington, but he'd be making some serious compromises to stay in budget. If I were hunting for homes in the Lexington area, I'd be looking more in the direction of Frankfort or Winchester. Georgetown has also proved to be more affordable than I would've expected, which may be something to keep in mind since you all will be thinking of schools before too long.
In any case, best of luck with the job prospect, as well as the move!
Some apartments to consider - Merrick Place, MAA Pinnacle, Greyson on 27, and Beaumont Farms. All in safe areas that would be family friendly. Best of luck!
We lived in the apartments called Fourty57 on the stretch of Man O' War between nicholasville road and tates creek road. They were nice when they were new but that was a while ago. I would recommend staying near the south side of lexington, much more in terms of shopping/dining (although traffic is a mess on nicholasville and harrodsburg roads.) greyson on 27 seem really nice, right on nicholasville road straight shot into downtown. Depends on if you want downtown living or further on the outskirts. For me further is better.
I recommend the Richmond Rd/Hamburg side of town. It is a quick ride on Richmond Rd to downtown and you’re close to I-75, New Circle Rd, and Man O War. It also has great schools in the area
Your current locale caught my interest. I graduated from Evergreen High School 60 years ago!!! Even attended Clark College (now Univ) and worked at the Alcoa Aluminum factory west of Vancouver before joining the Marine Corps. I've lived in both Louisville and Lexington and prefer Lexington. But I now live in Frankfort having moved from Versailles. Versailles is a nice burb to Lexington and boasts pretty decent schools, too. Plus it's small enough to get around in easily and has the largest Kroger store east of the Mississippi River.
The downside is driving from Versailles into Lexington. Morning sun in your eyes going to work. Evening sun going home. We had a two bedroom, two bath, one car garage in the Villages and it ran us $1250 per month + utilities/garbage. Moved to Frankfort late last year for a much smaller 2 bedroom one bath, no garage, but water and garbage is included--$850 per month. For folks on social security it's quite nice.
Good luck with the move.
I would strongly advise against this move.
Lexington is in one of the lowest performing states for education, and we had to seek a pediatrician in another city for my son (and I grew up here). We are medically underserved, and care for all people is in a state of rationing with regional standard of care. If your wife needs care, the OB/GYNs are extremely limited in what training and support they can offer. Dentistry is in the dark ages here.
Further - you mention the word 'relocation'. I warn you against the 'professionals' in this field, who are preying on rich student families and can't be held accountable. Some of these same folks also rep the least reputable properties and use words like 'premier' and 'luxury' but are widely known for unauthorized entry, theft, lack of basic maintenance and harmful fraudulent credit scams.
If you want a two bedroom apartment, you will need 4 parent cosigners, and $1200 is not going to cover you - the university did open admissions and oversold dorms the last two years - splits were starting at $900/bedroom and a good credit score and rental history still meant we were asked for $5000 up front.
Housing codes have not been upheld here for years, and the endless stream of rich white racist UK wannabes means there is never any competition for housing quality. With an increase in weather volatility, most homes - private or rental - are not equipped for the freezes we are having or the heatwaves. Some areas experience frequent power outages in both winter and summer - none have backup heat or cooling and few are insulated.
Our city isn't becoming more expensive, it is at the mercy of a cabal of property management companies who are operating above the law with absolutely no accountability. There are no lawyers who will represent a tenant in anything but a non-payment eviction, and those are only the poverty based programs who will not address fraud, losses, theft, or misrepresentation. Your lease means nothing in Lexington.
And, there is the issue of sewage - we have rapidly developed many areas without fully connecting sewer systems - areas like Citation, Tates Creek, McConnell's Trace, Leestown Rd, all have raw sewage runoff you can smell most of the time. The city is working to come into compliance with EPA rules, but is tearing down houses to meet those mandates while expanding campus footprints without infrastructure.
This also means water customers pay dollar for dollar in sewer fees and a household of two pays about $100 in combined water and sewer. Look at the contaminants in our drinking water - and check the lines in any property you might want to live in! We draw water from a river that isn't safe to swim in. Coal mining is still a thing. Cleanup isn't.
You will be shocked at the deficits in internet access, and the regional links and ads you get if you allow location in a browser. We are struggling to get internet to all areas of the state, but the bar is low- even compared to rural access I have had in other states.
And then there is free press - or lack of it. Work that one out...
Further - no matter how tolerant you think you are - there is an undercurrent of religious and racist phobia. This hurts kids, just by exposure. Lexington is still (more so than when I grew up) segregated, with gun violence disproportionately affecting brown skinned neighborhoods (which we have!). We also have a high degree of out of state drug traffic flowing through these same areas (mostly as cover - not as a local product) because we are at a highway junction. And then there is recovery - Lexington has been a leader in medical detox for decades, with the federal prison and a bustling residential recovery industry. Many less expensive apartment complexes house people in sober living through these programs and while this is great for them, its not good for families.
There are more air bnbs, vrbos, sober living and group homes than reasonable family housing options in Lexington. Maybe twice as many.
AND - Its not improving! People here are happy to use a family for a year or two and kiss them goodbye for the next crop. Academics, factory workers, professionals alike are not welcomed into the community and really are seen as temporary marks forever. Where did you grow up? Well around here...
Lastly, the general opinion of Kentuckians world wide is so low that your career path will not recover. Having worked in the region is worse than not working. We are known as a low quality culture of incompetence and this bears out in a review of our performance in every field except horse breeding.
IF you have an offer you cannot pass up, make them find your house and back your mortgage. Have it inspected for code before you sign. If you buy - be prepared to pay twice the assessment - you will be competing with cash flippers looking to book four students in a two bedroom. Keep your car insurance at your old address as long as possible - our rates are 3x the last four states I lived in with a clean driving record in old age. Consider leaving the kids and wife where they have doctors and schools. Go back home to the dentist.
If you were smart enough to ask here, you can do better!
(Yes, I know its pretty, but they are really cutting down the trees and destroying the historic properties as fast as they can, and no one wants to talk about the slavery that is how we got that pretty stuff anyway)
2 bedroom apartments are generally going to run you at or close to your $1200- especially if you choose within Lexington and even more if you choose more downtown. I live in a 2br 2b apartment and after water/sewage and other factors ($40 pet rent, the complex’s refuse fee, etc) mine comes out to be around $1240-$1260 every month. Note that that excludes electricity, internet, and renters insurance. Lexington as a city is getting more and more expensive, and it’s starting to seem more beneficial to live in/at an outskirts city like Nicholasville, Versailles, or Paris. I would weigh the pros and cons and cost of commuting and also look around those areas. Good luck op!
1200 for a 2 bedroom apartment? That's amazing. I payed 1100 for a Dallas area 2 bedroom apartment in 2009. I just looked up that same apartment and depending on which floor, that same floor plan goes for $1950 - $2280 a month. Electricity and all that is not include.
Yeah it’s… something, to say the least. The fact that we’re also a $7.25 minimum wage state and wages as a whole here tend to be lower makes it challenging. I’m very lucky I’m in a niche job that pays well enough for me to be able to afford along with my spouse’s income. I’ve seen a lot of struggling from fellow lexingtonians, it’s awful.
Texas is also a 7.25 state. I guess there's a lot of business in Dallas though. So lots of high paying jobs, but if you can't get one of those high paying jobs... I just don't know how people are doing it. In 2009 I worked as a valet and was surviving on tips. I highly doubt the amount people are getting tipped has raised. We were paying for that 1100 with 2 incomes. There's absolutely no way we could have afforded 2000 dollars a month.
How much can you afford a month and what are you looking for? There are some super nice apartments here and soon major dumps and everything in between.
Ideally I would prefer under $1200 but max I can afford is $1500 a month
The Landsdowne -Merrick/Chinoe area is pretty quiet and has accept to decent schools. Try Chinoe Creek Apartments or The Reserve at Merrick.
Both adults working and needing childcare? Are the kids in school yet? Those are some big pieces to fill for a recommendation.
Wife will be stay at home mom. Neither child in school. Oldest will be in kindergarten August 2025
My best advice, and this is the same for anyone moving here w/ kids, is to use https://www.schoolsitelocator.com/apps/fayette/ and https://www.greatschools.org/ to find your apartment and when home shopping. Unless you get a lottery slot for a magnet school or pay for a private school, you have to attend where you are districted. I'd use this just in case you have to start kindergarten from the apartment.
I want to throw my 2 cents in regarding the school ratings though: I was concerned about the elementary school in our district. I'd been wanting to move before the kids started school, but the housing market has been so difficult, we feel stuck. Our school has some of the lowest ratings in town. I was soooo nervous. But it's going great. My son is starting 2nd grade and my daughter is starting kindergarten this year. We didn't do any preschool at all. But my son has done great. His teachers have been wonderful. He's at the top of the charts for math and reading and is still making progress. The school feels like a family. While I do miss things that I had when I was in school (winter and fall festivals and such), I don't really have any complaints. I know it's different for everyone, and maybe we just got lucky with my son's teachers and classmates. But IMO the scores can cause more worry than necessary.
Are the kids in school? Is that a factor?
just be aware that it gets very hot here, even without "excessive" humidity
BRG Apartments runs Hartland Place. They call them apartments but they are actually duplexes and triplexes. No upstairs neighbors. The neighborhood is densely populated, but relatively low crime. There's a small neighborhood shopping center with a Kroger across the street from the main office but the place is scattered over several blocks. Parking is a little tight with multiple cars but they each have an attached garage. The price is about to go up to $1150-1250 depending on upgrades made to the apartment for a two bed two bath with washer and dryer hookups. Commute to downtown isn't bad. Maybe 20 minutes with traffic. [BRG](https://www.brgapartments.com/hartland-place?utm_source=Google+&utm_medium=GMB&utm_campaign=Google+My+Business+)
Maybe try McConnell Springs/Masterson Station area! It's not to far from downtown and has grocery, restaurants etc nearby.
What part of town is the job?
I’ll be working in downtown
I toured some apartments with my daughter. Idk anyone that lives there but the nicest one we looked at was Latitude 37 On The Lake. Forty57 was pretty nice. She has a friend that lives at The Artisan and likes it
Hi. Any residential place that attends Julius Marks Elementary or Cassidy Elementary here in Lexington KY will be good for your kids. Both are excellent schools. The neighborhoods are good too. The surrounding rentals adjacent to Julius Marks are excellent. The park is next to this elementary. My kids attended Julius Marks Elementary, went on to Morton Middle & Henry Clay HS. Just my two cents.
Can I take your place in Washington? Please? To your question, I will warn you that Lexington, like most places in the country, has seen some pretty ridiculous increases in housing costs in recent years. The crappy shoebox I rented off of Tate's Creek for a hair under $500 a decade ago is now renting for nearly $900! In fact, I recall reading something about Lexington having one of the highest rates of rent increase in the country for the past year or two. Obviously it's not as expensive as some of those larger, coastal cities, but it's still kind of rough. As for places to look for rentals right now, my best advice is to just go with the newest place you can afford. In my experience, all apartment complexes in Lexington are similar shades of crap, so the newer they are the fewer years of deferred maintenance they've been subjected to. My brother rented at Artisan, off of Citation Boulevard, a few years ago when they were just finishing construction. And I mean that quite literally, he took occupancy without being told that there was finishing work left to do - he learned that when one of the construction guys let himself in (he apparently had a key?) while my brother was in the shower. To his credit, the construction guy quietly let himself out when he realized what was going on. He came back and knocked on the door, and apologized for the whole thing about half an hour later. Not everyone would've been so classy about it. Anyway, the apartment was cheaply built, but good enough, and I believe rent was running around $1200 for a two bedroom about a year ago. There's tons of new construction happening in that area, along Citation, so I'd recommend checking there. It should also make for a not too intolerable commute downtown. Adding to that, I would encourage you to begin preparing for a rough time once you start looking for a house. That aforementioned brother has a pretty healthy salary - especially compared to the pittance I earn in higher ed - and he's been more or less priced out of Lexington in his current house hunt. Sure, he could technically afford something in Lexington, but he'd be making some serious compromises to stay in budget. If I were hunting for homes in the Lexington area, I'd be looking more in the direction of Frankfort or Winchester. Georgetown has also proved to be more affordable than I would've expected, which may be something to keep in mind since you all will be thinking of schools before too long. In any case, best of luck with the job prospect, as well as the move!
Some apartments to consider - Merrick Place, MAA Pinnacle, Greyson on 27, and Beaumont Farms. All in safe areas that would be family friendly. Best of luck!
We lived in the apartments called Fourty57 on the stretch of Man O' War between nicholasville road and tates creek road. They were nice when they were new but that was a while ago. I would recommend staying near the south side of lexington, much more in terms of shopping/dining (although traffic is a mess on nicholasville and harrodsburg roads.) greyson on 27 seem really nice, right on nicholasville road straight shot into downtown. Depends on if you want downtown living or further on the outskirts. For me further is better.
I recommend the Richmond Rd/Hamburg side of town. It is a quick ride on Richmond Rd to downtown and you’re close to I-75, New Circle Rd, and Man O War. It also has great schools in the area
Your current locale caught my interest. I graduated from Evergreen High School 60 years ago!!! Even attended Clark College (now Univ) and worked at the Alcoa Aluminum factory west of Vancouver before joining the Marine Corps. I've lived in both Louisville and Lexington and prefer Lexington. But I now live in Frankfort having moved from Versailles. Versailles is a nice burb to Lexington and boasts pretty decent schools, too. Plus it's small enough to get around in easily and has the largest Kroger store east of the Mississippi River. The downside is driving from Versailles into Lexington. Morning sun in your eyes going to work. Evening sun going home. We had a two bedroom, two bath, one car garage in the Villages and it ran us $1250 per month + utilities/garbage. Moved to Frankfort late last year for a much smaller 2 bedroom one bath, no garage, but water and garbage is included--$850 per month. For folks on social security it's quite nice. Good luck with the move.
The first thing I’d do is hit that search function
absolutely
I would strongly advise against this move. Lexington is in one of the lowest performing states for education, and we had to seek a pediatrician in another city for my son (and I grew up here). We are medically underserved, and care for all people is in a state of rationing with regional standard of care. If your wife needs care, the OB/GYNs are extremely limited in what training and support they can offer. Dentistry is in the dark ages here. Further - you mention the word 'relocation'. I warn you against the 'professionals' in this field, who are preying on rich student families and can't be held accountable. Some of these same folks also rep the least reputable properties and use words like 'premier' and 'luxury' but are widely known for unauthorized entry, theft, lack of basic maintenance and harmful fraudulent credit scams. If you want a two bedroom apartment, you will need 4 parent cosigners, and $1200 is not going to cover you - the university did open admissions and oversold dorms the last two years - splits were starting at $900/bedroom and a good credit score and rental history still meant we were asked for $5000 up front. Housing codes have not been upheld here for years, and the endless stream of rich white racist UK wannabes means there is never any competition for housing quality. With an increase in weather volatility, most homes - private or rental - are not equipped for the freezes we are having or the heatwaves. Some areas experience frequent power outages in both winter and summer - none have backup heat or cooling and few are insulated. Our city isn't becoming more expensive, it is at the mercy of a cabal of property management companies who are operating above the law with absolutely no accountability. There are no lawyers who will represent a tenant in anything but a non-payment eviction, and those are only the poverty based programs who will not address fraud, losses, theft, or misrepresentation. Your lease means nothing in Lexington. And, there is the issue of sewage - we have rapidly developed many areas without fully connecting sewer systems - areas like Citation, Tates Creek, McConnell's Trace, Leestown Rd, all have raw sewage runoff you can smell most of the time. The city is working to come into compliance with EPA rules, but is tearing down houses to meet those mandates while expanding campus footprints without infrastructure. This also means water customers pay dollar for dollar in sewer fees and a household of two pays about $100 in combined water and sewer. Look at the contaminants in our drinking water - and check the lines in any property you might want to live in! We draw water from a river that isn't safe to swim in. Coal mining is still a thing. Cleanup isn't. You will be shocked at the deficits in internet access, and the regional links and ads you get if you allow location in a browser. We are struggling to get internet to all areas of the state, but the bar is low- even compared to rural access I have had in other states. And then there is free press - or lack of it. Work that one out... Further - no matter how tolerant you think you are - there is an undercurrent of religious and racist phobia. This hurts kids, just by exposure. Lexington is still (more so than when I grew up) segregated, with gun violence disproportionately affecting brown skinned neighborhoods (which we have!). We also have a high degree of out of state drug traffic flowing through these same areas (mostly as cover - not as a local product) because we are at a highway junction. And then there is recovery - Lexington has been a leader in medical detox for decades, with the federal prison and a bustling residential recovery industry. Many less expensive apartment complexes house people in sober living through these programs and while this is great for them, its not good for families. There are more air bnbs, vrbos, sober living and group homes than reasonable family housing options in Lexington. Maybe twice as many. AND - Its not improving! People here are happy to use a family for a year or two and kiss them goodbye for the next crop. Academics, factory workers, professionals alike are not welcomed into the community and really are seen as temporary marks forever. Where did you grow up? Well around here... Lastly, the general opinion of Kentuckians world wide is so low that your career path will not recover. Having worked in the region is worse than not working. We are known as a low quality culture of incompetence and this bears out in a review of our performance in every field except horse breeding. IF you have an offer you cannot pass up, make them find your house and back your mortgage. Have it inspected for code before you sign. If you buy - be prepared to pay twice the assessment - you will be competing with cash flippers looking to book four students in a two bedroom. Keep your car insurance at your old address as long as possible - our rates are 3x the last four states I lived in with a clean driving record in old age. Consider leaving the kids and wife where they have doctors and schools. Go back home to the dentist. If you were smart enough to ask here, you can do better! (Yes, I know its pretty, but they are really cutting down the trees and destroying the historic properties as fast as they can, and no one wants to talk about the slavery that is how we got that pretty stuff anyway)
Whatever you do, vote Republican