You guys don't know what the hell you're talking about. I own 7 properties around Temple and I think I have a pretty good feel for the student housing market. First of all, the demand for housing is overwhelming. The number of telephone calls I get and the number of people who come to open houses is almost to the point of being unmanageable.

I would buy at 18th & Montgomery in a heartbeat. It's actually a rather good location in terms of getting to and from campus. And jeez, I mean it's only a block from the 22nd/23rd District Police Station. You will find renters; don't worry. The important thing is to properly renovate the property. Show it to prospective renters in MARCH for the following academic year. March is when the large groups that rent houses together coalesce. If you wait until August, I'm afraid you won't have much luck. As for advertising, just use Craig's List.

Naw, those are actually expensive units. My former roommate lives in the building at 5th and Berks (the Sewing Factory Lofts) and she pays well over $1,200 for a loft. And by the way, they're mostly "true" lofts, that is, all one room, with no dividers. It's trendy young professionals who live here, who want tons of space that can't be found in NoLibs.

They are making 4 4 BD units, all renting from 1700-2200. They have shown it a few times as they are justing finishing up the work and have lots of interest. I wouldn't want to live there but lots of students do. We were there during the day the other day and we saw 20-30 people walking around the neighborhood that were obviously students. That in the span of about 2 hours.

Sharkfood is right. Contrary to popular opinion, students are moving further west from Broad St. into North Phila. I grew up at 20th and diamond in the 70s and 80s and it is not NEARLY as bad as it once was. Crime is declining in the area and people are moving although there are a few hot pockets. Look at the news, most of the crime is occurring is in West and southwest phila. now.

I visited a friend just the other day who still lives near 20th and diamond. She was a mentor to me growing up. I literally used to live 2 doors down from her (its a vacant lot now). The house next to her was vacant for almost 20 years. She told me someone rehabbed it and now it is called Mansion Lofts (uber and diamond). I was a lil shocked that she said students were living there. But when I thought about it, I have seen students as far west as 21st st. She understands whats going on and is trying to sell her house.

From 20th up to 15th on diamond, there are vacant houses and many are being rehabbed and it is not for the locals. But 25-30 years ago, students did not even go pass 15th St. or 'where there were no Temple flags.'

Temple does not provide enough housing to all its students so they are forced to look elsewhere. Man, I wish I had bought property down there years ago.

Is the area around 15th and Girard okay?

Temple students are advised to stay "within the flags." I don't care who is redeveloping what, what is "up and coming", when you want safety, you ask yourself the question, would I be absolutely safe walking from Broad to 18th and Montgomery at 2AM? Absolutely not. It's all about convenience and true safety. So I'm agreeing with the true borders, the "diamond shaped" area on the shooting map. It's true, some students are moving outside the borders, some as far down as the Poplar neighborhood, the key word is some, these neighborhoods are still heavy crime areas, despite what anyone tells you. Even by Norris Apartments, it's seedy. Some "developer" tried to sell me on 10th and Jefferson before, down the street was Harrison Plaza. Harrison Plaza is not a shopping strip.

As for 15th and Girard, go to maps.live.com and put it in. It's too far south in a neighborhood called Francisville (i think, might be Poplar), but it still looks a ways away from being safe.

15th and girard is close to Broad St. From my point of view, it is safer because it is closer to Broad St. Plus girard borders fairmount and that whole area has transformed. I work near 24th and girard and the area is doing well. On girard ave from 15th to 24th, there are a few apts but mostly businesses, schools and organizations. There is also a hospital too. But I would always advocate having a roommate.

Ask others and see what they think.

I used to live at Broad & Thompson, which is 2 blocks from 15th & Girard. I wrote a bit about it in this thread. Incidentally, I heard that Temple once considered purchasing the building I lived in (the Regency) and convert it into graduate housing, but it was decided at the time that it was too far from campus. Obviously, now it isn't, since I wasn't the only graduate (or undergraduate) student living there (it was also a dump when I lived there, in case anyone's wondering -- it felt sort of like I was living in the City Hall subway station).

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I have been watching the construction. I grew up near 20th and Diamond (the house is not there anymore). I knew the people (or alteast remember some of them) who once lived in those homes! There is also more rehab on that stretch.

But unfortunately if you go one block south on 19th from diamond, you will see signs of the local drug trade.

only the daring or desperate.