for 800-1100 a month, you would be set. I am renting a huge room (walk in closet, private bathroom) in a house for $700 (which is admittedly above the market value). for about the same, you can get a good sized furnished room in an apt complex or house right by the university. for 1100, you could probably get your own large apt. Just whatever you do, avoid grandmarc (place can become extremely unpleasant). Think of it this way: This guy is trying to rent a 4BR house in a nice area for 1800
craigslist. Most of the students i know spent their first year in a dorm, second in a campus adjacent apt, and final two renting rooms in houses.
Regarding the areas standing, im not so sure. Riverside, like any city, has its good spots and its bad spots. With property prices being so low in the inland empire, you can move into a very nice setup for relative scraps. I grew up in West LA, and honestly, i feel safer on the front porch of my place in riverside than i did in many areas of Santa Monica or Venice. That doesnt meen im going to be walking the streets of downtown riverside at 1 in the morning, but honestly, every city has its places you dont venture.
I went to UCR planning to return to LA, and based on my personal experience, i prefer riverside. Just make sure you get a place in a decent area and you are fine. For what its worth, Moreno Valley can be a barrio, but the area also sports some McMansions and really nice neigborhoods. Plus, if you are in moreno valley, there is a dirt road that leads from the UCR campus to a back street, making your commute take a couple of minutes. I know quite a few students that lived in this area and i always thought the places were very safe.
. Thanks for any help!
