What to Look for Renting in Baton Rouge?

Answer 1

Renting in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, can be a little intimidating for someone who isn’t from the area, but there are several things a prospective renter can do in order to increase the chances that they find the best rental property available for a good price. Baton Rouge is the second largest city in Louisiana and is home to several universities. Perhaps most interesting, the city is gaining a reputation as the Hollywood of the South because of generous incentives to lure films and movies into using their city.

One of the first things that a person researching Baton Rouge will be amazed to find is just how much of the city is split up into neighborhoods, which are various historic neighborhoods and districts that often have their own style, architecture, culture, and general identity. There are over 70 such recognized neighborhoods in the city of Baton Rouge and the surrounding areas, and different neighborhoods are going to provide very different activities, rental choices, and overall area ambiance.

Because of the colleges and strong economy, there is a high demand for rental properties here, meaning it’s harder to find a deal than during many other times of the year. The best time to find rental deals are probably during the summer, when a large number of college kids move out of the city and to new careers or summer jobs elsewhere. Rents are going to vary greatly, but it is actually quite easy to find some decent apartments or even rental homes for under $1,000 a month. Several sections of town have deals that are well under this amount.

Because of the neighborhood emphasis, Baton Rouge can seem like a little bit of a sprawl, so special consideration should be given to finding a good rental property close to a job or close to the school being attended if that is at all possible. Getting a good rental apartment or home might be very difficult to do close to the LSU campus, but if a place can be found in a bordering neighborhood, that is often close enough for conveinence sake.

Luxury rentals most often come in the form of executive homes, which can be very expensive in Baton Rouge as this is one area where the rental demand definitely exceeds the options available.