We went apartment hunting in Mobile—here’s what we found
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Apartment hunting is exhausting. Between scoping out neighborhoods, amenities, and prices, it can feel like an uphill battle to find your new home. We’re here to alleviate some of your apartment worries. We scoped out a bunch of apartments in Mobile, using our list of things we need, things we want, and things that are a bonus, but ultimately we can live without. Let’s go apartment hunting!
What we’re looking for
As a young woman living with my boyfriend and two cats, a 1 bedroom/1 bathroom will suit us just fine. I love entertaining, so a nice kitchen and living room are definitely a “need.” Back to the cats, I have to share a bathroom with them (I know, EW), so a large bathroom is on my “want” list for sure. As someone who largely works from home and enjoys the outdoors, a little balcony or patio would be really nice, so that’s on my “take it or leave it” list.
I wanted to look all over town, scoping out the downtown, midtown, and West Mobile areas to find the best bang-for-my buck. But, first, let’s take a look at the full list of things I’m looking for:
- The apartment: 1 bedroom/1 bathroom, preferably in Midtown or Downtown
- Budget: $1500/month max
- Availability: now is best, but we can wait a month or two
- Needs: In-unit washer/dryer (or hookups), dishwasher and garbage disposal, nearby parking, pet friendly
- Wants: Large bathroom, pool, gym on-site, hardwood (or hardwood-appearing) floors, granite or quartz countertops, walk-in closet
- Take-it-or-leave-it: Private patio or balcony, private parking or garage, common areas with WiFi and/or food, historic building, gated community, outdoor cooking area, elevator
To start my search, I called around only to find most complexes are booked up, out of my price range, or a bit of both. So be prepared to look long and hard at your list of “needs” and compromise when apartment hunting. I ended up finding 7 apartments within my price range that met most of my wishlist. Let’s take a look at what I found.
1. Elevate 758
- Rent: $1,103 to $1,254
- Area: downtown
- Apartment details: 1 bed, 1 bath, The Willow Layout, 675 sq.ft.
- Availability: Now
Why it’s on the list: This prime downtown location just can’t be beat. Plus, the complex is under new management, who is working hard to constantly improve amenities.
Needs: in-unit washer/dryer, brand-new stainless steel appliances, up to 2 pets allowed (with breed restrictions), and a covered parking lot for the complex with tons of additional parking on the street
Wants: tons of amenities including a 24-hour gym and a pool, quartz countertops, walk-in closet, and hardwood linoleum flooring
Take-it-or-leave-it: common areas with complimentary Wi-Fi
This apartment had tons of amenities I didn’t even think of before looking like a rainfall showerhead and lofted ceilings. If it’s in your price range, it’s definitely worth checking out.
2. Meridian at the Port
- Rent: from $1306
- Area: downtown
- Apartment details: 1 bedroom/1 bathroom, Ashland layout, 717-728 sq.ft.
- Availability: Now (actually there are 3 available right now)
Why it’s on the list: While it’s at the top of my budget, I couldn’t resist talking about all the amazing amenities here.
Needs: in-unit washer/dryer, dishwasher, covered & gated parking, so pet friendly that there’s a pet spa & outdoor area for pets
Wants: sizable bathroom, salt water pool, 24-hour fitness center, quartz countertops, walk-in closet
Take-it-or-leave-it: cute little balcony, lounge and coffee bar, gated access parking, outdoor kitchen and firepit
If you’re at all amenity-driven in our apartment search, you’ll love Meridian at the Port. The location is sleek and modern, while still feeling like home.
3. Wheeler Lofts
- Rent: $1400
- Area: downtown Mobile
- Apartment details: 1 bedroom/1 bathroom, 766 sq.ft.
- Availability: Now
Why it’s on the list: The historic charm of this building is enough to let me compromise on some of my amenities because it still has everything I absolutely need.
Needs: in-unit washer/dryer, dishwasher, pet friendly
Wants: smaller bathroom than I’d prefer, but it’s plenty big, walk-in closet, hardwood-like flooring, nice countertops
Take-it-or-leave-it: historic building, courtyard, elevator
The combination of that Church Street Historic District location and the historic building itself makes this place full of downtown charm. It’s in a very walkable area, which is always a bonus.
4. Temple Lodge Lofts
- Rent: $1300
- Area: downtown Mobile
- Apartment details: 1 bedroom/1 bathroom, 850 sq.ft.
- Availability: end of November (but worth the wait). There’s also a 1bd/1br, 1350 sq.ft townhome available at the end of October for $1900.
Why it’s on the list: Between the location, price, and size this might be the best deal downtown.
Needs: in-unit washer/dryer, stainless steel appliances, dishwasher and garbage disposal, pet friendly, gated and non-gated parking
Wants: large enough bathroom, hardwood flooring, granite countertops, fitness center
Take-it-or-leave-it: courtyard, renovated with the building’s history in mind, so lots of original features remain on display
This might be the coolest development we scoped out. It’s actually 2 different historic buildings renovated into an apartment complex, connected by a courtyard and parking lot. Plus, it’s locally operated.
5. Lakeview at Cottage Hill & Iverness Lakes
- Rent: starts at $1005
- Area: West Mobile
- Apartment details: 1 bedroom/1 bathroom, Ivy layout, 810 sq.ft., unit #0809
- Availability: Now
Why it’s on this list: The luxury living of downtown but much closer to hospitals for healthcare workers or local colleges & universities for students.
Needs: in-unit washer/dryer, stainless steel appliances, parking lot, pet friendly
Wants: sizable bathroom, walk-in closet, hardwood-appearing floors, pool with tanning deck, fitness center
Take-it-or-leave-it: screened-in private balcony, poolside grill & tables for eating, outdoor exercise area
I think my favorite part about this one was the emphasis on their outdoor amenities. There’s a huge saltwater pool with a grill and dining area, a 3-acre lake that has a gazebo, off-leash dog park, tennis court, and an outdoor exercise area.
6. Greentree Apartments
- Rent: $750
- Area: West Mobile
- Apartment details: 1 bedroom/1 bathroom, 700 sq.ft., unit #095
- Availability: Now
Why it’s on this list: The price and proximity to local universities is the best we’ve found available.
Needs: dishwasher & disposal, parking lot, pet friendly
Wants: plenty big bathroom, walk-in closet
Take-it-or-leave-it: private balcony, on-site pool
While this one is a compromise because it doesn’t have laundry in-unit, it’s worth showing how much you can save with a little compromise.
7. Southern Oaks
- Rent: $830
- Area: West Mobile
- Apartment details: 1 bedroom/1 bathroom, Townhouse model B, 760 sq.ft., unit 87
- Availability: Oct. 17
Why it’s on this list: Townhouses have a special place in my heart on account of being just so stinkin’ cute.
Needs: dishwasher, parking, pet friendly
Wants: huge bathroom, hardwood-appearing floors on first level, walk-in closet, gym on-site, pool
Take-it-or-leave-it: private balcony, clubhouse with free WiFi & coffee bar, outdoor BBQ area, volleyball court
Once again, we see a unit without washer/dryer in the unit. There are, however, two 24-hour laundry facilities on-site, so you don’t have to drive to a laundromat. However, I still think the price beats the lack of in-unit laundry.
Decisions, decisions
The average rent in Mobile is $1003 for around 935 sq.ft. This can, of course, fluctuate based on location, amenities, size and more. The further you get from downtown, the cheaper the apartments will be. Farther from downtown, though, you loose the view, the walkability, and the historic buildings.
Let’s look at average rent in some Mobile neighborhoods to show how much a difference location makes:
| Neighborhood | Average Rent |
| Church Street East (downtown) | $1,157 |
| Lower Dauphin (downtown) | $1,157 |
| USA (W. Mobile) | $1,034 |
| Country Club Of Mobile (W. Mobile) | $1,015 |
| Glen Acres (W. Mobile) | $1,015 |
Apartment hunting is definitely a game of weighing your options. To help you do that, here’s a map of the apartments so you can see for yourself what area they’re in:
My pick
After weighing my options, I would choose (drumroll please), Temple Lodge Lofts. To me, it’s worth the wait to be in the heart of downtown, not to mention a historic building. The unit is bigger than my current one, too, which is always a bonus. It’s also a no-brainer for me because it meets all my needs and most of my wants.
Advice: Be willing to compromise. Whether it’s budget, amenities, or state-of-the-art appliances, find out where you have wiggle room and adjust according to what’s out there.
Which apartment would you pick? Tag us @thebamabuzz to let us know!
Looking for apartments in Birmingham instead? Check this out.
