Rockford, MI Apartment Renter's Guide

Rockford, Michigan, is the proud home of the Hot Dog Hall of Fame! Frankly, that sounds like an awesome place to visit!

Located 40 miles east of Lake Michigan and just a few miles north of Grand Rapids, Rockford is one of West Michigan's most beautiful cities, a welcoming and captivating land of 5,719 residents (at last count in the 2010 U.S. Census) that possesses all the amenities of a 21st century town while at the same time managing to retain its traditional charm. Rockford's community really does take pride in their town, a sentiment that is reflected through the abundance of well-maintained, family-owned stores, boutiques and restaurants that make up downtown. However, Rockford's virtue isn't only its commercial prosperity. In fact, what really makes Rockford stand out is its natural beauty, and in particular the Rogue River, a river that runs through downtown and which functions as an integral aspect of the town's identity. Residents can kayak, canoe, or fish on the river throughout the year. But if getting wet isn't for you then don't worry, this river is so integral to Rockford that somebody had the excellent idea to build an even more excellent pathway that overlooks the river, and which leads to the White Pine Trail, one of the most popular nature preserves in Michigan. The pathway is located right next to the riverside stores and offers a peaceful and picturesque retreat -- though, really, people love living in Rockford so much that there isn't much need to retreat from anything.

As a growing community, Rockford always has plenty of rental properties to choose from and, happily for renters, the abundance of two-bedroom apartments for rent, rental houses, and condominiums for rent means that finding a property to suit your needs is usually a straightforward process. The hard decision is deciding where you want to live. Would you prefer to live within walking distance to the shops and restaurants downtown, or would you prefer the peace and land that comes with being a few minutes' drive out of town? Perhaps you prefer to live in a multi-unit apartment complex (not the whole thing, of course, though hopefully you don't need me to tell you that). Rockford's relatively small size means that daily commute times needn't be a major consideration when you're looking for your property, but make sure you do some homework before you move. Visit the town, figure out your budget, and set up some appointments to see a number of places to make sure you get the place that is perfect for you -- it's out there if you look for it!

Renting

While most rental properties in Rockford have one or two bedrooms, it is possible to find larger, 3 bedroom houses for rent, and in some case even more than that. In addition, though the average monthly rent is slightly above that of other suburban areas, rent in Rockford is often lower than the Michigan average, but this depends on where in town you want to live. As with most other places, rent typically decreases and size of property increases the further away from downtown and, in Rockford's case, the further from the river you get. Once you've found a place that interests you, you'll need to go through the standard application processes. If you're looking at apartment complexes, be prepared to pay an application fee and to submit to a criminal background check as well as a credit check and proof of income. This may not be required for individual rentals, but all rented properties will require a deposit, which will be roughly equivalent to one month's rent.

Rockford is a small city and doesn't have any individual neighborhoods -- it's all one big community here -- but there are still different areas which renters should be aware of:

Central Rockford: This is where most of the action takes place. Downtown is here, as is the most interesting part of the Rogue River in Rockford, as well as a number of trails and parks.

South Rockford: The southern part of the city is a combination of residential houses and a plethora of public parks. It also features the most prominent part of the White Pine Trail State Park in the city.

East Rockford: Mostly residential, this part of the city offers more spacious properties, wider streets, and, of course, a few more parks and nature trails.

Life in Rockford might be a little slower than that of nearby Traverse City, but the city still packs a lot into its 3.5 square miles. For a start, there are the activities on offer: Rogue River isn't just meant to be admired from afar, after all. Many of the locals count fishing, kayaking and canoeing among their favorite pastimes. However, it's not all about the river. The White Pine Trail is excellent for some hiking or a day spent on a bike. Rockford also hosts many community events like "The First Day of Summer" festival, which takes place each June and features a carnival atmosphere with parades, stalls, and entertainment all part of the fun. The community parks often have live music in the summers, which brings out all the families with their picnic baskets on warm evenings. When fall arrives, the city hosts the "Harvest Festival", a celebration of the end of the growing season that all the community residents participate in and enjoy. There are always fun things to do in Rockford, which is just the final cherry on top of an already pretty sweet deal.