147 Apartments in Fairview Heights, Illinois

"Well, out of Southern Illinois / Come a down home country boy. / He's gonna make it in the city / Playin' guitar in the studio." - Jim Croce

A charming town located just outside East St. Louis, its claim to fame is being the dominant shopping area for southwestern Illinois. With a population of 17,078 people, it's tiny enough to have that small town, Midwestern charm but big enough to offer entertainment and, of course, shopping for all. With St. Louis just across the river, there are all kinds of food, sports and museums available, and, of course, that lovely arch!

Finding an Apartment in Fairview Heights

The cost of living in Fairview is below the national average, so get ready to start paying it forwardto your bank account! Residents here love how cheap it is to eat, drink and shop in their fair city, and this applies to apartments for rent as well. With a 6.3% vacancy rate and apartment homes accounting for 27.86% of properties, you shouldn't have too much trouble finding a pad to rest your head. Still, it never hurts to put your best face forward. Follow these tips to make sure you have the best chances of scoring your dream apartment.

The Cost

The good news is that places for rent in Fairview Heights are going for well under the Illinois average. The median gross rent for one-bedroom apartments is less than the rest of the state. Of course, you'll find much higher prices for premier apartments in newer buildings and much lower prices for studios in older buildings, but it's good to know what the average listing price is. It doesn't hurt to ask your landlord if you should expect a rent hike some of the newer buildings like to tack on an extra 10% or 15% after your first year. Better to find out early than be blindsided down the road. One great bonus for those thinking about buying property eventually is that there are NO property taxes in Fairview Heights one of the few cities that can boast this perk.

When to Rent

Renting is pretty steady all year round, though you're likely to see a bit of a dip in the winter when people are more inclined to hole up inside instead of face the winter cold. Spring and summer will see more action, but there are a fair number of available properties, so you shouldn't have to start looking too far in advance for an apartment to rent.

What You Need

Just because there are plenty of places to rent here in Fairview Heights doesn't mean you should let your guard down. Get your game face on and get prepared. When you go meet the landlord to view an apartment, show up in a timely fashion they are probably seeing a number of clients, and being late will lose you points right from the start. Bring a binder with all the necessary materials to rent right there on the spot if you like a place, why run the risk of waiting and losing out on it? You'll need your credit report, rental application, letter of employment or two pay stubs, references and paperwork for any pets you're planning on bringing, assuming you're applying for pet friendly apartments. Carry your checkbook with you as well no sense in holding off on the deposit if you really fall in love with a place.

Get to Know the Neighborhoods

Pretty much everywhere in Fairview Heights has the same general vibe: safe, friendly and pretty. You'll never be more than a few minutes' drive from shopping, dining, a number of businesses and recreation options. In fact, their town motto is "We live in Fairview Heights We've Got It All." No sense in being humble about it! The best part is that even if this tiny town were lacking in any way, the big city of St. Louis is only 15 minutes to the west.

Longacre Park: This 90-acre park is one of the nicest community parks in the area. Residents who live nearby can enjoy the baseball diamonds, gigantic playground, jogging trail, volleyball court and picnic pavilions.

Highway 64: Living on the north side of Fairview Heights means easy access to Highway 64, which takes you right into St. Louis. Prices are a little lower up this way because you have to put up with highway noise and smog.

Pontiac/ Crossroads: This central chunk of Fairview Heights has nice residential buildings and single-family houses both for sale and rent. It's a little pricier, and most of the homes are newer or were recently renovated. Higher vacancy rates here make it a great place to start looking!

French Village: If you're looking for killer views of the St. Louis skyline and proximity to the St. Clare MetroLink stop that takes you right into downtown St. Louis, look no further than this charming 'hood.

Life In Fairview Heights

Fairview Heights is a very young city, so you'll find that most residents here settled in the last 30 years or so and most of the properties were constructed no earlier than 1970. Still, it's considered a crossroads in the Midwest since I-64 runs right through it, and it's just a stone's throw away from busy St. Louis.

• The weather here is much milder than you find in Northern Illinois. The summers can be hot, but winters tend to be a little balmier and less snowy, which is great for people who don't love spending every day outside with a shovel.
• You'll find everything you need nearby, assuming you have a car. There's not much in the way of public transit to get you around town here, so make sure your driving skills are up to par. You'll find several grocery stores, a huge mall, a few strip malls and most other things you need just a few minutes away.
• Downtown St. Louis has everything that big cities should have, from great sports teams to fantastic art museums. The MetroLink will get you into the city in a flash, but you can also plan on driving into the city parking is a breeze, and it's only a quick ten minutes on I-64, which rarely has problems with traffic.

In short, Fairview Heights is pretty much the ideal spot for country folks who like the small-town life with a jaunt to the city every now and then for good measure.