T.
Hi L.-
My fiancee and I live in Oakdale which has an enormous amount of townhomes for low prices. It is a very safe area, nice neighborhoods, and close to Woodbury. I am not sure about renting, but we bought our townhome for only $147,000. It is a 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom and was a great step up from renting an apartment. There are a lot of deals out there for first time homeowners. TCF offers no money down and 40 year mortgage, so our monthly payment is only $800 which is much less than it would be to rent a place like this. Just an idea for you to check into. :)