<p>I'm transferring in as a non-traditional student (second Bachelor's). Recently went on a room search and no dice, and student apartments aren't in the cards. I need a place that is either within walking distance from campus or is right by a bus station (I prefer the suburbs honestly, but I also know that my odds of finding a trip straight to campus by bus that takes under a half-an-hour or hour start to plummet).</p>
<p>What’s your budget? What do you consider walking distance? Looking for a 1-bedroom, studio…?</p>
<p>Budget: Expecting to pay in the 750-875 range for rent + electric + most utilities (not counting Cable/Internet). For me to pay more than that, I’m expecting the bang for my buck.
Walking Distance: Within a mile. This is flexible if there is a bus I can reliably take straight to campus within 30 minutes or so. Again, as much as I love the suburbs, I don’t drive. D’oh.
Rooms: Either Studio or 1 Bedroom.</p>
<p>My daughter found her apartment through a Craig’s List real estate office listing. The realty office is A-1 Realty in Pittsburgh. I have not done any searching for several months, but you could start with the litsing that the housing office has. There also are comments about certain real estate management companies though I would say most comments come from people who are quite angry about a situation.</p>
<p>Squirrel Hill, Shadyside, and North Oakland are close. The Royal York is close to campus and does not rent to undergraduates. Perhaps since you have a degree they would rent to you. Good luck with the search.</p>
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<p>Try Cathedral Mansions: [Cathedral</a> Mansions Apartments](<a href=“http://www.cathedralmansions.com/]Cathedral”>http://www.cathedralmansions.com/) </p>
<p>They’re located right at the edge of N. Oakland/Oakland/Shadyside and are about 0.5 miles from Cathedral give or take. Also very close to S. Craig street with lots of restaurants etc. </p>
<p>You could also try Webster hall right on Fifth avenue across from Cathedral: [Webster</a> Hall Apartments](<a href=“Web Page Under Construction”>Web Page Under Construction)</p>
<p>Just an FYI, it will be harder to find studio/1-br apartments in Pittsburgh because it’s expensive (especially in the Oakland area). Most places are 2-3 br apartments (and it’s also how you get a cheaper rent). So you might want to try to find someone to live with (if not for this year, then for next) because you’ll get more/better options.</p>
<p>Yeah, I’m a little weary about moving into an efficiency apartment with a boxed-in feel, given that I currently live in an ‘executive studio’ model. I visited Adrian Apartments the other day and while the service was sweet, the no-bedroom model was a box.</p>
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<p>Unfortunately, that’s probably what you’re gonna get with the studios. Oakland/Surrounding areas aren’t really big, land wise. So we build up. Which means boxy. You might also want to check Craig’s List and see if anyone is subletting their apartment room or needs a roommate.</p>
<p>DS is at Webster Hall in a studio. It is pricey but close to Pitt and a secure building. The rental office is on the first floor of the building so they are available if needed. They do keep up with maintenance of the apartments. His entire kitchen is being replaced and we thought the appliances/cabinets/countertop were fine when he moved in. Yes it is a box but heck, he is an undergrad :)</p>
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<p>He’s paying around $850/month for that, right? I remember I asked him once. Gonna have to check it out when I get back in August, I always thought the building looked really sweet!</p>
<p>I have experience with Amberson Gardens (a couple of different buildings are named Amberson, so it’s easy to get confused). According to the management website, the place is filled, but if I were you I could contact Meyers to double check. It’s about a mile from campus, five minutes on the 75 bus, and heat/electric is included in rent. PM me for more info.</p>
<p>[Meyer’s</a> Management Pittsburgh Apartments](<a href=“http://www.meyersmanagement.com/]Meyer’s”>http://www.meyersmanagement.com/)</p>
<p>Schenley House on N. Craig Street (same management company) is also nice and closer to campus, but I don’t have direct experience with that property.</p>
<p>For Webster Hall, I put him on the waiting list in February and something became available in the middle of May. It is a nice studio. Has 3 big windows and huge closets. I think there is a night security guy too. I really did not want him to end up in a slumlord’s apartment. They rent apartments to CMU so there will be lots of CMU students moving in soon :)</p>
<p>I think Webster Hall is very hard to get into. I was told that CMU reserves blocks of rooms for its students. Heck, why isn’t CMU building more dorms? Pitt is.</p>
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<p>Because they like hoarding their money instead of turning around and giving it back to the kids who need it. /bitterness</p>
<p>A lot of the nicer apartment buildings have wait. My building (Cathedral Mansions) had a waitlist when we signed up in early February. Within a few weeks (when they knew who was renewing and who wasn’t) they called me back to let me know I had a few rooms to pick from. Signed by the end of February which was a relief. </p>
<p>If you do manage to find a roommate, I also recommend Camelot Apartments. I have a bunch of friends staying there next year. It’s on N. Dithridge and no more than about 0.75 miles or so from the center of campus. However, Camelot I believe definitely will also have a waitlist.</p>
<p>Webster Hall: It was pretty empty when we moved him in but I am sure the place will be hopping by end of August. You could sort of tell which apartments would be used by CMU – they had the “dorm” furniture in the rooms. We could see through the windows as the blinds were up.</p>
<p>Yes, CMU is very stingy with their money but we will probably be taking the “campus tour” in a year :)</p>
<p>And CMU’s student body is only a fraction of the size of Pitt’s. Seems odd the school doesn’t see the value of providing housing for all of them. The CMU kids are all over the place.</p>
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<p>Well, the one advantage they do have over Pitt is that you can stay with on campus housing all four years if you wanted to (which I really wish I could for Pitt, LOVED my on campus apartment!). Then again, it’s CMU on campus housing. Very lively and lots going on (sarcasm).</p>
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<p>My tour had the potential to be great but…it was pouring rain and one of our two tour guides left partway through which really confused us (why sign up for a tour if you’re gonna leave partway through?). Also neither of the tour guides were engineers so…that made it a bit more difficult to get a feel of the place. Haha.</p>
<p>Yes, it is too bad that Pitt can’t guarantee 4 years of housing for everyone :(</p>
<p>Awesome: We should have taken a tour when we were up there but I lean toward not visiting any school until the acceptance is in-hand. DS2 has visited all the VA and OOS schools that DS1 applied to so he is pretty set on which schools he will/will not apply to. Any new schools – don’t have to think about it until next summer :)</p>
<p>Awesome, I agree that four years of on-campus housing is ideal, but I have to say that my daughter learned a lot being in her own apartment senior year and having to fend for herself. She had to deal with a landlord, get repairs made, get high-speed Internet installed, pay the cable bill, etc. That said, I still would have jumped at a fourth year of Pitt housing for her! It’s just so much easier and more convenient.</p>
<p>Yes, and you don’t have to worry about what to do with the furniture when they graduate!</p>