<p>I will be a transfer for the fall 2013, and am looking at apartments.</p>
<p>I have been looking at Aspyre, the Club at Carolina Stadium, Garnet River Walk, The Retreat, the Woodlands, and Stadium suites (put myself on the waitlist there). Was wondering if anyone has lived at or heard positive/negative things about these apartments? Just want some insight on which ones to stay away from. </p>
<p>Thanks!!</p>
<p>Be cautious of the apartments that cater to college students and their “Individual Lease Liability”. All the university style apartments you mentioned are set up this way. My daughter and her friends attended one of the many “Housing Fairs” on campus and some were quick to sign leases. When my daughter told me she wanted to sign up for one of these locations, I visited a couple of university style apartment complexes to learn more about them.</p>
<p>The presentations and tours are impressive. The monthly fees cover shuttles to and from campus every 30 minutes, individual bedroom and bathrooms, internet, trash, water/sewer, etc., and pay for the electricity bill up to a certain amount. The model unit is really nice. The price seems to be fair.</p>
<p>However, there are several drawbacks.<br>
(1) I asked the complex reps about several complaints that were spelled out at various internet review sites. They failed to adequately address them. At Garnet River Walk I asked if they have any empty apartments at this time, so I could take a closer look instead of viewing just the 1/2 scale model. I had read about reports of paper thin walls, stained carpets, and other issues. The rep stated they did indeed have empty units at that time, but they can not show me the empty units due to “fair housing standards”. I pressed and pressed and let them know my decision to sign a lease would be based on evaluating an actual apartment. They refused. I also asked about large number of students being billed for pre-existing damages. The rep said they have new management now. I asked if the apartment would be in pristine condition when the students moved in and therefore any damages would indeed be the fault of students. They could not give me any assurances. I then asked about recourse if the student signs a lease in February and then is assigned to an apartment that is not in good condition in August. They said they would take care of “major” things. </p>
<p>(2) If you don’t have all your roommates lined up, you will be assigned roommates by the apartment complex. Also if one of your existing roommates backs out or changes their mind, you will be assigned a new roommate by the complex. The roommate may smoke, have pets, deal drugs, etc., and may not even be a student. (Note the student who was murdered at Clemson was due to druggies looking to steal drugs from his 31 year old roommate.) If you have bad roommates, you can request another room. This may or may not be approved and will cost you $200. Also note this item from the Garnet River Walk lease - “Within one day of providing written notice to you, we shall have the right to relocate you from one Bedroom in the Apartment to another or even to another Apartment in the Building within the Apartment Community”.</p>
<p>(3) The Garnet River Walk lease is really priceless. If you leave early you will still be responsible for the full lease. Fair enough. But is also states you also have to pay a reletting charge of $200. You will also still be responsible for any damages that occur during the full term of the lease. So if you move out after 6 months and remaining renters trash the place, you would still be responsible for a share of the damages.</p>
<p>(4) All of the university style apartments with individual leases are known to be noisy. If you need a lot of quiet study time, these may not be the best option.</p>
<p>My recommendation is to look for a rental house or condo. You can find several on craigslist or zillow. And you don’t have to sign an August lease in February. Also with the interest rates being so low and Columbia, SC having a large amount of affordable housing, buying is also a good option. If you buy a 2 or 3 or 4 bedroom place, the student can rent out the other rooms and basically live for free. The real estate close to campus cost a little more. However, if the student if willing to drive 5 minutes, 25 minutes, you can find some incredible options.</p>
<p>Also keep in mind that “Study Abroad” is a big thing at USC, so be careful not to commit to a lease or house payment that may overlap with studying abroad.</p>