<p>Just got the news today that i was accepted into engineering graduate school for Industrial Engineering, really psyched since UF is my top choice. </p>
<p>Now i was admitted for Spring 2010, classes start January 5th. I have about 3 months to find myself and secure an apartment. As you can see i could use a helpful push into the right direction :)</p>
<p>Currently i live in Miami, FL, i find a furnished apartment to be most convenient and since i would only be staying at UF for a period of 12-18 months for the Masters program i feel that buying furniture would be a waste and a hassle to deal with, no?</p>
<p>So what i am looking for is a nice apartment complex that has a furniture package available that is price under $1000 and that is close to UF (2-3 miles max).</p>
<p>Also if you know of a really nice complex or two that do not offer furniture packages but are a "must-see" let me know as well :P</p>
<p>Last thing, if i were to furnish my apartment for such a short period of time without breaking the bank, how would i go about this? </p>
<p>Sorry for the questions but i find people on the UF section to be so helpful :)</p>
<p>Do not live at Jefferson 2nd. I was considering it last year - it looks amazing, the location is great, and they were built a couple of years ago. That being said, it’s not a good place to live. The walls are paper-thin, there’s always a party, and the whole thing is already starting to fall apart. Also, their roommate matching service is a joke. </p>
<p>Are you looking to pay under $1000 a month? If that’s the case, you can afford pretty much any apartment complex in Gainesville. f you find something unfurnished that you really like, Craigslist is your best friend.</p>
<p>It all comes down to what you want. Do you want to be able to walk to campus? Do you mind taking a bus? How much noise can you tolerate coming from your neighbors? Do you want roommates, or do you want to live alone?</p>
<p>I live at University Commons and it is fantastic! It comes fully furnished with cable TV and internet, takes me 15 minutes on a bike to get to campus, never had a problem with noise. There’s also a pool, really nice game room, etc. and my roommates are great!</p>
<p>Ive been living in University House ([University</a> House](<a href=“http://www.universityhouse.com%5DUniversity”>http://www.universityhouse.com)) since the beginning of this semester and I love it. Fully furnished, walking distance from campus, and a very community-like feel. It was just built last August, so everything is new too, its very well kept. Check it out!</p>
<p>yea i read the reviews about Jeffersons 2nd illusionsx, they say noise is a big issue. I am considering apartments that i can bike to school from, or take a 5-10 minute bus ride to campus i guess. </p>
<p>I prefer furnished places because i know its easy to get furniture off craigslist but the logistics of moving it to my place and getting separate pieces from all over then when I’m done in 12-18 months with my degree i would have to deal with getting rid of it in the same fashion. A hassle i would like to avoid if possible. </p>
<p>Medwell, i was looking into University Commons a few days ago, not too shabby other than they do not offer 1 bedroom apartments. How is the roommate matching? How is the noise and partying? Place kept clean?</p>
<p>Jasoninpines, i saw the website for University House also a few days ago, it also seems like a good match. Might have to tour the place. I hear the issue is they try to charge you a lot when you are moving out for certain things. Other than that I’m definitely going to check it out. Again how is the noise and partying? Are the apartments well insulated to keep sound out?</p>
<p>Thanks for the replies, i’m going to make an appoint to tour 4-5 places in 2 weeks and get something reserved so your suggestions are helpful :)</p>
<p>D’s at The Estates and loving it. It’s near the South West Rec Center. She rides the bus in, and she says she never has difficulty getting on, even though they’re the last stop before getting on campus. Everything’s furnished. I looked on their website; they list a one bedroom for $822/mo., fully furnished, all inclusive of utilities, including satellite tv and internet. Don’t know if anything’s available, however. But there you go …</p>
<p>Zebes, the estates looks very nice. Its so close to school. Near the rec center as well, very cool. How does your D find the noise? I hear that they have big pool parties their. How is the insulation between the rooms, does sound travel easily? Is the place kept clean? </p>
<p>If its relatively quite most of the time then The estates is definitely a place i have to schedule a visit for. Thanks :)</p>
<p>D’s not had any trouble, but I suppose it also comes down to who lives in the apartments around you. We had specifically requested a 3rd floor apartment so they didn’t have to deal with student apartment noise above them. I think since they’ve been there, the complex has had one major pool party, and that was on a saturday night. Her apartment is also away from the pool – also requested – so as to avoid that noise. When she and her roommates moved in, we were more than pleasantly surprised. The place was very clean. You could still see the vacuum marks in the carpet. Furniture was in great condition, and their kitchen looked like no one had ever used it. We think she had very clean former occupants before them, thank goodness. There was barely a thing we had to mark on their move in list … except for small incidentals. As I said … she gets into campus quite easily, never a problem at all, and she even comes back to her apartment between classes if she’s got several hours and does homework. She has a reserved parking space, but she says she really doesn’t need it. There’s always plenty of parking right in front of her apartment. Again … as far as student apartment goes, we have no complaints. However, someone else living where they had noisier neighbors might have a different opinion in the very same facility. I’d keep my apartment away from the pool if I could.</p>
<p>Zebes, thanks for the good advice. I will tour the complex and see if they have anything available away from the pool area if possible. Appreciate your input. :)</p>
<p>Aalba,
The Estates is NOT close to campus. Quite the opposite, it’s one of the farthest apartment complexes one can live in while attending UF. Most of your classes will be in the NorthEast side of campus, and the Estates is on the Southwest corner. It literally takes my friends 20 minutes by bus(that is, if the bus is not full) to get to class(not to mention the 5 minute walk thereafter.</p>
<p>danny, thanks for the tip, i plan to ride my bike and mapquest shows it to be 3 miles to the industrial engineering building, considering i am coming in Spring i need all the leads i can get to quality furnished places decently close to school. What do your friends think about the estates besides the distance though? Appreciate your input!</p>
<p>Anyone has any input on Tuscan Bend? The laurels?</p>
<p>Well, for starters, price should also be a concern to you. Would you like to pay below $400 a month? How about $600? There are tons of places that look good, just like the Estates, and are the same distance. The Estates is VERY nice; however, yes, you will encounter parties here and there. That is COMMON wherever you go.
My friends tell me that Management is lousy over there. And 3 miles on bike is a considerable amount of time…
I’d suggest University Club Apartments. Do some research.
Get back at me.</p>
<p>^^^
D’s had no trouble w/ management, including getting someone to come immediately on the day they moved in (day before most freshman did) and fix a slight leak with the garbage disposal (one of the only things wrong with the apartment). Replaced the entire garbage disposal to be cautious. Again, we can only speak to her and her roommates experience, but they’ve loved it. D also loves to work out, so being so close to the SW rec center’s been good for her too. She uses it more than the on-site gym because she likes to blend more than stand out … LOL, and she feels a bit in a fish bowl when she’s working out on-site. </p>
<p>She did tell me she and her roommates looked out their windows and laughed at girls walking by on stiletto heels, wearing bikinis and heading for the big pool party. Some of them wobbled so badly, she figured they’d never worn heels that high before. LOL They avoided the pool area that day. Not big partiers, at all.</p>
<p>danny, my price range is under $1000. So basically i don’t really care about the price as long as its a nice place decently close to school. I know there are a lot of nice places just as far as UF but usually they don’t offer nice furniture packages.</p>
<p>University club apartments looks nice but i would prefer a 1/1 apartment.</p>
<p>Just looking for a place that’s furnished, good construction with decent noise insulation, decently close to school and under $1000 for a 1/1.</p>
<p>Going to check out</p>
<p>The estates
University house
The laurels
Tuscan Bend</p>
<p>I only have 1 or 2 Saturday morning/afternoon to tour places so i just need a list of 4-5 apartments and see if i find something i like.</p>
<p>All apartment complexes in Gainesville will screw you in one way or antoher. Expect to be billed $96 extra for utilities, or for the creepy maintenance guy who smells like Jack Daniels to wake you up at 7am so he can inspect your air-conditioning filter.</p>
<p>By far the WORST apartment complex is College Manor. While it has an excellent location right across of the business college and near many restaurants, it is the poster child of a roach motel. And I mean this literally, because it used to be a motel, and it is filled with roaches. If you want noisy crackhead neighbors and want to find a homeless man urinating in the parking lot, live at College Manor.</p>
<p>My suggestion is to just find a room for rent in a house or townhouse. The rents are more reasonably because you are dealing with students instead of a leasing company like Trimark Properties. Check craigslist, I’m sure you’ll find something.</p>
<p>For something with decent noise insulation and located decently close to school, I’d just look into renting out a house or subleasing someone’s room. There are a lot of grad students (and undergrads, really) who rent houses around the UF campus. That’s pretty much the only way you’re going to find something well-built and quiet around here. </p>
<p>Also, look into renting out someone’s condo. I’d imagine those would be built a little better than the typical apartment complex.</p>