Off campus housing info, ?s and answers

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of Alabama
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Thought this might be a timely discussion. Feel free to ask ?s, answer, ?s or post info you’d like to share about your experience that might be helpful to others.

Upcoming housing fairs:

November

@ Ferguson Center, main floor | November 04, 2015 - 10:00 am

December

@ Ferguson Center, main floor | December 02, 2015 - 10:00 am

Off campus search via UA Housing site:

https://offcampushousing.ua.edu

Here are some of the newer properties:

University House (formerly South 10) (short walk, bike, shuttle?)

Alpha (shuttle, bike)

The Lofts at City Center (shuttle, bike)

Riverfront Village (shuttle)

The Gates at Cedar Crest (bike

Old Row (walk, bike)

Central Park (very short walk, bike)

Gramercy Park (very short walk, bike)

513 Rock Point (very short walk, bike)

East Edge (walk, shuttle, bike)

Myers Flats (bike)

The Edge (bike)

These are some of the older (but not terribly old) resort style properties:

Crimson Student Living (shuttle, bike, walk)

The Woodlands (shuttle)

The Retreat (shuttle)

Campus Evolution (shuttle)

This is only a very minimal list of properties. There are many apartments, townhouses, and houses within walking or biking distance to campus and even more within a short bike or car ride. Feel free to add to the list.

Some things to consider:

individual lease or lease by the unit? what happens when/if a roommate moves out, backs out, fails to pay?
furnished, partially furnished, or unfurnished?
walk, bike, shuttle, or drive to campus?
washer and dryer in unit or only washer/dryer hookups?
utility allowance? cable, internet, power, water included?
pet friendly, restricted, or no pets?
resort style?
gated community with restricted access? 24/7 or nights/weekends?
adequate parking? covered or secure/restricted parking?
safe area?
adequate lighting in/around property and parking?
well maintained?
24 hour maintenance? what constitutes an emergency maintenance call?
number of bedrooms/baths?
security deposit? policy on return of security deposit?
roommate matching?
visitor parking? gameday parking policy?
restrictions on number of residents or non-related residents?
sublease policy?
lease cancellation/termination?
noise/traffic in area?
ability to rent less than the whole unit at a reduced rate?
signing bonus?
move in/move out dates?
are bedrooms and bathrooms of comparable size?
can you see the actual unit you will be leasing?
ability to pay rent online with/without additional charge?
smoking/non smoking?
what amenities are important to you or are offered if any?
additional charge or restriction for using any of the amenities?

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Other considerations:

Can you choose the building/floor/location of your unit and your bedroom assignment (if leasing by the bedroom) or are they assigned by management AFTER the lease is signed? Keep in mind the location of parking, amenities, road noise or noise from a pool or the parking lot if that bothers you, the location of trash receptacles, lighting, etc. If location is important, be sure your lease specifies the particular unit you’ll be leasing. Are all the floorplans the same? (size, bathroom en suite, floor covering, windows, furnishings, appliances, etc If these issues are important, know what you’re getting in advance.)

About the lease…remind your student that at the end of the day, what is in writing is what counts. Don’t rely on verbal agreements from a leasing agent. Anything important should be in writing. Know your rights AND your responsibilities as prescribed by the lease agreement.

Is pest control provided inside/outside your apartment/house? How often? By request or preventative?

If living in a house, is lawn maintenance included?

If renting an unfurnished property, will you bring furniture, rent furniture, buy furniture? There are companies who rent furniture packages for students…I’ve read about a company called Already Furnished. A few places to buy include World Market, Target, Walmart, Haverty’s, Sams Club, Ikea in Atlanta, Pier One, and some of the other local stores depending upon your budget or on student groups on Facebook. Furnishing an apartment or house doesn’t have to break the budget. I’d really love to see a student led yard sale on campus where students could sell their unwanted/unneeded dorm and off campus furnishings.

Temper the good and bad online reviews. Some properties provide incentives for reviews. If you read the reviews you’ll notice some sites have multiple reviews by the same student. Many student housing properties also provide incentives such as free or reduced rent for referrals, so consider that as well.

For some students, readiness to move off campus comes in stages. The question is frequently asked why a student would move from one off campus option to another if cost or other issues are not a factor. Needs change, students mature, and parents begin to feel more at ease over time. Some students will move off campus and remain in the same place for several years. Other students find there are different types of housing, and they gradually move to more independent options over time. No one option is right for every student and needs, wants, and maturity can be factors. Some of the housing options are more like off campus dorms in my opinion. Some students find they outgrow them and are ready to move out of the student only apartments to an apartment community or house that has a more independent feel.

Don’t worry too much about the noise of the trains. The train is audible in most areas where students live near campus in Tuscaloosa, but most people I know barely notice it after a while. Caution your student about the dangers of trying to beat the train. There are multiple tracks at most of the popular routes to campus like Hackberry and Edward Hillard. If driving, walking, or biking to campus, allow time for the train. Respect the tracks and the trains.

Students often forget they don’t live in a bubble because they’re away at school. Crime exists in all communities and students need to no how to prepare to stay safe while living off campus.

Will you need renter’s insurance or will you rely upon your homeowner’s policy in case of theft or damage?

Check for working smoke detectors. Verify that smoke detectors have working batteries. (And carbon monoxide detectors if gas is used for heating or cooking).

If sliding glass doors are present, be sure to secure them with a bar for added security.

All gated communities are not created equal. Pay close attention to gated communities. If the gate is open, or if the gate only has a code and numeric keypad rather than a calling system where a visitor must be “buzzed in", or if the gate can be breached easily, there is little or no value to the gate other than aesthetics. Security cameras on site are a plus.

Is there a security system? If not, consider picking up an inexpensive set of door and window alarms online or at the local Lowes store for less than $50. Having an electronic timer or other technology for remotely turning on a lamp is also a good idea for students living off campus.

Go online to research crime statistics and reports in local media outlets and look for trends. Some complexes change names over the years, so you’ll need to search carefully.

Others should fee free to list any suggestions they have that might be helpful to anyone exploring off campus housing for the first time. These are merely suggestions of things to consider and will not be applicable to everyone’s situation.

Finding off campus housing can be both fun and challenging. Good luck!!

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TRANSPORTATION - here is excerpt from UA’s transportation info section regarding shuttles to off-campus locations. Full info is at crimsonride.ua.edu. The Q&A section is particularly helpful.

Apartment Shuttles: This service operates during the fall and spring semesters from 7:00am until 6:00pm Monday-Friday. This service is a service provided by each individual apartment complex. The apartments Crimson Ride currently services are: East Edge, Crimson Student Living, Bluffs, Retreat, The Lofts, University Village, Riverfront Village and South 10. All fixed bus routes can be viewed in real time using a smartphone by logging on to www.ua.transloc.com.

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Housing fairs are a good way to get ideas, but VISIT before committing to anything, don’t let them use high pressure sales tactics.

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We have heard that it can be a problem when classes end after the shuttles stop running.

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4 My son scheduled his classes so that he could use the shuttle and would not need to purchase a parking pass. He does have one evening a week where his class ends at 6:30 PM and he makes other arrangements as needed.

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^ There are not many classes that go late into the evening.

Also, parking restrictions end at 6 pm, if people need to drive to campus >6 pm (and don’t have a parking pass), they can park for $0.
Crimson Ride buses/shuttles to certain apt complexes go until 6 pm.
BUT, I also found this under 348-RIDE (the vans which supplement the Crimson Ride buses):

“Use your myBama account to make a 348 Ride request. Pick from recent pick-up and drop-off locations.
You can also make a 348 Ride request by calling 205-348-7433. Service Hours: Mon - Fri 6 PM to 6:50AM. Sat - Sun 24hours.” http://348ride.ua.edu/

So, I interpret that to mean that there is transport to certain apt complexes via 348-RIDE vans after the buses stop? Can someone who uses 348-RIDE confirm that ? Thank you!

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Most leases begin Aug. 1, so if you have to return early for band rehearsals or sorority recruitment work week, you may have to couch surf for a week or so.

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Both The Lofts and East Edge have ZipCars on property.

Worth exploring if student does not have a car.

I know at least one student who is choosing The Lofts because of this.

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If one is wanting to use ZipCars, go ahead now and set up the account. It can take several weeks to get everything set up.

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Actually, most of the leases in the UA vicinity do not go into effect until around the 2nd or 3rd Saturday of August. I know of very few that have an August 1st move in. Move out for the previous tenants is typically July 30th. They need a 1-2 week turnaround.

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Happy Friday!
We have two full-time staff in our office who work specifically with students who live or want to live off campus. Based on their early discussions with properties, next year’s move-in dates for many of the apartment communities will likely be Aug. 13 and 14.

While it might be possible that specific units can be made available earlier than that, it’s always best to have this confirmed in writing from the property managers.

Roll Tide!
Janine