<p>Hello! Daughter is a freshman living at Landis Hall this year; but wants to go off-campus for housing in the fall~any suggestions?! She has been to a few complexes, and likes some very much! Since I am not from the area, I do not have a clue on what she is looking at. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!!</p>
<p>I’d start by asking her where she has been looking and what she liked about each one. Then, armed with the names of the complexes she’s seen, you can start doing your own research into each one.</p>
<p>One good resource would be the [FSU</a> Off Campus Housing](<a href=“FSU Off-Campus Housing Marketplace”>http://offcampushousing.fsu.edu/) listings.</p>
<p>they are look nice online~just don’t get the feel if they are ‘safe’ locations or not. she likes Seminole Grand~any words on that complex?</p>
<p>I haven’t lived off campus and honestly haven’t done that much research on the subject.</p>
<p>[Google</a> Maps](<a href=“Google Maps”>Google Maps)
There’s a few reviews of the complex on Google, and from what I’ve read they’re generally very negative. Granted, I’ve seen the same general trend on just about every apartment complex near FSU, so it’s not really that helpful. </p>
<p>On paper it looks nice. The prices aren’t too awful, and they appear to offer better amenities than most other local options. </p>
<p>Here’s another site with reviews that are generally negative:
[Seminole</a> Grand Apartments Ratings, Reviews, Map, Rents, and other Tallahassee apartments for rent from ApartmentRatings.com](<a href=“http://www.apartmentratings.com/rate/FL-Tallahassee-Seminole-Grand-Apartments.html]Seminole”>http://www.apartmentratings.com/rate/FL-Tallahassee-Seminole-Grand-Apartments.html)</p>
<p>O.o’ yah know I’m sure those reviews are from experiences, I mean people don’t really take the time to post negative reviews unless; well, it really happened. At the same time for those who’ve had great experiences, they don’t necessarily care to post a review unless it’s really that great of an experience, sometimes most likely not. </p>
<p>I have a friend who lives off-campus at another university, not that this is related at all, but I’m afraid of off-campus housing. She (my friend) had several robberies in one semester that occurred at her off-campus housing, with other major problems as well. That kinda pulled me out from renting off-campus. </p>
<p>mdkskj, have you and your daughter consider renting a dorm that doesn’t require a meal plan? Or maybe get the cheapest meal plans available and use the flex bucks and what not to shop with? I’m living in a dorm, and though my roommate and I are not exactly best of friends (We rarely talk to each other) I like it , I spend less than $50.00 going to publix (local grocery store) and buy groceries for a whole week, I cook in my dorm (which doesn’t require a meal plan). </p>
<p>And best of all, my dorm location isn’t that far from my classes, so I don’t have to wait on buses, get up early to make sure I catch the bus to make it class on time, and should I have to be at the library late during the nights (research, essay etc…) I can, without worrying about taking public transportation late in the night to get to my off-campus housing facility) </p>
<p>I’ve noticed that a lot of students like off-campus because they can well have more freedom, nevertheless; they can still have those freedom whether or not they stay on campus or off-campus. I couldn’t help but wonder about a few students (not that it’s my concern what they choose to do during their college “experience”). During my orientation day, off-campus housing was talked about, and primarily the reason is for “party” houses, yah know, where;s the best parties at, clubs etc… our orientation leader gave some advice “see me after” lol. </p>
<p>I honestly feel safer here at the FSU dorms, I don’t really know anyone here, I pretty much know myself that’s it lol. </p>
<p>So I’d probably reconsider the dorms at FSU, or if you’re absolutely sure that an on-campus dorm isn’t the right place for your daughter then by all means find the safest place for her.</p>
<p>My daughter chose offcampus housing as a freshman and it was the right decision for her. She is not a partier even when I encourage her to go out with her sorority sisters more or to go to Spring Break weekends, etc. Her reasons were simple. If she is sick she doesn’t want to have to share 150 sq ft. with another person. She wants to be in her room in her bed alone. If she has a lot of studying to do, she studies better with music and wants to be able to play music, whatever kind she wants, at a reasonable noise level no matter what time of the night she gets around the studying. She also wants to go to sleep whenever she wants instead of having to give this same courtesy to another person who is sharing her bedroom. Places that she and her sorority sisters live that she has mentioned are decent and not unsafe are: Players Club, Heritage Grove (there is a police substation at Heritage Grove), Boardwalk at Appleyard, West10 and GranMarc. Other properties that she has looked at for next year are The Retreat (being built) and Campus Circle (being built). She has a sorority sister that lives at Seminole Grand that told her not to even consider living there (she did not elaborate). Hope that helps some.</p>
<p>@jannahickey~thank you! Your daughter has all the same reasons that my daughter has for living off campus. She also wants to cook for herself. I am totally aware of the ‘party-scene’, and I know that my daughter is not interested in this~so I would like to see her in a place where she can just be herself~and do what she enjoys. The dorm room is just so confining for her. As a parent, living 19 hours away, I want the peace of mind that she is content, happy, and safe.</p>
<p>I will keep talking with her~for some reason, she and her friends really like this Semiole Grand place. Thanks so much again!</p>
<p>I live off campus at Grandmarc right now. I would consider the top places are Grandmarc and West10. Next year Campus Circle and Retreat will be right there. Aside from these four the complexes take a serious drop. I would not even consider Seminole Grand. It is in a bad area over by Godby high school which is a bad school and in a bad area heading up to French Town. I know people that live in the Preserve which has a nice layout and very spacious but over break many people’s apartments got broken into. At GrandMarc and West10 there are security gates and officers on duty at night. For GM you need keys to get in community doors and even have reserved parking in a garage which is nice but it is very expensive to live in these two. Overall you need to visit them in person first and ask residents that live there now. Not just what a leasing manager says.</p>
<p>My daughter has heard similar reports regarding Seminole Grand as the two other above posters.</p>
<p>mdkskj - No problem. Grandmarc is nice, as mikebuk stated, though I found it a little offputting with the hallways enclosed the way they are. It’s probably a safety feature, though. My daughter’s roommate’s boyfriend lives at West10 now and she said it’s really nice. Both of those communities were more than we were willing to pay though. I truly would steer her away from Seminole Grand. I did not realize the location and, if I had, I would have told you that’s why she should not live there. mikebuk is right, that’s nowhere to put your daughter no matter how much she likes it. Also, my daughter signed a lease at The Retreat for the fall but is now getting out of it because she is worried about her finances. The rent was going to be $660 per month and electricity is extra. That was in a three bed three bath. She currently lives in Boardwalk at Appleyard and it has it’s ups and downs. Security is not a problem there though. They have gates and on top of that there are guards on duty every night ensuring that only people with key cards get in the gate when it opens. You have to show your ID to get in after dark. She did say that she walked into the Leasing Office and overheard someone yelling at the community manager about their apartment being broken into but when the manager grilled the resident about it, it turned out that it was someone the resident knew. Other than that she gets irritated by the noise in the apartment beneath her sometimes and they usually always have utility overages (no more than $20) even though they keep their air on 78. She doesn’t use all the amenities that we are paying for (movie theatre, tanning bed, gym, business center) so I feel like she could probably live somewhere more economical but she hasn’t made up her mind yet whether she will renew there or move in with one of her sorority sisters for the fall. Let me know if you need anymore information. :)</p>
<p>Agreed with the negativity against Seminole Grand. I have only heard terrible things about the place.</p>
<p>I personally recommend University Village, though I too have never lived off campus.</p>
<p>So, mikebuk123 mentioned [Campus</a> Circle](<a href=“Campus Circle Tallahassee - You Stay Classy Tallahassee! - YouTube”>Campus Circle Tallahassee - You Stay Classy Tallahassee! - YouTube). 
When I first started to look for a place to stay at (before decided to live on-campus) campus circle appealed to me. </p>
<p>I love their [Two</a> bed](<a href=“http://www.campuscircletallahassee.com/floorplans]Two”>http://www.campuscircletallahassee.com/floorplans) floor plan. Ideally it’d be a place I’d want to live it. Though, I didn’t visit the apartments in person (I would, had I choose to live there) just the feel and vibe I get from how they present themselves online is inviting. </p>
<p>:P I’d say definitely worth checking out.</p>
<p>I actually just signed a lease in Campus Circle. I checked it out and loved it.</p>
<p>How about “the commons”?
I visited the area and the school two weeks ago and I most certainly liked west10. though the pricing was way to high.
I am sharing an apartment with a male friend and my sister.
even though the cost is cheap ($395) I seem to be the only one that doesn’t like the housing. the rooms are nice, at least from what they showed us, but i think that the area and the actual facility is unsafe. The neighborhood doesn’t look safe (it is next door to seminole grande) and i don’t even think that the gates close period at night. no security at all.
I already signed the lease and paid the first month, so i can’t withdraw from the housing. Hopefully my guts are wrong about that place and nothing bad will happen.
does anyone know any information about “the commons”?</p>
<p>ohh, and campus circle is so beautiful! If you have the money, you should most defiantly consider living there.</p>
<p>My friend just started working at West 10, she said that they lowered their rates by a lot. Call them or something and see what they are now. Its beautiful there. I made the mistake of moving into a house from there. It was so nice and the prices pretty much included everything except electric which is like 40 dollars on average.</p>
<p>@mdkskj If you have the money I’d Try West10. It’s a gated community (if you are worried about safety). I have a good friend who lives there and she has never had any complaints. It is one of the newer places in the area and they keep it really clean. I’m thinking about moving in this fall. Anyone else have any experiences from there?</p>