Off campus housing

<p>I am moving from OOS and will be attending the U. I will not bring a car and therefore looking for something near a bus line within 20-30 minutes from campus. I am finding that all of the potential apartments within a couple of miles of the east bank seem to want you to lease for 12 months with a 60 day notice. I have other plans for next summer and only wish to commit to a lease running through the academic year (end of May). </p>

<p>Since I am working to raise some extra money for school this summer I will not be in the Twin Cities until mid-August. I wondered if anyone with more experience can tell me if students have much success in obtaining leases for the academic year vs. a full 12 months. I noted a lot of people trying to sublet over the summer so I suspect many students are having similar issues but I hope to avoid this if I can. </p>

<p>I am still hoping to find a roommate to share a 2-bdrm place but it has been difficult since I'm half way across the country. Does there tend to be a mad rush in August when there will be turnover from those who entered into 12 month leases last year along with many others like me who are looking to finalize housing locations or would most students already have their housing nailed down by now?</p>

<p>I would think most/if not all off-campus apartments require the 12 month lease. I would think all students needing an apartment for the Fall semester has already found one. The good apartments are usually gone in Spring for the Fall semester. </p>

<p>Are you only attending the university for one year? Are you going to move out in May and then move somewhere else in the Fall? If so, then you will have to find a place to store your stuff for the summer.</p>

<p>Looking for an 8-9 month lease off-campus? Good luck with that. Your best bet is probably to find someone willing to rent month-to-month. That’s not the norm for student housing but I’m sure it exists in the metro area. Downside: increased flexibility for the landlord as well as the tenant, so you could find yourself without a place in the middle of term.</p>

<p>^^^OP they are right, I think it would be EXTREMELY difficult to find a 9 month lease. DS is a senior this coming year at UMN and will graduate in May but we will still be paying until the end of August. Second son is at another school and again only 12 month leases are available. Look at it from the landlord’s perspective, why would he offer a 9 month lease knowing that he probably could NOT get a renter for the 3 months school is out. Good luck in your search.</p>

<p>We are OOS and are already looking toward renting an apartment sophomore year so we don’t have to move stuff from the dorm to a storage unit over the summer. Does anyone know how much the studios rent for at the apt. complexes (Stadium Flats etc.)?</p>

<p>I agree with everyone else, I can’t think of any instances around campus where there was a 9 month lease. This is why you see so many people in a rush to sub-lease in the spring time.
I think that possibly getting an apartment through Housing and Residential Life would be your best bet for anything that isn’t a 1 year lease.</p>

<p>There are apartments owned by the alumni association on campus that offer that but like I said, I think chances are low but its worth checking on</p>

<p>NYCVA1, my S is sharing a small apartment near the stadium with 3 other guys (2 in a room, 1 bathroom) and I think he is paying $450 per month. I am not sure if that includes utilities or not (I think it does). The $1800 per month per month for that size apartment is outrageous but I think the cost is so high because of its location. The cost for him in this apartment for 12 months is about what we paid for him to be in the dorm for 9-10 months, however the total cost might be lower as he won’t have a meal plan. (He’s not a big eater but this is his first year cooking for himself and going out, so who knows if it will be less or more.) There are probably alot of cheaper apartments out there if the student is willing to travel 20-30 minutes by bus for classes. My S was on the west bank his freshman year…I don’t think you want to look for apartments on that side of the university as it looked rather sketchy around there.</p>

<p>I had a problem like this as well when i was studying UG. If i were you i would try to find people who are staying at your U through the end of the summer and see if they would want to rent it out from you for the 3 months or however long you won’t be there for. Post it around your campus and I’m sure you will find someone.</p>

<p>^^^double-check to make sure your lease says you can sublease. If this is informal, make sure you know and can trust the person who is in the apartment the last 3 months as you will be liable for any damages etc. that happen during that period.</p>

<p>kjcphmom: thanks! Is the apartment furnished? Wow that is pretty expensive for a 2 bedroom apartment. We haven’t set foot on the west bank yet.</p>

<p>Although I can see how the Westbank is sketchy, it really does have much cheaper housing. I’ve lived in that area and it’s just like any other city. You can’t live in the best area and have a cheap apartment. There will be a trade-off that you will have to make. All of the apartments on campus are “luxury” and are ridiculously overpriced. You will definitely have to look off campus (sometimes far) for a normal apartment, for a normal person, and for a normal price.</p>

<p>NYCVA1, yes the apartment is furnished. Not sure if it has kitchen supplies etc. too. Leaving all of this in my seniors hands to figure out. Little nerve racking on my part but he lived in the dorm for the first 3 years (was easier because of a medical problem) so living in an apartment, cooking, negotiating with roommates etc. is a great learning experience.</p>

<p>Look on craigslist minnesota, click on sublets and enter university of minnesota in the search box. There are tons of listings! College students plans can change suddenly. They get internships after they sign leases, they have a falling out with roommates, 3,4,5 bedroom house and one moves out. the list goes on. Good luck, it wont be too hard to find something!</p>

<p>kjcphmom: was it difficult to get dorm housing for 3 years?</p>

<p>Actually he had no problem getting housing. The first year he was in the honors house at Middlebrook. He liked it (thought they had the best food on campus) but only could get the more expensive suites as a sophomore. Plus his freshman year was the 3rd most snowiest winter on record so it was a bit of a pain getting to the east bank for all his classes. His 2nd and 3rd year he stayed at Comstock which is right behind the Coffman union. Since he was in engineering he basically rolled out of his bed and got to most of his classes in 10 minutes. He also went to most of the movies and events (roller skating, shows, gopher after dark get togethers) because he was so close. This dorm was mostly upperclassman, although he did have a freshman roommate his sophomore year.</p>

<p>You recontract for housing in maybe February or March. If I remember right, they assign housing not long after the deadline (late March?) but way before they assign freshman their housing. I think that every upperclassman who wants to gets it. Probably because I don’t think many upperclassman decide to stay on campus…most of my son’s freshman friends got apartments their sophomore year.</p>

<p>kjcphmom: Could your son get a dorm assignment as a senior instead of moving off-campus? For Comstock, was he in a single?</p>

<p>^^^Just asked my son if he had decided to recontract for another year, did he think he would have had a problem. He didn’t think so as he didn’t have a problem any of the other times. He said that recontracting is split into 4, and since he probably would have stayed in the same dorm, probably the same room, he would have 1st choice. Of course this is what HE believes…housing could probably answer questions with the right answers. Comstock does have single rooms. He shared a room, mostly because of the cost. Last year he was on the 1st floor as the ceilings are higher for lofting.</p>

<p>I have a room available close to Dinkytown. It is located at the Remond Apartments. Rent is 480 a month + some utilities, others include cable/internet. Its in a 3 BR / 1 BA, so you could get your own room. It is unfurnished. </p>

<p>Here is the address: 219 8th Ave. S.E. Minneapolis, MN 55414.
It is within walking distance of the West Bank, and 10 minutes by bus to the East Bank.</p>

<p>We are currently sophomores at the U but will take anything. </p>

<p>Here is a youtube video of what it looks like:
[Redmond</a> Apartments 4 Bedroom .mov - YouTube](<a href=“- YouTube”>- YouTube)</p>

<p>email me at: robbe016@
umn.edu</p>