<p>Hey there...my son is considering transferring to Villanova for the Spring semester, and I am trying to help him find housing options. It sounds like on-campus housing is not an option, and the campus is located in an area without a ton of off-campus options. There is one complex close to campus (complete with a shuttle), but looking at the reviews of the facility (Home Properties of Bryn Mawr), it sounds pretty shaky.</p>
<p>Looking at the university website, there is not much in the way of support for non-campus housing...which considering where the campus is located (imbedded within a VERY residential area in the western suburbs of Philadelphia) is a little disappointing. Does anybody here have any ideas other than the typical Craig's List, sublet/apartment-type resources to look for a housing option for my son for the spring?</p>
<p>Finding decent Off-Campus housing is a headache. Home Props of Bryn Mawr is more or less the “gold standard” as far as Villanova students are concerned. Despite the negative reviews, it’s actually one of the best/better places to live off-campus. The apartments are nice and come with new finishings, they are a decent size and your son will be living around TONS of other Villanova students. The downside is that it’s more expensive than other options. If cost is not an issue (I think it actually costs more or less the same as living on-campus anyways) then Home Props will actually be a good move.</p>
<p>They also have another Home Props in Devon, which is a bit further, but cheaper.</p>
<p>Your other options are looking for privately owned units, often times apartments on top of stores/restaurants etc. You may want to look at a bunch of places like this, as some of them look like former meth labs. </p>
<p>A general rule of thumb is that if something looks like a bargain, it’s probably poorly maintained/infested with rats and roaches. </p>
<p>To give you an idea of a good price to pay, most people who live off-campus can cover their cost of rent/utilities in around $800/month (i.e: 3 students living in a 2 bedroom home props apartments, or 4 students living in a decent 3 bedroom house). </p>
<p>I know students who pay as low as $500/mo for rent, but that’s for an extremely dilapidated apartment above an art gallery on Lancaster Ave. I personally could not live there. </p>
<p>You don’t realize how expensive off campus housing around Nova is until you find out you can rent an apartment at the Ritz Carlton right across city hall in Center City Philly, for a couple hundred dollars more than what it would cost for a similar sized apartment in home props.</p>
<p>Look into Casa Del Sol, they offer nice studios if your son cannot find a roommate, but it’s about a 10 minute drive from campus. </p>
<p>Try to find out where the students advertise for roommates. My son moved to a college town for work right out of college and figured he’d like to live around grad students for an apartment share and be in the area around the university due to the amenities it offered. He found a face book page specifically for grad students looking for apartment shares. Ask the housing office and the dean of students’ office for such info. </p>
<p>Yes you may have luck trying to Class of 20XX facebook page and seeing if anyone needs a roommate for the upcoming semester (roommates move out, or go study abroad all the time). If someone’s roommate is leaving next semester, Res Life may fill the vacancy randomly unless the remaining roommate requests someone specifically. This would be ideal if your son is a Freshman or Sophomore.</p>
<p>Other than that what cptofthehouse said, look for other FB groups, who knows, maybe another transfer is in the same exact position as your son. </p>
<p>Hi,
Glad to hear your son is considering transferring to Villanova! I am current junior here and I absolutely love it. I am also a Resident Assistant, and can say that I know quite a bit about our housing
-Home Props is pretty popular, and I wouldn’t go off the reviews online- we have more juniors/seniors living there than any other off campus location, and most students I know living there are very happy; plus, it would make it easier for your son to meet new friends if he is around other Villanova students, something to take into consideration for a transfer student
-The Office of Residence Life (610-519-4500) actually keeps a list of students living off campus looking for a roommate; this is only available to Villanova students, though, so your son would need to officially decide on Villanova first
-Depending on the class year, if he is a freshman/sophomore he actually does have a good chance of getting on campus housing, he will just be on the waiting list for awhile
-If he has any friends who go to Villanova, he might want to ask them if they know anyone looking for a roommate
-As an RA, I am asked to distribute “Crossroads”; it is our guide to off campus housing, and as this is almost mandated for seniors, it is very comprehensive; the link is <a href=“https://www1.villanova.edu/content/dam/villanova/studentlife/documents/Crossroads_2010.pdf”>https://www1.villanova.edu/content/dam/villanova/studentlife/documents/Crossroads_2010.pdf</a></p>
<p>Feel free to direct message me if you have any questions or would like some assistance! Go Nova.</p>
