<p>My D is considering the courtyards for her off campus housing next year. Have any of you had experience living there? Good or Bad? Any input would be appreciated.</p>
<p>I’ve gone to my share of parties there. I would not recommend it if you are looking for a quiet place. I also hear the rates are not too good.</p>
<p>gpowsang</p>
<p>The courtyards ghetto, full of craziness, things are falling apart, it’s old, and LOUD. Loud as hell, the walls in this apartment complex are insanely penetrable. The way it is set up as a courtyard allows sound to echo easily. I lived here for a couple months (summer lease) and lying down in my bed every morning I could hear EVERYTHING going on in the apartments next to mine. Your room is small and you have to share a bathroom with 4 people. Closet-space is literally non-existant. There is a little niche formed by the walls that is considered your closet. The only thing I like is the townhouse set-up where living space is downstairs and bedrooms are upstairs. I worried about my car getting broken or scratched 24/7. Nothing bad happened in my experience there except that no matter what we always seemed to go over the utilities limit.</p>
<p>I moved to the Estates this year and everything has gone fine so far with my experience here. However I am moving back to the courtyards next year. At the courtyards you pay for location. It is one of the best off-campus locations at UF, it has a better location than a lot of dorms. I personally HATE taking the bus and the Estates is on a popular bus route (20/21) as the last stop and STILL from this stop it takes almost 15-20 minutes sometimes to get to the terminal bus stops on campus near class and then an extra 5-10 mins to walk to class (i can’t even imagine living further up the road like at The District… back and forth that is an hour of your day spent on the bus!); Whereas at the courtyards you cross the street in 5-10 mins walking you are at your class.</p>
<p>^^^^
Isn’t that funny how everyone’s different 
… my d lives at The Estates and doesn’t mind the bus at all. It’s her “think” time, lay back with her IPOD and look over notes for class, or whatever. She re-upped for next year because it’s been such a great experience. Now, she does drive in to campus after 4:30pm for anything going on … but the rest of the time, she’s good with the bus. And she LOVES being so close to the SW rec center where she works out several times a week.</p>
<p>zebes</p>
<p>The only good thing about the Courtyards is its proximity to campus. It’s loud, poorly-maintained, and your bedroom is the size of a nice closet.</p>
<p>I currently live in The Estates and it is indeed a nice place…but too far from the main portion of campus. I cannot tell you how many times I have been late to class considering the Estates is at the LAST bus stop, so it gets crowded as we wave to all the full buses that pass us by, unless you want to wake up an hour and thirty minutes before your class get ready for class and catch the bus so you are not in a super rush. When you have classes 5 days a week it can be a little irritable going through ‘the bus situation’, I too am looking at The Courtyards, sure its loud and old but location, location, location baby!</p>