The supply of off campus housing that is easy walking distance

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of Alabama
1

I have read this a few times looking at off campus housing options here & on the FB page. Can anyone give an example of some of these? Names?

Also, older complexes near the Publix/Strip. ?

We drove around the area when we visited UA, looking at the area & there did seem to be a lot around. There are some gorgeous places that are way too expensive for us.

DS can’t walk for long distances due to orthopedic issues, & he won’t have a car. I know of those on the UA website w/ the Crimson shuttle. I am assuming these “shuttle” rentals would not be in easy walking distance?

2

I know East Edge is on the edge of campus, I assume walking distance would depend on where your son’s classes are. You can google map the distance from apartment complex to class, just pick the walking direction option, not driving.

With a documented medical issue, couldn’t he stay on campus? Have you checked with UA Housing? That is assuming that he wanted to stay on campus.

3

College Station is a property management company that manages a lot of small complexes near the Strip and stadium. I was able to Google College Station Tuscaloosa to get to their website. Cobblestone Court are efficiency units right near Publix. One year my son looked at Duncan House an older complex on Reed Street between the strip and campus and there are several other complexes in that area, but I don’t know the names of many of them.

4

Here is link to College Station Properties: http://walktoclass.net/Home.html . Personally, I find some of these a hefty walk, but yes, you can still walk (and a hefty price for what you get). There are tons of options, so don’t sweat it.
UA Housing will have similar list.
Good luck with this!

5

I have a similar concern for close off campus housing. We have heard all wonderful things about UA, but the 1 yr guarantee has me worried, especially since I have read that some classes end after the buses. We will be visiting in September, and the question about available and affordable housing within definite walking distance is at the top of my list. I wish that the Honors program offered a longer housing guarantee.

6

There is an abundance of off campus housing within walking distance. There are very affordable options and also more expensive options. The newer complexes with the luxury amenities will be more expensive, so that is something to consider. Many students find they are granted on campus housing IF they meet the deadlines provided by UA Housing.

Your best bet is to do your homework early and identify potential options well in advance so you can make an informed decision and save $.

7

Thanks :slight_smile: Do you know when time-wise Freshman would need to start securing housing for Soph year?

8

Every student is different, so the timeline will be different. Some students are ready to move off campus before they even get there (and regret having to be in the dorm in the first place)…and others do well by staying there all 4 years.

A sort of ‘panic’ kind of sets in about the middle of fall semester, when UA Housing asks existing dorm students to start the re-contracting process. Students are asked to indicate whether they plan on needing a dorm or not for the following year. This sets off a flurry of parents (usually) and some students trying to find housing for the following fall, a full 9-ish months ahead of time. Wait, what?! Wait lists go up. Social media freaks us all out a bit too much about this, IMO.

Most freshman are just settling into UA and to dorm life…and moving off campus is a pretty scary proposition at that point (~Oct!)…and many are just not ready to take this task on of finding their own accommodation. Most freshman students have just gotten to meet people and are starting to form friendships that might develop into future housing arrangements, but these are by no means set in stone. Very few students are in a position, just 2-3 months into school, to figure out what they want to do regarding housing. So my advice is to wait and not sweat it, if you can. If you think that you’d like to stay on campus, by all means go down the re-contracting path, and pay close attention to deadlines, in order to keep your options open. UA holds off-campus housing fairs 2x a year, once in each semester. There is NOT a shortage of housing in/around Tuscaloosa! They are blessed with a good blend of choices to fit everyone.

Most off-campus leases run Aug-to-Aug, but you might find some that run June-to-June, or some other combination of 12 months. Be aware that you will be paying for 3-4 months that you don’t need in that apartment, unless you either stay in town (work or go to summer school), or if you sub-let out to someone else to pay your rent for you (check if your complex/lease allows this). Be sure to factor in those ‘extra’ vacant months into your budgets.

My personal opinion is that existing Freshman in the dorms are VERY likely to be able to be recontracted to stay in the dorms for their Sophomore year, IF they pay attention to Housing deadlines, pay their deposits, etc. No guarantees, of course. But growth is/will be leveling off (right UA?!), and both Pres I and II are built, and any future re-dos/teardowns of existing dorms are happening in a very planned manner.

If you decide to move off campus, do not be scared into signing leases because there are wait-lists at certain places, etc. Yes, sometimes the early bird gets the worm, but there are also those same worms who have very specific requirements or budgets. Sooooo, if you have a specific need (monetary or otherwise), it is wise to start looking as soon as possible. That said, I hate remembering the pressure we put on our Freshman son to try and get a firm decision out of him when he had only been at school a few months. It became clear (when he did absolutely nothing about looking for apartments) that he was not ready to move off campus, and so he stayed in the dorms another year. Had he not been able to stay in the dorms as a sophomore, my advice/tale might be different, but my advice would always be to not sweat things - let your student take the lead and find their own place (with your help, if needed), but definitely let them handle it. It is a life lesson that we should not take away from them! :wink:

9

The UA Housing site has a section with information about off-campus housing and Bama will hold several off campus housing fairs throughout the year to assist students. Some of the places do fill up early so looking in the fall is necessary.

If your child belongs to a fraternity or sorority they may want to live in their house, my son has been able to live on campus all 4 years this way.

10

Thanks @aeromom, that is the type of thing I was looking for as lots of available rentals is not very helpful. The places are very expensive & really aren’t what I would consider an easy walk. From my understanding the prices go up the closer they are to campus. Also, it appears the places available on that site are unfurnished, and require utilities on top of the rental, so none of them would be affordable IMO, at least not for us.

He is staying in suite style this year, but only because we assumed he would be moving off campus. Though, in reality, the ones I think would be best are almost as expensive as the dorms. I guess not having the freshman meal plan might or might not make much of an impact. As I am assuming there will be other fees w/ off campus housing.

East Edge would be a half hour walk for him if he has most classes in the engineering quad. They are very expensive as well, but do come furnished & include some amenities, but still additional expenses on top of “starting” at rates. These put us at the dorm rates if not higher. I think I read this is one place to sign early as the rates tend to go up the farther into the school year.

I have been looking this past week & some of the rental places in the area are not rated well. Also, looking at them on googlemaps, some look pretty sketchy.

Guess we are back to those on UA’s website that use the shuttle. I am thinking staying on campus, if he could, for another year would probably be best. No unknowns with that at least, and we will already have the stuff required for a dorm.

11

Some students who are worried about finances and all apply to work for housing as an RA or FA. It’s a good way to get free housing or a stipend. However it is a difficult job. If that’s something your son is interested in, it could help the housing dilemma.

12

Your son could always think about applying to be a RA on campus or a similar position in some of the off campus sites that have CA’s.

13

I guess we were thinking the exact same thing at the exact same time and cross posted. Weird, huh?:slight_smile:

14

Several of the apartments have shuttle service. Or if he has a bicycle, 2 miles away would be less than 15 minute ride. Or if he could take an expensive car, he could live further off campus and have less expensive apartment. The more bedrooms,mother less per person. Don’t rush into signing a contract unless you want a unit super close (expensive). The unit we signed for in February is now offering $1000 back for those that sign now.

15

Due to the proximity of the highway and the river, there are not as many complexes near the engineering quad, as there are near the strip/stadium and the few in that area are pricier and not an easy walk. The ones near the strip/stadium may be quite a walk to the engineering quad, but it would always be possible just to walk to the Crimson Ride route and then use it to get to the other side of campus.

Some of the apartments near the strip/stadium are older units, but many have been remodeled on the inside and are perfectly acceptable for a young adult in college. Even some of those ‘sketchy’ looking units are many times better than some of the housing I had while a college student.

With the exception of East Edge, the resort style units are farther away, but many of them are within a few miles. My son has spent 2 years living at the woodlands (next to Target) and rides his bike from there to campus almost every day.

Even while paying 12 months at the Woodlands, our annual bill was less than paying for 10 months in the dorm and even though the first summer he lived there he was not in town during the summer, we didn’t have to worry about moving or storing anything.

For next year due to some ever changing roommate issues, my son waited a LONG time before committing to a lease. I don’t believe he signed until early June. He wound up looking for a 2 bedroom unit and by then most of the bigger complexes had no availability for 2 bedroom units and even College Station had nothing they considered within walking distance of campus, but my son was still able to locate a unit that I had never heard of through I believe, Alabama Property Managers, just by searching the internet for Tuscaloosa apartments - his share of the rent will be $447.50/month + utilities (and the property is only about 5 years old). There are many units advertising specials even now, but most are limited in what size units they still have available or may only have single rooms available through their roommate matching.

The first year he moved off campus, I did encourage my son to sign a lease before winter break. When he started looking around Thanksgiving, East Edge already had a waiting list. However when they found the woodlands, my son and his roommates were very happy and signed their lease. Maybe I’m just an unsympathetic mom, but since it was an individual lease and my son decided to sign and make a commitment, from that point forward I didn’t care if he had any kind of argument with his friends or if they changed their minds - that IS where he would be living. Personally, I’d think we’d all be encouraging our young adults to honor their commitments. The group he signed the lease with did all move into the apartment, but then a few months later, one of them opted to drop out and move back home, his parents wound up paying for his vacant room for the remainder of the year. I don’t regret encouraging my son to sign a lease prior to winter break his freshman year, but this year even though he waited substantially longer, he was still able to find a something that met his needs.

The UA website has a site devoted to off campus housing (http://offcampushousing.ua.edu) and designate some complexes as ‘crimson choice’ properties. Those are inspected by the university and have to meet fairly stringent standards (http://crimsonchoice.ua.edu/criteria). Any apartment designated as a ‘crimson choice’ property would be a good option for a student.

Another property management company that has numerous units close to campus is HA Edwards.

16

There are lots of smaller, older complexes and private houses in the neighborhood across Bryant Drive between Burke and Tut. My daughter found her complex just by walking around the area between 6th and 10th avenue. She says she will actually be closer to many of her classes than when she was living in Ridgecrest. As of move out in May, many of the complexes and houses in that area had signs out front advertising vacancies, so you definitely can find something if you wait. Here complex is not new by any means – far from it – but the monthly cost will be less than half the price of her suite style dorm.