 "Photo: Chris LaMance")
With university housing rates as high as $2,550 per semester, at approximately $637 each month, students are looking for more affordable off-campus housing solutions that are within walking distance of the campus.
Mandeville Lofts
With apartments as low as $200 a month per roommate, Mandeville Mill comes in first place for the least expensive living situation.
Created in an old mill and an adjacent cotton warehouse, Mandeville Mill offers unique apartments with up to six bedrooms; a six-bedroom apartment runs for $1200 a month. Because of the unorthodox environment, each apartment varies, though most showcase the original mill’s wooden floors and 16-foot ceilings. Thirteen units have direct outdoor access, while others have regular hallway access.
The apartments are unfurnished, but they do include a washer, dryer and oven with range. Some units also include a dishwasher.
Rent covers water, sewer, Internet and cable. Residents must arrange and pay for electric service separately.
Pets are welcome in ground-floor apartments with a non-refundable $250 deposit, which covers up to three pets.
Mandeville Mill does not offer any amenities.
Four-year resident Elizabeth Herring had only good things to say about Mandeville Mill.
“I’ve really enjoyed living here,” said Herring. “If you ever have a problem, they take care of it.”
Campus Commons
Campus Commons offers the second cheapest and closest to campus apartments.
A four-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment starts at $269 a month with a 12-month lease; for the same apartment, it’s $279 a month for a nine-month lease. A two-bedroom, one-bathroom 12-month lease is $319 a month; a nine-month lease is $334 a month. A 12-month, one-bedroom, one-bathroom lease is $479 a month; a nine-month lease is $499 a month.
The apartments include a small kitchen, laminate flooring and a carpeted living room. All apartments are unfurnished and do not include a washer and dryer, though a laundry mat is available on site.
An application fee of $25, a maintenance fee of $150 and a security deposit equal to the first month’s rent are required. Rent includes water, sewer and extended basic cable. For multiple resident units, there are power caps as high at $30 per person factored into the rent.
Residents have a pool, volleyball court and basketball court at their disposal.
Pets are welcome with a $400 non-refundable deposit.
River’s Edge
At $329 a month, River’s Edge offers the third cheapest four-bedroom, two-bathroom apartments in Carrollton.
With hardwood floors, the living area and kitchen are fully furnished. River’s Edge supplies all kitchen appliances and a washer and dryer. The bedrooms lack furniture, but are carpeted with plus, white quality carpet.
Rent includes utilities—water, electric, Internet and a standard Charter cable service. A $150 refundable deposit is due upon move-in. Pets are also welcome with a $300 non-refundable deposit.
Resident Katheryn Elie has lived at River’s Edge for almost a year.
“They’re very laid-back there,” said Elie. “When I had my car accident and couldn’t work, they understood and worked with me on my rent [payments].”
The complex amenities include a pool, small gym area, tanning beds, game room, volleyball and basketball courts and two horseshoe pits. Cameras also monitor the property for security purposes.
“It’s a close-knit complex,” Elie said. “Everybody’s chill. It’s affordable. It’s a great place to live.”
Elie did say, however, that Thursday night parties are to be expected — the only downside she could think of.
Carrollton Place
Only offering four-bedroom, four-bathroom apartments, a 12-month lease is $375 a month or $364 for a lease from August 2010 to July 2011.
Fully furnished, these apartments include a kitchen with all appliances, a carpeted living room, a washer and dryer and a balcony. Some units have carpet, while others have laminate flooring. Carrollton Place has a no-pets policy.
“I like it because it is within walking distance from the school and places to eat,” said resident Ashley Armstrong. “You get your own bathroom and the beds are not close to the floor.”
A $50 application fee and $200 reservation fee, both non-refundable, are due upon lease signing. Utilities including water, electric with a $120 cap, Internet and cable are included in the rent.
A clubhouse with TVs and gaming consoles are at residents’ disposable.
Armstrong, however, was unsatisfied with one aspect of Carrollton Place.
“The maintenance really sucks here,” said Armstrong. “When I moved in, the garbage disposal didn't work and the pipes would leak, causing a swimming pool in my kitchen.”
River Place
With rent set at $374 for a four-bedroom, four-bathroom apartment and $449 for a two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment, River Place ranks fourth on the list.
“I like it for the most part, primarily because most of my friends stay there,” said one-year resident Fredrick Curtis. “The biggest pro has to be the price. It's the cheapest ‘upscale’ place around, as well as the location and overall experience with CA's and management.”
Rent includes water, Internet and cable for a fully furnished apartment with bedroom ceiling fans. River Place has a cap of $140 for electric for a four-bedroom apartment and $90 for a two-bedroom apartment. If residents exceed the set cap, the overage is divided evenly between the roommates and added to the monthly rent, said a River Place employee.
“The cons are the smell at night, which unfortunately is Carrollton overall sometimes, as well as overages,” said Curtis.
An application fee of $50 and a non-refundable reservation fee of $200 are due upon lease signing.
A pool, lit tennis courts and volleyball court, clubhouse TVs and gaming consoles are offered at River Place.
They do not allow pets.
“I haven't yet decided whether or not I will return to River Place, but if I don't move back on-campus, I most likely will,” Curtis said.
Campus Quad
Campus Quad comes in third-to-last place with a four-bedroom, four-bathroom apartment costing $385 a month. They also offer three-bedroom, three-bathroom apartments for $405 a month and two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartments for $475 a month.
The living, dining and bedroom areas are fully furnished. They include all kitchen appliances and a washer and dryer. The kitchen floors are laminate and the bedrooms have indoor-outdoor carpeting.
Amenities include a pool, gym, game room and free tanning beds. The friendly staff is also a plus.
“I feel like the people who work in the office are great,” said Jordanna Christie, Quad resident. “They are always super nice, and willing to help you with any problems you may have.”
Rent includes utilities—water, electric, Internet and cable with six HBO channels. Pets are allowed, with a $300 refundable deposit and a $30 a month fee.
“I wouldn’t sign another lease,” said Daniel Camarena, who has lived at the Quad for a year and a half. “They tack on extra fees for nothing.”
“One of my problems with the complex is the overages that me and my roommates are frequently charged,” said Christie. “But from talking with friends that live in other apartments, they, too, have to deal with overages.”
Campus Quad is known around UWG as ‘party-central’, however, a late-night shooting occurred there last year.
Though the Quad has a security gate, it’s frequently broken, said Camarena.
“But they are adding cameras [to monitor the gates] to see who breaks them and [to] charge them,” said Camarena.
University Lofts
University Lofts offer four-bedroom, four-bathroom apartments for $385 a month, which includes utilities—water, Internet, extended basic cable and electric with a $30 per person cap.
A washer and dryer, dishwasher, oven with stove range and ice-making refrigerator come with each apartment -- but they don’t provide microwaves. These carpeted apartments are fully furnished, though the beds provided are twin-sized.
“The pros [include having] a huge room to yourself, a huge living area and a brand new carpet,” said Hope Jenkins, two-semester resident. “They also have hired a new maintenance man to better appease the tenants. The cons are [that] the bathrooms are kind of small, the closets are extremely small and the overages are ridiculous at times.”
An application fee of $25 and a $100 reservation fee are collected upon lease signing.
University Lofts has a pool on-site.
Pets are allowed with a partially refundable $250 deposit and $25 a month pet fee.
Jenkins isn’t sure if she’ll resign her lease.
“I’m weighing my options.”
The Grove
At $450 a month for a three-bedroom, three-bathroom apartment and $500 for a two-bedroom, two-bathroom, the Grove comes in last place price-wise, but first place when amenities are concerned.
Amenities include a sand volleyball court, a basketball court, pool, fire pit and grills, 24-hour gym, game room, free tanning beds, computer lab with free printing and controlled-access gates. A lit walkway also connects the complex to UWG by way of The Coliseum.
Rent includes water, Internet, Direct TV service with HBO channels and electric with a $30 per person cap.
“I like the hang-out area and how they offer free food from time to time,” said two-semester resident Emily Surra.
They offer fully furnished apartments with all kitchen appliances, including a trash disposal and a washer and dryer.
“I love the rooms, or the size of the rooms to be more specific, and the furniture that comes with them,” said Surra.
Pets are allowed with a $35 monthly fee and a $250 non-refundable deposit.
“I don’t like the slow performance of maintence, or how it's not as ‘safe’ as it claims to be,” Surra said.
She is not renewing her lease.
The prices listed here are leasing prices for 2010-2011 and do not include specials any of these complexes might currently be running.
Be the first to comment on this article!