In years past, affordable college housing was limited to plain old dorm rooms. But things have changed. Innovations in housing design, pricing, and features have led to the advent of modern, off campus student apartments — affordable, often furnished units located near campus in amenities-rich communities. More tenants are looking for these student-oriented rental properties in Florida because news is spreading about their benefits; here are ten of them.
Whereas dorm-mates are often matched up randomly by the university, students at apartments in Gainesville get to choose their own roommates or take advanage of roommate-matching services. Offered for free by the property managers, roommate-matching groups tenants based on common interests, habits, and preferences. As a result, life together is more harmonious.
Another quality of student apartments is their often high number of bedrooms. While studio and one-bedroom floor plans are available for those who wish to live alone. There are also units with up to five bedrooms to accommodate more roommates and, by extensions, allow residents to enjoy dynamic social lives.
Off campus, renters have the option of renting furnished or unfurnished housing. The benefits of furnished units include saving money on moving costs and buying furniture. Although, with unfurnished apartments students have the artistic liberty to decorate the spaces as they see fit. So each type has its benefits. Plus, there are semi-furnished apartments that provide select essential amenities, such as pre-installed Internet service.
While touring off campus apartments in Gainesville, students who had lived in the dorms will remark at how much more floor space there is in apartments. A dorm has a studio layout (an open floor plan), while the bathroom and kitchen facilities are shared among residents. A student apartment is different: it features communal and private living spaces, plus a full kitchen and bathrooms.
If you've got possessions, the closet and cabinet space alone are reasons to live in an off campus housing. Instead of storing your clothes, textbooks, and ramen-noodle cups in the same cubby-hole, as you had to do in a dorm, take advantage of bountiful storage space.
You're not sacrificing the convenience of commuting to class quickly by moving off campus because most student housing is located within a few minutes' drive or walk of campus. But having even that little bit of separation from the university adds a whole new dimension of independence to your life.
Those pesky resident assistants (RAs) who monitor your every move in the dorms are a distant memory as soon as you move into an off campus community. But you also have the benefit of privacy at home. Most apartments have individual bedrooms, or they have enough separate areas (living rooms, balconies, etc.) that everyone can find his or her space.
There are plenty of ways to save money living off campus. With a kitchen in the apartment, you can stop eating out and instead buy groceries and prepare meals. The leftovers can then serve as lunch for the next day. Even if you're not a cook, the price of microwave meals is a fraction of what you pay dining out. And if you exercise, you can likely save money on gym memberships because most housing provides on-site fitness centers.
While you can't live with your furry friend at UF, you can share housing with your pet in off campus apartments near UF. Not all student housing is pet friendly, but many communities have pet policies: for a modest fee, renters can live with their beloved dogs and cats. Just check with the landlord first to make sure your pet meets any requirements.
Just because the school year ends doesn't mean your life in Gainesville does the same. The dorms may be closed in summer, but your apartment is available year round. Contracts are also renewable, so you can remain in the same apartment all throughout college and avoid the distraction of moving.
There are at least ten reasons to live in off campus housing, and there are a few more reasons to rent that housing from Contemporary Management Concepts, LLLP. As a leading property manager in Gainesville, we offer apartments in Downtown, Midtown, Sorority Row, and other neighborhoods near UF. Our apartments are also listed on our website, making it easy to find the perfect one for you. So don't spend the school year wishing you had moved on from the dorms. Contact us today to discover your off campus apartment.