Whether you are a UF or Santa Fe student finally moving out of an outdated dormitory, a recent graduate looking to upgrade your housing, or a family trying to save money, finding the right place to live takes more than just knowing which apartments are available. Understanding the different traits and what makes each apartment near UF unique is helpful in finding the perfect place to live. Contemporary Management Concepts, LLLP, offers some advice on how to find off campus housing in Gainesville.
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When searching for an off campus apartment in Gainesville, FL, the internet is going to be your most helpful and reliable resource. By looking at an apartment's website, you can find pictures, floorplans, lists of amenities, or you can take a virtual tour of the community. You can also find reviews of the apartment complex along with crime statistics for the area.
The keywords you enter in an online apartment search should reflect the key things that you are looking for in an apartment. Below are some common things appealing to students when looking for off campus housing.
If you are looking for an easy and short commute to campus, you can plug the address of the apartment into google maps to see how long it will take to get to campus by foot, car, and public transportation. This can help you determine whether you are willing to make this commute daily.
Most communities near UF and Santa Fe are built with students in mind, so an apartment's amenities should be able to heighten their college experience with study rooms, on-site recreational facilities, or lounge areas where residents can chat with their friends or colleagues.
Monthly installments that are reasonable on a student budget and floor plans with multiple bedrooms for roommates are essential to look for when searching for off campus housing.
Because many of Gainesville's residents are either students or staff working at UF or Santa Fe, individual housing contracts coincide with the school year, starting in August and ending in July. We recommend beginning your search early because Gainesville apartments are typically rented out four or five months before the beginning of the school year. Otherwise, you may have difficulty finding an opening at the complex you prefer.
Before signing a housing contract, visiting some apartments firsthand can give you some peace of mind about where you'll be living. Narrowing down your finalists and researching the complex ensures that you do not tour any options you have no interest in and that you are making the most of your time.
If you have any friends or friends of friends who live in a complex you are interested in, we recommend asking them for their opinion on their apartment and the best apartments for UF and Santa Fe students. Friends will be able to give you unbiased information on the complex.
Before touring an apartment, we recommend creating a list of questions to ask on the tour or over the phone. We recommend asking questions about amenities, what is included with monthly installments, expectations for residents, public transport routes nearby, and if there are any penalties for breaking the housing contract.
Before signing a housing contract, you may have to choose a roommate to split the cost of monthly installments. A good roommate should be someone who reliably pays their portion of monthly installments on time and whose lifestyle and habits are compatible with yours. Some apartment complexes offer roommate matching services, but you can also ask friends or post ads online to find a roommate.
If you are searching for your next UF or Santa Fe apartment from out of town, we recommend following your gut so you don't get stuck living somewhere you don't enjoy. Contemporary Management Concepts, LLLP rents student, professional, and family housing across North Central Florida, including in many of Gainesville's most desirable neighborhoods.