We asked students what they think about their housing
Where should you live next year?
October means fall weather, football and Halloweekend. And for UVA students, housing decisions. Already? Yes, already. Whether you’re a First Year who has no idea what your options even are, or if you’re an upperclassman thinking about switching it up, hearing from students who actually live in a place you might be considering is a great way to figure out if that place is right for you.
Some key things to consider before signing a lease: housing type and size, price and additional costs (utilities), location (proximity to classes or the Corner), noise level, furnished/unfurnished and amenities.
LAMBETH: Anonymous ’18 lived there last year.
Apartment, 2 bedroom 2 bath (4 person), shares room
Pros: bigger kitchen than in the 6 person apartments, good location (close to Grounds, Barracks), C3 convenience store that’s great for late night snacks, applications not due until January (more time to develop friendships and decide who to live with)
Cons: have to share a room, hard to arrange rooms comfortably, couches are not the most comfortable
Definitely recommend – it’s a great place to live during your second year in particular and can provide a great community of friends…it’s also a great option for First Years who are not sure who they want to live with at this time.
FAULKNER: Amber W. ’18 is in her second year living there and is unsure about returning next year.
The jog (from the Corner) to get this photo was lengthier than anticipated – I can account for bus stops right outside though.
Apartment, 4 bedroom 1 bathroom, own bedroom
Pros: your own room!!!!, if you don’t fill spot Housing will fill room, near buses, pretty, really close to JPJ, Davenport and Klockner
Cons: a little bit far, when there’s a big game or event there’s a lot of traffic getting home and sometimes roads get blocked off, stinkbugs
Recommend. FYI – because of the singles, they fill up fast for on-grounds housing.
BROWN RESIDENTIAL COLLEGE: Anonymous ’17 is in her third year living there.
Residential college, own bedroom
Pros: residential community, events and programming, get to know people, big rooms, prime central location on Grounds
Cons: thin walls so can be noisy (but depends on which part of Brown you live in)
Recommend for the right person – it has its own vibe. If you’re interested, get to know people who live there and see if that’s for you.
Other options you can check out: Bice, Copeley, Language Houses (French, Shea or Spanish), Johnson Malone Weedon, Hereford College, IRC
GRANDMARC: Noah K. ’19 is in his first year living there and will not be returning next year because he will be moving into his fraternity and hopes to study abroad.
Once you get lost in Grandmarc, there’s no telling how long it’ll take you to find your way out.
Apartment complex, 4 bed 4 bath, own bedroom and bathroom
Pros: location is close to the Corner and classes, lots of freedom, furnished
Cons: can be noisy (depends on location within GrandMarc), have to clean the apartment when it gets dirty
Recommend, based on his experience so far.
WERTLAND SQUARE: Me – Julia T. ’19, in my first year living there and planning to return next year.
Apartment complex, 4 bed 2 bath, shares bedroom
Pros: GREAT location (close to the Corner and Grounds, plus you don’t have to walk up the 14th Street hill), can have a mix of individual and shared bedrooms, get 2 parking spots
Cons: sometimes a little noisy, occasional vomit on stairwell, no elevators, unfurnished, slow maintenance response
Definitely recommend! The location doesn’t get any better.
GREENHOUSE: Kelly H. ’19 is in her first year living there, and will not be returning because she is moving into sorority housing.
Apartment, 4 bed 3 bath, own bedroom
Pros: large living space – huge kitchen and living room with lots of light, great location near classes and the Corner, lots of parking
Cons: the bedrooms are set up a little weird, unfurnished
Definitely recommend! It’s a great spot.
VENABLE COURT APARTMENTS: Maddy R. ’19 is in her first year living there, and will not be returning because she will be moving into sorority housing – but if she wasn’t, she would definitely re-sign.
Apartment complex, 4 people, own bedroom
Pros: lots of space, fairly new, big porch, rent is reasonable
Cons: a little far from Grounds, the trash room is kind of far, no gym
Absolutely recommend! So much better than dorms.
JEFFERSON COMMONS ON JPA: Anonymous ’18 is in her second year living there and will be returning next year.
Apartment complex, 4 bed 2 bath, own bedroom
Pros: super super close to classes, close to different parts of Grounds, has washer/dryer units and a larger kitchen
Cons: a little pricy (because of location)
Recommend, because it’s close and it’s nice.
THE FLATS: Amanda E. ’19 is in her first year living there, and will not be returning since she is getting new roommates, and they all want to live behind the Corner.
The jog (from the Corner) to get this photo was much shorter than anticipated!
Apartment, 4 bed 4 bath, own bedroom and bathroom
Pros: fully furnished, nice amenities (gym, pool and hot tub), only a 15 minute walk from Grounds, near the downtown mall, spacious with a large kitchen, trolley nearby
Cons: most friends live in other apartment complexes closer to the Corner, not a lot of undergrad students, a little pricey
Recommend, because they are so nice! They’re not as far as people say, and the trolley stops right in front. But I’d also caution that you’re less likely to be around undergrads all the time.
THE ALAMO ON RUGBY (between Gordon and Grady): Anonymous ’17 is in her second year living there.
Apartment complex (there’s only 4), 4 bed 2.5 bath … it’s kind of strange
Pros: location, relatively cheap rent for the location
Cons: extremely unresponsive landlord, cockroaches and a dead animal, a hole in the back door so there’s a draft in the winter, AC doesn’t work well upstairs, old
Wouldn’t really recommend.
Check out these sites to continue your search and find more options for off-grounds housing: CBS Rentals, Woodard Properties, MSC Housing, the Blue Ridge Apartment Council, Uncommon, Cavalier Crossing, the Corner Village
Please note that the quality of life at each place is just the experience of one person; other’s experiences and your own may very well be different!