Best housing options for incoming grad student from west coast (Austin: apartments, lease)

[Vector Sum]

So I plan to move to UT Austin to prepare for grad school next week, so I plan to drive from the west coast, leaving tomorrow.

1. I've been looking at places, mostly on Craigslist, for areas that I heard are good for grad students: Hyde Park, North Campus , and Far West. But most of the listings are from agents, and a few have asked if I'm seeing other agents as well. How helpful are these agents typically? I heard somewhere that most of them are new and don't have much experience helping those like me. Am I better off without them and looking on my own?

I plan to take my car with me and see how life is for the first couple of months. Since I won't go anywhere except to buy groceries and maybe get a tutoring job, like at House of Tutors, I'm thinking I probably won't need the car.

2. For those who have moved here from far away, what kind of housing do you recommend? Most of the ads I saw required at least a 6 month commitment, with just a few offering a summer sublet. Is it worth it to take a chance on a place for 6+ months? Or am I better off trying to stay at a place for a couple months and then looking for a long-term place in August or so? The problem is that I may leave the school in May or June '12, so taking a year-long lease from August 11 to August 12 doesn't sound great for me. BTW, I don't have any experience with apartment hunting as I commuted to school for a couple yrs, lived in a coop, and lived in a university apartment during my undergrad.

[cmaxmor]

Try http://austinhomesearch.com or Classifieds - The Austin Chronicle (http://classifieds.austinchronicle.com/gyrobase/ - broken link).

[CptnRn]

I have not used them in years but I still hear that there are many apartment locators in Austin that provide good services for free. They get a commission from the apartments. They would have a better feel for what places might consider a lease for less then a full 12 months.

[Vector Sum]

Originally Posted by CptnRn

I have not used them in years but I still hear that there are many apartment locators in Austin that provide good services for free. They get a commission from the apartments. They would have a better feel for what places might consider a lease for less then a full 12 months.

yeah, but some of them made it clear up front that they won't work for me unless I use them, not other locators. I don't know if the other locators are like that and require me to only see them

[ImOnFiya]

If you lived in a coop before, you may want to consider living in one again to make friends and save on costs. Check out Austin Cooperatives which has the full list of College Houses, ICC, and independent living cooperatives around town. Explore which co-op (or co-op system) may be best for your living needs!

Good luck!

[passionatearts]

Originally Posted by Vector Sum

I plan to take my car with me and see how life is for the first couple of months. Since I won't go anywhere except to buy groceries and maybe get a tutoring job, like at House of Tutors, I'm thinking I probably won't need the car.

Even if you don't end up using your car that much, don't get rid of it. Austin is a city where you really need a car to get around.

[Seoid]

Originally Posted by passionatearts

Even if you don't end up using your car that much, don't get rid of it. Austin is a city where you really need a car to get around.

I second this. Keep it for grocery shopping at the very least. It's ridiculous to try to get to any of the stores on the bus. I did it for years. I can't tell you how heavenly having a car to grocery shop was after that!

Apartment finders are really helpful. I used one and there was no pressure to use them. I did end up getting a great deal through one (because the apartments pay the finders to bring YOU to them.) Always go in person.

I would also rent for as long as I could if you plan on living close to campus. Most students lease from August to May or August to August and very few go up for rent between. Some but not many. I would hate to feel pressured to move and find somewhere to live while in the midst of studies.

[Vector Sum]

Originally Posted by ImOnFiya

If you lived in a coop before, you may want to consider living in one again to make friends and save on costs. Check out Austin Cooperatives which has the full list of College Houses, ICC, and independent living cooperatives around town. Explore which co-op (or co-op system) may be best for your living needs!

Good luck!

well I'm a grad student now, so I have little time for making friends. If I live in the coops, I want to have enough privacy to focus on studying. Is this still a good option?

Originally Posted by Seoid

I second this. Keep it for grocery shopping at the very least. It's ridiculous to try to get to any of the stores on the bus. I did it for years. I can't tell you how heavenly having a car to grocery shop was after that!

they're not within walking distance of the grad student apartments in Hyde Park, Far west, etc?

I would also rent for as long as I could if you plan on living close to campus. Most students lease from August to May or August to August and very few go up for rent between. Some but not many. I would hate to feel pressured to move and find somewhere to live while in the midst of studies.

really? but thats a gamble as I dont know the area at all.

Apartment finders are really helpful. I used one and there was no pressure to use them. I did end up getting a great deal through one (because the apartments pay the finders to bring YOU to them.) Always go in person.

but how do you know which ones are good? Theres so many to choose from on Craigslist



BTW, does anyone know how the university apartments (brackenridge, colorado, etc) are for grad students like me who want to focus on studying and have privacy? according to http://www.utexas.edu/student/housin...scode=2&id=292

They said "You may contact the office regarding a request for a specific complex you may prefer, however there is no guarantee that you will get an apartment in that complex"
and
"Even though you are allowed to indicate your preferred move-in date, we do not guarantee an apartment for a particular move-in date"

how reliable is this? Since my guess is that if I submit an application now, I probably won't be able to move in until a few months, right? Is it possible to rent a place short-term and then find a spot in the university apartments ?
Also, I'm not even sure yet if I will stay there until May as there's a chance I will have to leave after May '12

[mayfair44]

For starters how much are you wanting to spend on rent? Also, what school or side of campus will you be on?

[verybadgnome]

If you don't own a car and live central you can always use Car2Go. As long as you don't have more than one passenger or a dog they should work for you.