Post Classifieds
Off-campus life an affordable alternative
By Bryan Price
On April 15, 2012
As a largely commuter college, many Buffalo State students find
living off campus preferable to living in a residence hall or on
campus apartment.
Living off campus can offer students a number of advantages
including freedom, money-saving and the responsibility of
maintaining a space of their own.
Living on campus, though, means students are closer to their
classes, the union and other students.
When students reach their junior year they need to decide whether
to stay on or off campus. Money is a major factor.
Students looking to stay on campus have multiple choices,
including the new Student Apartment Complex, which opened this
year.
"I enjoy living on campus, and these apartments are really nice,"
said Lauren Hickman, a fashion merchandising major. "Although
they are pretty expensive, it would be hard for me to live off
campus and get to class on time,"
For each semester, students pay $4,600 apiece to live in the 4-
bedroom apartments, which averages out to about $920 per month.
The apartments are fully furnished with separate bedrooms,
two full bathrooms, a complete kitchen and living room. Each
room also includes cable TV, broadband internet, heating and air
conditioning, main floor laundry and recycling.
Many students who are not from the Buffalo area do not have cars.
This can also be a deciding factor for them.
"I chose to live on campus because it is more convenient to
get to class since I don't have a car," said Liz Morley, a junior
photography major from North Salem.
Craigslist lists for a four-bedroom apartment in the Elmwood
neighborhood with similar square footage as a suite in the Student
Apartment Complex at around $800 a month for rent, depending
on location and condition of house. This totals about $200 a month
per person.
"I've lived here on Ashland for about a year and moved in because
it was my sorority sister's house and she who graduated," said
Amanda Buchanon, a senior media production major.
"The four of us pay $325 for rent and we split $140 for gas, $65
for electric and $100 for cable. We were fortunate to have laundry
machines here and our own driveway."
Sites like Craigslist make it easier for students to move off campus
for less money and find a place on their own. Property owners on
Craigslist in the Elmwood area can target students as buyers.
"I have ten units listed on Craigslist on Grant Street right next to
Buff State," local landlord Patrick Garrity said.
Garrity said he normally gets a lot of student tenants and will work
with them to base a leasing agreement around their term at school.
"It is so much cheaper to live off campus," he said. "I have five-
bedroom units listed for a thousand bucks a month, and the tenants
just need to pay gas and electric. I include laundry and driveway
parking. Divide all that up by five and it's not even a comparison
to living on campus from what I know."
Garrity said most of the units he owns are about the same size
in a 2,500 sq. ft. home, with the rentals being upper and lower
apartments.
Conditions in these Elmwood Village apartments might not be up
to the standards as the on campus apartments, and they also might
not have the brand-new look students will get on campus, but
many students still chose to live in the surrounding area.
"Although we don't market to students, we have a lot in our area,"
said Don Leone, a real estate owner from the Elmwood area.
Depending on the owner, Leone said an average price would be
about $300 a month per student without utilities.
"There are pluses and minuses to living off campus," he said. "I
lived on campus back in my day so I know what kids spend."
"My football guys and I found this place on Tremont on Craigslist
at the beginning of last year," said Steve Phillips, a criminal justice
major from Amherst. "I lived on campus last year and this was
a lot cheaper as far as rent and utilities go. It's also nice to have
more space and learn how to live on your own."
For comments on this story, contact bscrecord@gmail.com.
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