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Printer-Friendly ModeLooking off campus for housing yields deals
April 11, 2011 —
With summer approaching, apartment complexes in the Saginaw area are filling up fast for next school year.
According to the Department of Financial Aid’s projections for the 2011-12 school year, living on campus will cost students $8,000 per school year. Since most students cannot move into campus housing until the last week of August and must move out during the last week of April, the cost averages out to $1,000 per month. While the cost of utilities is included, options off campus may offer cheaper housing. Factoring in the ability to live alone or with less than four roommates and not having to move out in between school years, the added flexibility may also appeal to some students.
Here’s a breakdown of some popular apartment complexes for SVSU students.
If searching for off-campus housing, students may decide to look into Campus Village, more commonly referred to as the Townhomes. Located across from the University police station, this complex is close enough to walk to class but still offers the freedom of living off campus.
Apartments in the Townhomes will cost around $500 per month per person with single bedroom floor plans leasing for around $600 per month. The Townhomes provide complimentary highspeed Internet, fitness facilities with a pool and include online rental payment and maintenance request services.
Another option is the Normandy Square apartment complex, which is located about 10 minutes away from campus. These floor plans recently increased in price, but pairing up with a few roommates can cut living expenses. One bedroom setups cost between $600 to $675 per month, two bedrooms average $720 and three-bedroom floor plans average $845. With roommates, the individual share of the rent runs between $280 or $360 per month.
Normandy Square also offers deals with up to $200 off rent for the first few months and discounted rates for referring a friend. The complex offers free heat and water and residents must pay for electric, internet or cable. Other amenities include a heated indoor and outdoor pool, a workout room, tennis courts and a banquet hall. Waterside Apartments have rental rates similar to those at Normandy Square. One bedroom apartments go for about $550, two bedrooms go for about $680 and three bedrooms go for about $710.
Waterside offers free heat and water. There is a pool but no fitness center. Waterside is aimed more towards students and those with a lower income and has specific guidelines for leasing such as salary caps, student status stipulations and credit requirements.
Another set of comparable apartments fit for students are Sterling Crest and Saginaw Pointe which are each located about four miles from campus. Their two- and threebedroom arrangements are average around the same price at $685 for a two-bedroom apartment and $795 for three-bedrooms. Both offer free water, a pool and a fitness center.
Saginaw Pointe has one-bedroom floor plans for $573 per month and a four-bedroom arrangement for $890. It also has online rental payment and maintenance request system similar to that of Cardinal Village. The complex has a set rental rate with a varying income cap to residents.
On average, apartment complexes in the area estimate electricity and utilities to cost around $50 to $60 for single residents, adding $25 for each additional resident. Cable and internet costs vary by carrier. The most popular service providers in the area are Charter Communications and AT&T. Both offer discounted bundle packages if renters sign up for more than one service.