Hairold

Just my advice as a current PhD student. Unless your situation is really no funding vs. great funding, the question of "fit" is the MOST important thing. If your interests don't fit in well with your department, your chances of getting a job will drop significantly unless you are a truly amazing scholar (meaning you have already published,etc.). That being said, it is only your relationship with your adviser/chair that needs to be really close. Departmental orientations are always in flux, even if it doesn't really seem that way from the outside. You need to have a sense of who specifically you want to work with at each university, communicate with them by phone or e-mail, and then make your decision. Congratulations on your acceptances!

Many of the places in that neighborhood are not advertised online. Most places just put a sign up on the lawn or something. There aren't too many apartment complexes in the area as it is mostly small houses that people rent out. If you take a trip to the area it might be worth just walking around the neighborhood. Also keep an eye out on craigslist.

Look for small houses and apartments in the Maple Ash neighborhood just west of campus. You don't want to live in any big apartment complex in Tempe as a grad student. There is a company called Tempe Rentals (or Rentals Tempe) in the Maple Ash neighborhood. DO NOT even consider using this company.

If you really want to transfer then just do it, there is no need to apologize. Try to keep the number of people who know to a minimum, though.