chemjay

I am also attending UGA from this fall.....good to see a handful of other people heading to UGA

@Dacey: As you told about being careful about parker and associates, hence, I searched for some other apartments, and have found really a nice studio apartment (they call it 'efficiency') apartment very near to my workplace ( chemistry dept building) called 'the lyons'. its cost it 580$/month but this is including furnishing, electricity and water. it has all the usual appliances ; except washer dryer, and dishwasher. its managed by mathis management. it lies on 1050 S. Lumpkin St. Athens, about 0.9 miles from 5 points. the maps of it are: http://www.mathismgt.com/map.htm and this is the apt: http://www.mathismgt.com/gallery3.htm Now, I have really relied on opinions here; hence, it will be a really big favor if can you please tell me whether is this a safe area to live in ?. It shall be great if you can please have a look at the apartment complex when you pass through that area; as, dat wil help me know how the apt is from exterior (its a eight floor apt). also is this area exclusively for undergrads, or do grad students do live in this neighborhoods.

@Dacey: well, these reviews do tell many things about Parker and associates...and frankly many of them are scary....I will then still keep my search on for the apt in five points area....and if I cannot find any then only I shall go with parker and associates..... actually, when I had talked with their representative, his answers were all one word or thereabouts, and clearly lacking enthusiasm, so i did thought that were not great property managers....their only seemin advantage was a large number of properties under their managementand thus more choices for prospective tenants ...but I will definately think twice before signin the lease, and wiring the deposit money....

@Dacey: Based on your earlier helpful replies, I had concentrated my search in the vicinity of five points (as seen from google maps !!); but I cannot find many specific reviews online pertaining to either the rutherford commons or about the street its located on. It shall be great if it can be possible for you to just have a look at the street/apt complex; actually that will be a huge huge favor to me as dat will give me good amount of assurance before applying for lease and paying up a deposit ....I shall wait for you opinions before i actually jump on, and sign it....Thanks a lot... @Larry83: even on net, I have read many poor reviews about parker and associates, so no wonder its reputation out there must be lousy. But it so happens that there are no housing complexes in and around five points having websites or having online presence. Now, based from opinions here, I thought its a good idea to live around the safer areas of five points, and as I cannot come there and look for the apartments on the ground; hence I had no option but to go with parker and associates ........(however, I hope that they dont turn out to be as bad as seen from online reviews !!!)

I have found a 2 bedroom-2.5bathroom unfurnished condo for about $900/mnth (excluding utilities) called rutherford commons, it lies on 211 W. Rutherford Street; which is about 0.3 miles from the five points area. the property is managed by parker and associates. I will highly appreciate if some of the athens residents can tell me whether this is a good property to live in or any opinion about this neighborhood. please reply soon, so based on opinions here, I can decide to apply for the lease. P.S. I had earlier mentioned in this athens thread, I am an international student, and hence I do not have the opportunity to personally check out the apartment before I apply for lease.

well dacey, thanks for the link.....it does looks from it that a lot of petty crime took place in a span of one week, so I shall hav to be even more careful about living in a good neighborhood....I am searching of 1bedroom-bathroom apartment in the budget of about $550-600, and from your post, it seems that atleast budget will not turn out to be a problem,.... @phid: if you do decide to join UGA then do pm me, so that we can talk more abt it....

@Dacey: well i am really glad that you mentioned about the ghettos, so that now i shall know what areas to avoid , from what I have understood from reading here that the safe bet for getting a house in a good neighbourhood near to campus is in and around five points area;and actually, as I wont be getting the opportunity to go around athens and search for housing on the ground, and hence I think I will have to stick to housing managed by real estate management companies having websites. @Rising_Star: I have gone through the athens transit website, and I think the bus system seems to be good, however, the only disadvantage is the low frequency of buses in evening and reduced services on holidays... @larry83: I have searched online for a few apartments near the five points area, and the only decent ones having websites are milledge chase apartments on south millege avenue, and towne club condominiums on springdale street. if you happen to know any more of the apartments, then do tell me... @phid: is there are other particluar neighbourhoods at which you are looking, besides five points? well i am asking because, our budgets, and requirements seems to be quite similar..

well, here in my country ghettos are associated with low cost housing/rundown areas; so I am hoping that you are using that term with the same context, and I desire to avoid living in such areas. actually, in the first year I think I am not going to invest in buying a car, hence I can afford my share of rent upto $550-$600, and from I have gathered, I think I must be able to afford most furnished apartments in athens. my only priorities are 1) having apartment close enough to downtown supermarkets, restaurants, as well as to campus 2) high safety neighborhoods. about the athen transit buses, I have heard that they dont ply in the evening and on weekends/holidays, hence I am more worried on having apartment as close as possible to both campus and downtown areas. i shall be glad if you can suggest some suitable apartment complexes, or alternately, suggest a few reputed local real estate management companies.

I am an international student, and I am joining UGA from fall 2010 for my graduate studies. I have searched for housing near the campus and in a walkable distance, and the places which looked really good are baldwin village apartments, river mills apts, and hillside apts on the East Cloverhurst Avenue off Baxter Street. I will be glad if someone familiar with athens can comment on these apartment complexes, especially on 1) nearness to campus/easy availability of campus transport , 2) low noise levels