michaelcollins

I would definitely avoid a complex called River Club, which is where I lived before. They are in a middle of nowhere, one bus an hour, and the management is almost nonexistent. Also avoid River Walk townhome and Lakeside, since they are managed by the same people. You have to understand that although many claim that they will send their maintenance workers in right away, most don't care about you once you sign the lease. Although most near campus apartments do not come furnished, since you will most likely be in Athens for several years (you are a PhD student, right?), it may be worth investing into basic furniture (bed, desk, night stand, etc.). If that is no problem, I would highly recommend Waterford Place. They have reasonable rate, fairly responsive management, and a great location. Another complex that may work well for you is River Mill. They do have furnished rooms, 5 mins walk to campus, and I hear they do roommate matching. The only con about River Mill is that they are a little pricey compared to many other apartments in the area. If you look for the apartments here during the summer (July or even August), you may be able to negotiate the set rate for rooms, since most want to fill to their capacity. One last area I may recommend is around the 5 Points area. 5 Points is a short distance out of campus, the bus runs frequently, and many walk/bike from there. Many locals and professors live in that area as well, so you will definitely get away from the rowdy undergraduates. Three coffee shops, laundromat, several restaurants, and the grocery store being there doesn't hurt either. Unfortunately, I am not able to recommend you any place around there, since I do not know their names. If you would like to look at apartments here on the web, I would look at apartmentfinder. Some of the local management companies you may want to contact are Parker & Associates and Landmark Properties. I hope all those info helps. Let me know if you have other questions. I have helped several international students find housing in this area, since I was the orientation leader for them for two years.

Hi. UGA undergrad student about to leave Athens in few months here. To find housing in this town, you will first need to know what you are looking for. Do you want to be really close to campus, close enough to still walk/bike a little distance, or don't mind taking the bus/driving a car? Another thing to consider is if you want the rooms to be furnished or not. Currently, I live in a short walking distance to the campus and downtown and am fully satisfied. I tried the take the bus and leave far away thing last year, and it just did not work for me. You may also want to consider on-campus housing? I believe there are limited slots available just for grad students. As for roommates, you can find many people looking for one on facebook or craigslist. Having roommates is highly recommended, as you still indeed cut some major expenses.