Chapel Hill, NC

[3dender]

3 hours ago, foodnerd said:

Hey friends,

Moving from Chicago to Chapel Hill this fall and struggling to find an apartment. I want to live in Carrboro in a house and have done two roommate interviews and have been rejected both times, which is weird to me because I'm personable and clean and responsible. Maybe I don't have a good sense of demand? I'm stressed and wondering if I need to give up on the location/house dreams and suck it up and live in one of the (many) housing complexes. Thoughts? Advice?

Thanks~

Housing market here is very fluid and will be active until August.  I wouldn't give up hope yet.  There are also a lot of people in your boat so it's not necessarily a problem with you but just that people have the luxury of holding out for ideal personality matches.  Are you looking primarily at Craigslist?

[foodnerd]

On 5/14/2017 at 2:26 PM, 3dender said:

Housing market here is very fluid and will be active until August.  I wouldn't give up hope yet.  There are also a lot of people in your boat so it's not necessarily a problem with you but just that people have the luxury of holding out for ideal personality matches.  Are you looking primarily at Craigslist?

That's reassuring. I was looking mostly at Craigslist, yeah. Now I'm bouncing through some of the other sites UNC recomended

[Madelene]

Hi! Does anyone have updated information about housing costs? I haven't seen any in a while. If admitted to UNC, I'm hoping to move in the fall. I will have a car and have heard good things about Carborro but am mostly just curious about rent costs. I don't need to live alone either--1 or 2 roommates is fine.

[neuronfire94]

On 1/8/2018 at 11:28 AM, Madelene said:

Hi! Does anyone have updated information about housing costs? I haven't seen any in a while. If admitted to UNC, I'm hoping to move in the fall. I will have a car and have heard good things about Carborro but am mostly just curious about rent costs. I don't need to live alone either--1 or 2 roommates is fine.

I moved here about a year and a half ago, so I'm happy to give some input.

Depending on what you are looking for, rent can range from about $700-1100.  Recently, a few overpriced (in my opinion) luxury apartments have popped up, so those will cost more. For reference, I live in a lofted 1 br/2 bath apartment in Carrboro and the rent is about $800 a month.  Most places have some sort of deal or rent concession for your first year, and utilities typically are not included in rent.  I think that Collins Crossing has a setup where you can pay by the bed in a shared apartment, so one bedroom is like $600.  I'm not sure if I can attach links here, but feel free to pm me for more info. 

[StrengthandHonor]

On 1/8/2018 at 12:28 PM, Madelene said:

Hi! Does anyone have updated information about housing costs? I haven't seen any in a while. If admitted to UNC, I'm hoping to move in the fall. I will have a car and have heard good things about Carborro but am mostly just curious about rent costs. I don't need to live alone either--1 or 2 roommates is fine.

I'm currently living in east Chapel Hill. My wife and I got a steal on a 1 br/1ba apartment (about 600 sq. ft.). Once you bundle in what we spend on a shared internet connection with our downstairs neighbor and water/electric we're about $650/month--in a house on a residential street less than 1.5 miles from campus. There are definitely a few apartments like ours in the area, but it might be hard to find them. 

Most people I know spend $700-$1200 a month. There's a development of duplexes near us that run $800-1100/month for a three bedroom. I remember looking at some 2br 1.5ba townhomes that were in the $700-800 range too. As @neuronfire94 said, there are some new "luxe" developments which charge extortionate amounts, and many of the well-advertised communities are expensive as well. It's easily imaginable to have your monthly rent+utilities+internet under $500 (or even under $400)/mo. if you shop around and have roommates. 

Be on the lookout, as well, for finding an apartment that is conveniently on the bus line. Google Maps will let you see what a typical commute by our great (and free) local buses would look like. I have a 7 minute ride to campus, which is absolutely glorious.

I hope that helps somewhat, and good luck getting into UNC! If you end up in Chapel Hill, send me a message and come up to the third floor of Hamilton to say hi! 

[Madelene]

1 hour ago, StrengthandHonor said:

I'm currently living in east Chapel Hill. My wife and I got a steal on a 1 br/1ba apartment (about 600 sq. ft.). Once you bundle in what we spend on a shared internet connection with our downstairs neighbor and water/electric we're about $650/month--in a house on a residential street less than 1.5 miles from campus. There are definitely a few apartments like ours in the area, but it might be hard to find them. 

Wow, this is incredible! What a dream situation. I currently live a 5 minute walk from my work, so I've been spoiled as well. Would you be able to PM me the name of your complex or landlord? I'd love to start watching these things. 

If I end up at UNC, I'll be on the 1st floor of Hamilton, so I'll certainly come say hi!

[helpfulgrad]

Hi all--

When I was looking into grad schools, I did not find this Chapel Hill guide very helpful. Now that I go to UNC, I want to contribute to this page so that it's hopefully more useful to others. Over the weekend, I'll write a blurb about what I find most important, but if you have any specific questions post them, and I'll try my best to reply to all of them.

[KGross12]

I am applying to UNC Chapel for my doctor of audiology degree, do you know any current Audiology students there now that I can talk to? @helpfulgrad

[helpfulgrad]

@KGross12 No, sorry! But I'm sure if you reach out to current Audiology students they would be willing to talk to you. Just make sure to be prepared to ask informed questions. Also, if you don't get a response from current students maybe check in with them once more and be willing to reach out to a few folks. A lot of us are really busy--so while most us want to help we may need you to follow up with us. 

[Madelene]

On 1/29/2018 at 7:28 PM, helpfulgrad said:

Hi all--

When I was looking into grad schools, I did not find this Chapel Hill guide very helpful. Now that I go to UNC, I want to contribute to this page so that it's hopefully more useful to others. Over the weekend, I'll write a blurb about what I find most important, but if you have any specific questions post them, and I'll try my best to reply to all of them.

Thank you! You are wonderful!

[helpfulgrad]

These are just my quick thoughts about living in the Chapel Hill region. For any students who do live here, please add to my comments or feel free to disagree so that this becomes a more useful resource for incoming students.

 

APARTMENTS/HOUSES

Grad students live in apartments and rent houses in Chapel Hill, Carrboro, and Durham. Rent largely falls between $500-1200. With roughly $1200-$1000 getting you a nice 2-bedroom. A large majority of graduate students share an apartment with a roommate and can pay as low as $500 per person for a nice place. Not very familiar with prices of 1-bedrooms or studios but I’d assume that they are about $900-750.

 

TRANSPORTATION

When looking for an apartment, use Google Maps and locate the closest bus stop. Then look at the bus schedule to see how often it comes and what hours it operates. Some buses run frequently and go through most of town, but because there are so many stops they can be a little slow depending on where you’re trying to get. Other buses run less frequently but get to your bus destination quickly. To get from Durham to Chapel Hill, it’s about a 15-20 minute bus ride and from Carrboro/Chapel Hill it can be less than 10 minutes. There are several bus routes to choose from and are free to students.

Almost all students get to school by bus since parking passes are expensive and through a lottery system. However, it’s ideal to have a car (or roommate with a car) since grocery stores and other outings can be more difficult to get to by bus.

 

LIVING WITHOUT A CAR

It is totally possible to be without a car, but for above reasons might be a pain. That said, I’m sure many buses do go to the grocery store and many students w/o cars end up running errands with roommates and friends. Lastly, there are a number of restaurants and bars off Franklin that are a short walk from campus. There are also pharmacies and a City Target which I know some folks do all their grocery shopping at which you can easily get to by walking.

 

CH VS CARRBORO VS DURHAM

More undergraduate live in Chapel Hill than surrounding areas which means that your apartment complex may be loud during the weekends. Carrboro is a smaller town but has nice features including a farmers’ market and good restaurants. Most graduate students live in Carrboro, but many opt to live in Durham and some live in Chapel Hill. I believe Durham is cheaper and has more shopping/bars/breweries/general night life than Chapel Hill or Carrboro.

Chapel Hill/Carrboro have a number of good bars with different ambiances and independent coffee shops.

 

SAFETY

A few women I’ve talked to have said they avoid walking alone at night. I think this is warranted in the sense that all college campuses pose some risks, and this is how they base their decisions. I have a feeling that this is more a general rule they’d follow regardless of which graduate school they selected. That said, I’ve never felt unsafe on campus or in Chapel Hill, Carrboro, or Durham and have not heard of any incidents where my friends have felt unsafe either. I feel comfortable walking alone at night on campus and surrounding areas.

 

BEING A POC

I think moving to the South as a POC may be intimating for some people who have lived in other locations in the U.S. or abroad. I can’t speak for everybody’s experiences, but it seems that most graduate students feel that Chapel Hill and the surrounding Triangle Area is a bubble of safety. I have not had any negative experiences in the area as a POC.

 

DUKE & NC State

Chapel Hill has a program with Duke and NC State so that graduate students can enroll in free classes there. Many Duke students attend UNC classes and vice versa. This is ideal since you have more access to take courses and meet professors in your area of specialty.

[Madelene]

1 hour ago, helpfulgrad said:

Grad students live in apartments and rent houses in Chapel Hill, Carrboro, and Durham. Rent largely falls between $500-1200. With roughly $1200-$1000 getting you a nice 2-bedroom. A large majority of graduate students share an apartment with a roommate and can pay as low as $500 per person for a nice place. Not very familiar with prices of 1-bedrooms or studios but I’d assume that they are about $900-750.

 

Thank you so much for this! Any advice for how to look for housing remotely? Craigslist seems filled with lots of major apartment complexes and I'm not sure where to find more independent landlords or houses for rent.

[helpfulgrad]

There are several independent landlords, but you are looking pretty early into the season so the selections are probably slim right now.  I'd think most people get their places late spring/early summer. So you'll probably see more pop up in the next few weeks. 

Also, here is a housing board: http://www.roommate.heelshousing.com

Oh, and somebody asked about on-campus housing. I think most people decide to live off-campus because there are so many options off-campus and they tend to be cheaper. 

[m-artman]

@helpfulgrad Many thanks for this! I received my official acceptance yesterday, and UNC is near the top of my list. I'm excited to come and visit the area in a few weeks to get a feel of the town and its surroundings. 

[dr.strange]

Hi, I am an international student and I have been accepted to a PhD program at the UNC Chapel Hill. However, I am uncertain if my stipend is sufficient for living in the Chapel Hill/ Durham area. My stipend amounts to $15000 after deducting a "student fee" (which is approx. $2000), paid for a 9-month period. The package covers tuition and medical insurance. Assuming that I will fly back to my country every summer but I keep renting the same place, is the stipend sufficient?

[helpfulgrad]

@dr.strange, congrats on your admittance!

That's a difficult question to answer, but I'm inclined to say yes. It all depends on what you consider an acceptable standard of living. If there are international students in the UNC program you are considering, I'd talk to them. 

There are several students in my program who take international flights at least once a year, if not more. Also, I believe most, if not almost all, leases are year round. (In other words, we are paying for our leases all year). 

Ultimately, you'll have a better understanding of what budget you are willing to live on. Do you want to live alone? How nice of apartment do you want to live in? Are there other opportunities paid opportunities in your department? (RAs). 

Many graduate students live with roommates and pick up small research/academic positions throughout their time in their program to supplement their income. My stipend situation was a little different than yours, but I talked to current students and it seems we all live comfortably. We don't eat out a lot or spending money shopping, etc but that's generally true of all graduate students. 

Short answer, yes it is possible. I also think it's possible to do so comfortably if you are good at budgeting. 

[heysickah]

On 2/5/2018 at 5:09 PM, Madelene said:

Thank you so much for this! Any advice for how to look for housing remotely? Craigslist seems filled with lots of major apartment complexes and I'm not sure where to find more independent landlords or houses for rent.

I am a former undergrad and grad student at UNC, still living in Carrboro. I have found two excellent apartments in smaller complexes through https://www.chapelhillrent.com.

For those interested in one-bedroom apartments, check out The Chateau Apartments. I lived there from 2011-2013 when I was doing my master's and really loved it. Of course, it's been a few years, so I cannot speak to any changes since then, but at the time I lived there, it was clean, well-maintained, had friendly staff, and had lower rent then other apartments of comparable quality nearby. The outsides of the buildings don't look stellar, but the interiors have lovely exposed brick walls. It was about 1 hour to walk into campus (which on a nice day you may want to do) and about ~15-20 to walk into downtown Carrboro. Shorter walking distance to a Food Lion grocery store. It's on three free bus-lines that go to campus. I promise I don't work for them; I just really felt like I hit the jackpot when I moved in there.

[JustPoesieAlong]

Hi, all. I'm considering moving my family to the Chapel Hill area to pursue my PhD, and my main concern right now is regarding the public schools and day care situations. Where we live (CH or surrounding areas) will depend largely on where my husband can get a job, but I'm guessing we'll be in either Durham or Chapel Hill. Does anyone here have any recommendations or advice regarding daycares (for a 3 year old) and public schools (for a 9 year old)? Thank you!

[heysickah]

3 hours ago, JustPoesieAlong said:

Hi, all. I'm considering moving my family to the Chapel Hill area to pursue my PhD, and my main concern right now is regarding the public schools and day care situations. Where we live (CH or surrounding areas) will depend largely on where my husband can get a job, but I'm guessing we'll be in either Durham or Chapel Hill. Does anyone here have any recommendations or advice regarding daycares (for a 3 year old) and public schools (for a 9 year old)? Thank you!

Hi there! Congrats on your acceptance. I am on the waitlist for the UNC CompLit program, so hopefully I will be joining you there (fingers crossed!). I am based in Chapel Hill already, though, and maybe can help answer your question.

In very general terms, the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City School district has a good reputation, much better than Durham Public Schools. A few of the schools are in walkable neighborhoods, and several of the Carrboro schools emphasize bilingual education. I did my student teaching for high school English in Durham high schools, and while a lot of students get a good education there, the schools have lots of problems too. As far as Durham geography, a lot of young families live in south Durham (the Hope Valley Farms area) because homes are relatively affordable and the area is safe. Because my teaching experience is at the high school level, I can't really speak specifically to elementary school quality.

In North Carolina, we also have charter schools, which are tuition-free. They vary in quality, since they are independently run. There is a lot of political opposition to charter schools, but they do exist and may be an option you'd want to consider, depending on where you end up.

What line or work is your husband in?

[GoPackGo89]

On 2/21/2018 at 6:55 AM, JustPoesieAlong said:

Hi, all. I'm considering moving my family to the Chapel Hill area to pursue my PhD, and my main concern right now is regarding the public schools and day care situations. Where we live (CH or surrounding areas) will depend largely on where my husband can get a job, but I'm guessing we'll be in either Durham or Chapel Hill. Does anyone here have any recommendations or advice regarding daycares (for a 3 year old) and public schools (for a 9 year old)? Thank you!

I am also interested in this. I hear great things about the Montesorri Academy of Chapel Hill and The Learning Experience. I just noticed how close south Durham is so starting to look there.

[Zooks]

Hello! 

I'll be attending UNC-Chapel Hill this fall. I'm coming from South Asia. I'm not sure if this has been discussed earlier, but has anyone lived at/has some info on the on-campus graduate housing: its location, costs (in comparison to off-campus options), availability of amenities, safety etc? Any other info about the general experience of living there would be great too.

Thanks! 

[singinglupines]

I'll also be heading to UNC Chapel Hill this fall. I started looking at housing already as for my undergrad college town everything would be gone by April. I'd really like to avoid apartment complexes if possible. Any tips on where to look for one bedroom apartments with central AC (preferably no carpet) under $850? What are some local realty sites? I prefer my peace and quiet and definitely want to stay away from the loud, party areas.

[JustPoesieAlong]

Hi again! Thanks everyone for your comments regarding child care. I just received word that the closest my husband will be able to transfer jobs to will be on the other side of Raleigh. Which means we would likely base in Raleigh and each commute. Does anyone have any knowledge of the commute from Raleigh to Chapel Hill? 

[pusheen323]

Hello! Would looking for houses to rent in mid April be too late? I can’t really make a commitment with a landlord or anything until then because of my deadline and stuff. 

Also, do you think I’ll be able to find landlords that let me move in mid-June?

It is my first time doing this so any tips/advice is greatly appreciated!

Edited March 22, 2018 by pusheen323

[singinglupines]

8 hours ago, pusheen323 said:

Hello! Would looking for houses to rent in mid April be too late? I can’t really make a commitment with a landlord or anything until then because of my deadline and stuff. 

Also, do you think I’ll be able to find landlords that let me move in mid-June?

It is my first time doing this so any tips/advice is greatly appreciated!

Mid-April should be fine. A lot of complexes only require 60 days notice so stuff starts opening up in June for the 2018-19 school year. I think getting a lease to start in June will be tricky. Most run Aug-Jul ish. Your best bet would be to sublease a place for the in-between time.