Columbus, OH

[MA-SLP FTW]

Hi everyone!

I am having a lot of trouble with my apartment search, and I was wondering if anyone else is having the same problem

Yeesh! What a hassle! But, I think that you are likely spot-on in your assessment of these landlords, although it's possible that they may be used to apartment hunters who are not as serious as you are. They're prefer you to visit so that any deposit funds would be on-hand and they'd rather lose out on a (perhaps superior) tenant than conduct a business transaction online.

I would suggest getting the phone number of the landlord as a back-up when looking at listings on-line. This way, when you find the unit you want, you can contact him/her directly to express your interest should they stop responding to e-mails. My husband and I are moving closer to campus from the greater Columbus area and were able to put a deposit on a unit by credit card over the telephone. Granted, we had already met with the Leasing Manager and had toured the facility in-person, but this saved us an additional trip.

Best of luck to you in your search. It may be for the best that you are "missing out" on some of these apartments. If the landlords are not responsive to your e-mails now, it may be an indication of how easy they would be to contact once you've moved in.

On a side note, I promise that more mannerly people exist in Columbus!

[what lies ahead]

Thanks, @WannabeSLP! I hope that the search will pick up soon. In my experience people in Columbus *are* very nice! I agree that I'm better off anyways without the unresponsive landlords; my boyfriend always says the same thing. I've started to look on Facebook marketplace and have posted a detailed ad on craigslist (as someone on this thread advised, I believe). Hopefully one of those will yield results soon. So far, though, all I've received in response to the latter are offers to rent me an apartment in the heart of the undergraduate area (E 13th-15th Ave, Indianola, Chittenden, etc.,) and pass it off otherwise, despite my specification that I'm not looking for anything in the University District that's east of High. Pretty impressed with people's ability to fail in reading the ad, and/or their belief that they can pull the wool over my eyes in regard to the location.

I may just wait until July and hope to snag a great Victorian Village location! Those generally become available about a month in advance, if that.

Does anyone know if any of the Victorian Village apartments, not counting the super-expensive ones, have central air?

Edited May 29, 2012 by what lies ahead

[nugget3]

Hi! I'd like to bump this thread up for 2013...

I've been accepted to OSU, and am starting to think about housing. After having read through this thread, Victorian Village seems like a great place to live, close to the things I'm looking for, and cute! My boyfriend and I would be living together in probably a 1-bedroom apartment. I've taken a look at craigslist, but I'm not quite sure exactly what is a "good" price for a 1-bed in VV. Can anyone who currently lives in the area tell me the max I should pay for a 1-bedroom in that area? Thanks!

[ashmoze]

Hi all, 

I've lived in Columbus for over 10 years, and I think it's such a great city.  I haven't read the whole thread, but in case this hasn't been posted yet, http://www.metro-rentals.com/ is a great place to search for apartments.  I once had a 1br in VV for $350, but it was seriously tiny.  I would expect to pay more like $500-$650.  I recently lived in a 1BR in Grandview for $550. My girlfriend also had a 1BR in Clintonville for $400.  I agree with the suggestion that Olde Town East is a little more removed from campus, but you also get more bang for your buck there.

 

My favorite apartment in Columbus was through Kohr Royer Griffith - http://www.krg1.com/  They seem to really take care of their properties.  I once looked at one owned by http://www.myersrealty.com/, and it wasn't taken care of at all.  Maybe that apartment was the exception, but especially for those of you trying to rent from out of town, I would be cautious with them.

 

ETA: You can find deals on mentro-rentals, but that site seems to skew a bit on the expensive side.  Don't let it make you think every 1BR in Victorian Village is $1,000/month.

Edited February 2, 2013 by ashmoze

[nugget3]

Thanks for the advice! Yeah, I was looking at the Metro Rentals website and it seemed like all the apartments in VV were at least $1000, so it's good to know that there's something more in our price range! My undergrad town has exceedingly high rental rates, so $500-$650 would be perfect. Would you say that apartments come up fairly frequently in the VV area? If I move to Columbus, I'd probably arrive a little earlier than my TA training requires (mid-July), and spend a few days to a week apartment hunting. It doesn't sound like people have much luck renting from afar.

Just for your opinion, what was your favorite place to live? I'm liking the sound of VV for the location - close to OSU, downtown, and restaurants/grocery shopping.

[arglooblaha]

If you are in Columbus and having difficulty finding housing, take a drive/walk/bike through the area that you are interested in.  Some landlords only put up signs and don't really advertise any other way.  Also - when you call about a unit make sure you ask if they have any other within a price/bedroom range.  Some good neighborhoods to live in:

 

-Clintonville

-Victorian Village

-Short North

-Italian Village

-Harrison West

-Grandview (on the other side of Olentangy, but still really accessible on foot/bike/bus)

-Anything between high st. and n. 4th st. that is north of lane is likely to be better than direct campus area (although honestly the farther north you go the better).

 

Slightly farther but still good places to live/not super super far (most people end up getting some kind of bike and riding to campus or taking the bus - its free for students)

-Old Town East

-German Village

-Marion Village

 

Neighborhoods/key words to avoid that will be far commutes

-Worthington

-Dublin

-Grove City

-Linden

-Hilltop

-North Side

-South Side

-Hilliard

-Upper Arlington (although the closest out of the rest of them)

-Canal-Winchester

-Anything on a E or W street that is numbered higher than 500.

 

There are lots of other little neighborhood/suburb areas that are on the far side for a commute, but those are the major ones.

[ashmoze]

I agree with arglooblaha's advice about exploring neighborhoods in person since not everything will be posted online.  My favorite neighborhood in Columbus is definitely Grandview.  I describe it as the closest you can be to downtown (and campus) without feeling like you're downtown.  I live within walking distance to a Starbucks, a grocery store, about four bars, plenty of restaurants, and a park. It's not an undergraduate area at all.  My neighbors are working adults.  However, campus is just a five minute drive away.  It really is a pretty area.

 

There are plenty of apartments in VV.  Timing might be a bit tricky though since lots of students are apt to be searching at the same time.  Good luck in your search, and feel free to contact me if you find an apartment and want in the inside story of what type of neighborhood it's in.

[Human Nature]

I've read through the entire thread and was wondering if anyone familiar with Columbus had an opinion of Franklinton. From what I've read online it was formerly pretty run-down and not the safest of places, but it looks that there's a revitalization effort underway.

 

Just wondering, any information would be appreciated. Thanks.

[MA-SLP FTW]

If you are in Columbus and having difficulty finding housing, take a drive/walk/bike through the area that you are interested in.  Some landlords only put up signs and don't really advertise any other way.  Also - when you call about a unit make sure you ask if they have any other within a price/bedroom range.  Some good neighborhoods to live in:

 

-Clintonville

-Victorian Village

-Short North

-Italian Village

-Harrison West

-Grandview (on the other side of Olentangy, but still really accessible on foot/bike/bus)

-Anything between high st. and n. 4th st. that is north of lane is likely to be better than direct campus area (although honestly the farther north you go the better).

 

Slightly farther but still good places to live/not super super far (most people end up getting some kind of bike and riding to campus or taking the bus - its free for students)

-Old Town East

-German Village

-Marion Village

 

Neighborhoods/key words to avoid that will be far commutes

-Worthington

-Dublin

-Grove City

-Linden

-Hilltop

-North Side

-South Side

-Hilliard

-Upper Arlington (although the closest out of the rest of them)

-Canal-Winchester

-Anything on a E or W street that is numbered higher than 500.

 

There are lots of other little neighborhood/suburb areas that are on the far side for a commute, but those are the major ones.

 

Just laughed out loud. I recently moved out of Dublin - my commute was anywhere from 20-45 minutes depending on traffic. The area is really (really) nice, but the drive, not so much.

[nugget3]

Maybe this was mentioned before, but I don't know if I can find it in the other pages... can anyone delineate the "undergrad area" around campus? I know where I'd LIKE to live, but I figure I should check out everything in a ~2 mile radius of campus, excluding the undergrad area, except I don't know exactly where it begins and ends. 

 

Thanks!

[arglooblaha]

On 4/12/2013 at 2:52 AM, nugget3 said:

Maybe this was mentioned before, but I don't know if I can find it in the other pages... can anyone delineate the "undergrad area" around campus? I know where I'd LIKE to live, but I figure I should check out everything in a ~2 mile radius of campus, excluding the undergrad area, except I don't know exactly where it begins and ends. 

 

Thanks!

 

The undergrad area - something to keep in mind.  The university has over 40 thousand undergrads so they are everywhere.  What you want to avoid is where the sophomores live and the people who are older than sophomores but still like living in those kinds of areas.  These are the people who are out of the dorms and in an apartment for the first time and are really excited about taking advantage of that and are (consequently) very annoying to live near.  Some people take a little bit longer than a year to grow out of this.  Avoid anything east of high st. (across from campus) between high st. and 4th st. and sometimes farther east.  The northern border of this is Lane and the southern border is Chittenden.  There are mixes of non-sophomorey undergrads in there, but (generally speaking) most of them are trying to get the f*** out of there the next year.  W of high st. - anything between King ave. and south campus is also mostly undergrad territory, however with more of a mix between "get drunk any night of the week and verbally harass your neighbor and every passerby" and the occasional party on acceptable party nights. I think that this area (especially the closer to King you get) is a good mix of undergrad and not undergrad with relatively cheap/acceptable housing quality.  Go farther south and you will find less party animals, nicer housing but also higher rent rates.  However, there are lots of affordable places mixed in.  If you go south of that, things become less undergrad-y.  North of Lane/campus is an interesting mix of undergrads, grads, long-term residents, etc.  I'd say the first 3 blocks north of lane is full of lots of people living in their first apartment (on both sides of high st.).  The further north you get the vaguer this mix becomes.

 

A good tip if you are concerned - take a stroll past the place you are interested in on a Friday or Saturday night after 10 and see what the atmosphere is like.  Then take a stroll around the area immediately east of campus (east of high st. between Chittenden and Lane) around the same time and see what things could be like for a good comparison.

[1848ce]

My future roommate and I will both be starting PhD programs in the fall and will be visiting during the first week of June to sign a 2br+ lease that starts in August. Our ideal neighborhoods are Harrison West, Victorian Village, Short North, Italian Village, and southern Clintonville; we are also looking northern Clintonville, Grandview, and the extreme north of Arena District.

We have searched Craiglist, Trulia, Zillow, and the listings of leasing companies listed in the undergrad housing survey. Aside from taking note of signs when we visit, any other suggestions on how to find residences in these neighborhoods?

[Mar-Co]

On 5/28/2013 at 9:43 PM, 1848ce said:

My future roommate and I will both be starting PhD programs in the fall and will be visiting during the first week of June to sign a 2br+ lease that starts in August. Our ideal neighborhoods are Harrison West, Victorian Village, Short North, Italian Village, and southern Clintonville; we are also looking northern Clintonville, Grandview, and the extreme north of Arena District.

We have searched Craiglist, Trulia, Zillow, and the listings of leasing companies listed in the undergrad housing survey. Aside from taking note of signs when we visit, any other suggestions on how to find residences in these neighborhoods?

I don't know if you've checked out Olentangy Village Apartments in Clintonville, but I just put a deposit on a 1br apartment there (beginning in August) and am very pleased.  It's right off of High St, far enough away from campus to be a little quieter, but close enough to be convenient.  Very pretty grounds, and the leasing staff I spoke to were very accommodating. I know they book up fast, but it might be worth a look - good luck!

[Gwendolyn]

There is very limited parking and even with special parking permit, there are some areas that would require a bit of walking (not a horrendous amount -- maybe .1- .2 miles at most away from efficient parking).

As far as housing goes there's graduate student housing available through the university that should be pretty accessible. They're furnished and come with amenities (utilities are included in the rent), but you will be put into a housing situation with people who you don't necessarily get to choose. I've heard both good and bad things about graduate housing, but it can't possibly be any worse than the housing right around the university. I live alone in a 2 bedroom apartment in Clintonville on a grad student budget without any issues. There's bus stops everywhere (where i live there's one going north directly across the street and one going south that stops right in front of my building), so even using the transit isn't bad. Clintonville, Victorian Village, and the Short North seem to be the most popular with graduate students. Grandview is actually a bit of a drive which can be a problem if you're facing morning/rush hour traffic. Some places in Victorian Village can be pricey, but I also know several graduate students who live alone in doubles/split levels in the area on grad student budgets, so there are some options (but there is the issue of finding housing that meets your accessibility needs). I would really recommend looking around in Clintonville. There's a lot of great shops, restaurants, coffee shops, book stores, and other things in this emerging area. There's also more single level homes than other areas which might be of service to you. 

[LittleDarlings]

What places should be avoided? I started looking at apartments and I have found some nice ones in reasonable price ranges. I really want to live in Upper Arlington or Hilliard. I know some places downtown are not safe, when I interned there most of the crimes occurred downtown or near down town and there is a lot of gang activity. Do you have any suggestions about places that need to be avoided? Do you have any apartment suggestions? I found a place called Olentangy Commons and they are nice. I decided I don't think I would mind living 20 mins from campus, like even Bexley or Grove City because I don't want to be in a bad area and I don't want to be around a ton of partying. At the same time I am afraid of isolating myself because making friends and connections is very important to me. Suggestions?

[nugget3]

CorruptedInnocence,

I wouldn't live as far away from campus as Grove City or Bexley, or even Hilliard if making friends and connections is very important to you. I haven't spent much time in those areas, but they are suburban and far away, and not where many (any?) OSU grad students live. You'd be better off living in a quieter area of Columbus.

Most areas that I have been in are NOT dangerous. I live in Grandview and would walk around the neighborhood at night by myself (female). It's a very safe area, more surburban which is honestly boring to me, but still very close to the action. I appreciate it because our landlord is nice, the neighborhood is quiet, and there's grocery stores and bus lines right around the corner. Most people I know don't live around here, however, they are up in Old North Columbus or southern Clintonville. I honestly wish I lived in south Clintonville, since it's closer to people and more interesting things (like I said... Grandview is kind of boring, for grad students anyway). Upper Arlington borders Grandview and is also a good option for a safe, quiet area, although it's perhaps even more suburban (and pricier?) than Grandview.

Definitely avoid the university area. I hear there are lots of loud parties, and I'm so glad I'm not around that. (I think a previous poster delineated the area. You'll know it when you get here!)

Price ranges vary, but good deals go quickly. I was lucky and got my apartment from a fourth-year in my department who was moving to a new place, and I'm pretty sure we have a great deal on our rent for the size and location. But I only found it after LOTS of looking... good luck!

[LittleDarlings]

On 1/21/2014 at 1:45 PM, nugget3 said:

CorruptedInnocence,

 

I wouldn't live as far away from campus as Grove City or Bexley, or even Hilliard if making friends and connections is very important to you. I haven't spent much time in those areas, but they are suburban and far away, and not where many (any?) OSU grad students live. You'd be better off living in a quieter area of Columbus.

 

Most areas that I have been in are NOT dangerous. I live in Grandview and would walk around the neighborhood at night by myself (female). It's a very safe area, more surburban which is honestly boring to me, but still very close to the action. I appreciate it because our landlord is nice, the neighborhood is quiet, and there's grocery stores and bus lines right around the corner. Most people I know don't live around here, however, they are up in Old North Columbus or southern Clintonville. I honestly wish I lived in south Clintonville, since it's closer to people and more interesting things (like I said... Grandview is kind of boring, for grad students anyway). Upper Arlington borders Grandview and is also a good option for a safe, quiet area, although it's perhaps even more suburban (and pricier?) than Grandview. 

 

Definitely avoid the university area. I hear there are lots of loud parties, and I'm so glad I'm not around that. (I think a previous poster delineated the area. You'll know it when you get here!) 

 

Price ranges vary, but good deals go quickly. I was lucky and got my apartment from a fourth-year in my department who was moving to a new place, and I'm pretty sure we have a great deal on our rent for the size and location. But I only found it after LOTS of looking... good luck!

Thank you!

 

I have started sending out emails, I am looking in Upper Arlington and I have contacted some apartment leasing agents in Clintonville.  I just hope that waiting until March won't be too late.  Do you use the highway to get to class? A lot of places I have looked (mapquested comparing to campus) at have a short drive like 10 mins but it includes getting on the high way, what has your experience been with that? 

Edited January 21, 2014 by CorruptedInnocence

[Silas]

Unless you're looking in the immediate area right around campus ("University District"--basically south of Hudson, north of 5th, and between Olentangy River Road and 4th Street), March will be too early.  The campus area, which is mostly undergrads, rents about 6-12 months in advance.  Clintonville, the Short North, UA, Grandview, etc. tend to rent 2-3 months in advance, AT MOST, and sometimes as little as 2-4 weeks.

 

The expressways are pretty unnecessary, unless you live far from campus.  Clintonville is probably the easiest place to live--close enough to walk/bike/bus (so you don't pay $300-$700/year for a parking pass), but far enough away that it's quiet, not full of undergrads, and safe.  It's also home to two vegan bakeries, several coffee shops, great restaraunts, two Asian groceries, several food trucks, and a really awesome Whole Foods-like grocery store (with much better prices).

 

If you want to book a place in March for an August move in, and don't want to live right by campus, check out the apartment complexes.  If you're thinking about Clintonville, I recommend Olentangy Village (it's a little pricey, but not terrible--I pay $704/month for a one bedroom, and it includes heat, hot water, parking, a fitness center, a pool, etc).

[nugget3]

On 2/4/2014 at 9:46 PM, Silas said:

The expressways are pretty unnecessary, unless you live far from campus.  Clintonville is probably the easiest place to live--close enough to walk/bike/bus (so you don't pay $300-$700/year for a parking pass), but far enough away that it's quiet, not full of undergrads, and safe.  It's also home to two vegan bakeries, several coffee shops, great restaraunts, two Asian groceries, several food trucks, and a really awesome Whole Foods-like grocery store (with much better prices).

 

Agreed. Except the last point -- I contend that neither Lucky's nor Whole Foods has better prices! Lucky's has great prices on bulk and produce items, while Whole Foods does not (since they are almost all purely organic - although you can still get for example walnuts for the same price at Lucky's and Whole Foods, just not in the bulk bin). But Lucky's has higher prices on packaged food. $5 for Kashi Go Lean, whaaat? Just my two cents. And Whole Foods has a better wine/beer tasting than Lucky's... so far!

Live in Clintonville! There's also a really cool farmer's market in the summer on Saturdays. Haven't been, but my friend who lives there loves it. (And Lucky's, go figure.) Still wish I lived in Clintonville... whose idea was it that Grandview is "hip" ??

[webfarer]

Hello everybody! This is my very first post on thegradcafe.

I am an international student. Should I wait till I get there to look for apartments?

[iphi]

On 3/1/2014 at 3:05 PM, webfarer said:

Hello everybody! This is my very first post on thegradcafe.

I am an international student. Should I wait till I get there to look for apartments?

 

I would wait to contact anyone, just because people will not usually rent to someone who doesn't live in the country. But before you leave I would do your research and know which neighborhoods, apartment complexes, etc. you are interested in so you have a place to start when you arrive there.

[TomServo]

On 1/20/2014 at 12:33 PM, LittleDarlings said:

What places should be avoided? I started looking at apartments and I have found some nice ones in reasonable price ranges. I really want to live in Upper Arlington or Hilliard. I know some places downtown are not safe, when I interned there most of the crimes occurred downtown or near down town and there is a lot of gang activity. Do you have any suggestions about places that need to be avoided? Do you have any apartment suggestions? I found a place called Olentangy Commons and they are nice. I decided I don't think I would mind living 20 mins from campus, like even Bexley or Grove City because I don't want to be in a bad area and I don't want to be around a ton of partying. At the same time I am afraid of isolating myself because making friends and connections is very important to me. Suggestions?

I knew a few grad students who lived in Grove City, so it's doable.  I suggest North and West campus areas for safety.  All the campus-area crime is usually in the South and East campus areas.  Stay West of High Street and North of Lane and you'll probably be fine.  Stay West of the Olentangy River and you're well away from the bad areas of campus.

 

On 3/1/2014 at 3:05 PM, webfarer said:

Hello everybody! This is my very first post on thegradcafe.

I am an international student. Should I wait till I get there to look for apartments?

Well, where would you live while looking for apartments?  A hotel?

 

www.padmapper.com is a good site for finding apartments, I recommend securing a place before late July.  May/June is probably the best time, lots of places will free up.

[iphi]

Stay West of High Street and North of Lane and you'll probably be fine.  Stay West of the Olentangy River and you're well away from the bad areas of campus.

 

There's nothing wrong with living south of Lane in UA. It's generally not very affordable, but there are some apartments in the area that are nice and kind of hidden away. On/between Arlington Ave and Coventry Road.

[pachel]

Does anyone have experience living in the Brewery District or German Village? I'm looking at an apartment complex there, as I really like the area, but it is a little bit farther from campus as other options. I'm trying to avoid the undergraduate area though. Are there many direct bus lines that go to the campus from that area?

[buckeye34]

Does anyone have experience living in the Brewery District or German Village? I'm looking at an apartment complex there, as I really like the area, but it is a little bit farther from campus as other options. I'm trying to avoid the undergraduate area though. Are there many direct bus lines that go to the campus from that area?

 

 

Relying on the COTA (the columbus city bus service) is always dicey if you aren't going straight up and down high street, at least in my experience. But I live close to campus so I don't have personal experience going from German Village to campus. But German Village is really cute and quiet and has great little restaurants