Ithaca, NY

[czesc]

^ I would just add that Fall Creek is actually a fairly large neighborhood and while areas that could be considered Fall Creek are a five minute walk to downtown/the Commons, there are also areas that are more like a 30 minute walk there (a pleasant stroll on a lazy summer day but not on a busy winter one) and have very bad bus service.

Edited February 12, 2014 by czesc

[longforit]

Thank you to both of you! 

 

Now, do you want to live in Center Ithaca specifically? The actual Commons can get noisy, especially on weekend nights, with Ithaca College revelers. Center Ithaca's apartments may be high enough up to avoid that noise, but I know that mine (third floor, just off the Commons) is still within earshot. My ideal would be to live within very short walking distance of one of the main downtown bus stops, but still on a quiet street a little removed from the Commons itself.

 

Thanks for bringing up the noise problem of the Commons. I only know Collegetown is a little annoying on this side and thought the Commons would be a better place.. Maybe not? I'm not a quite social person but I do appreciate convenient bus transportation and being close to the campus. So I probably will look for places similar to the ideal place in your mind.

 

 

 

 

The basic thing about is graduate living in Ithaca would be that if you want to be close to  other grads and downtown;  go for Fall Creek.    It's a 5 min walk to the commons,  7 minutes by bus to Cornell and you can walk up the hill if you feel like it.    If you want less social scene then go for Cayuga Heights and Forest Home are great.  I'm a grouch so I rent in Forest Home and love it. 

 

I've heard all these about Fall Creek. Seems to be a grad-gathering, nice and quiet place. But I couldn't find many apartments complexes run by bigger companies, nor enough comments online to help me evaluate the condition/landlord (very important part)/neighborhood, etc. Do you know any reliable landlords/companies that rent apartments in this area? I'm looking for 1 or 2 bedrooms apartment for a couple. A little more privacy would be better. And I hope the renting would be a little lower than that of, say, Fairview. (How about Fairview anyway? Seems to be liked by some and hated by some others )

 

Thanks!

Edited February 13, 2014 by longforit

[czesc]

Thank you to both of you! 

 

 

Thanks for bringing up the noise problem of the Commons. I only know Collegetown is a little annoying on this side and thought the Commons would be a better place.. Maybe not? I'm not a quite social person but I do appreciate convenient bus transportation and being close to the campus. So I probably will look for places similar to the ideal place in your mind.

 

 

 

I've heard all these about Fall Creek. Seems to be a grad-gathering, nice and quiet place. But I couldn't find many apartments complexes run by bigger companies, nor enough comments online to help me evaluate the condition/landlord (very important part)/neighborhood, etc. Do you know any reliable landlords/companies that rent apartments in this area? I'm looking for 1 or 2 bedrooms apartment for a couple. A little more privacy would be better. And I hope the renting would be a little lower than that of, say, Fairview. (How about Fairview anyway? Seems to be liked by some and hated by some others )

 

Thanks!

 

1. The noise problem on the Commons is annoying but only if you're directly on the Commons itself or one of the busier parts of the directly-adjacent commercial streets (like Aurora or Cayuga or the non-pedestrianized parts of State/MLK St). Even a block away it's much better. This isn't the case in Collegetown, because residential houses throughout that neighborhood are packed with undergrad students who hold house parties that spill onto porches and the street. Only really grad students and non-students live in downtown Ithaca, and the noisy people are typically Ithaca College students who are only there for the bars on the busier streets before they trudge back up their hill at the end of the night. 

 

2. You're not really going to find many big management companies running apartment complexes in Fall Creek; getting a place there usually involves negotiating with some smalltime landlord who may even live in the same house and will interrogate you about things like your politics or people in your department who have long since moved on from Cornell since the last time she went to some colloquium talk there in 1973. That said, the occasional house is run by a bigger company; maybe try looking at CSP Property Management's listings -- with a map handy. The boundaries between downtown and Fall Creek can be blurry, so some very Fall-Creek-y places are sometimes labeled as downtown buildings on these real estate websites. 

Edited February 13, 2014 by czesc

[ohgoodness]

I've heard all these about Fall Creek. Seems to be a grad-gathering, nice and quiet place. But I couldn't find many apartments complexes run by bigger companies, nor enough comments online to help me evaluate the condition/landlord (very important part)/neighborhood, etc. Do you know any reliable landlords/companies that rent apartments in this area? I'm looking for 1 or 2 bedrooms apartment for a couple. A little more privacy would be better. And I hope the renting would be a little lower than that of, say, Fairview. (How about Fairview anyway? Seems to be liked by some and hated by some others )

 

Thanks!

 

Your profile of accommodations makes me want to suggest that you think about looking along the slope part between downtown and collegetown (Buffalo and Seneca street and any cross-street).  There are a number of apartment residences and lots of larger houses where one can rent one of the floors.   A number of people in my cohort live along these streets and the location is good and the rent tends to be fair.   

 

If you have any interest in renting from private owners then look at the Cornell OSHO listning (Cornell University’s Off Campus Housing Listing Service) and see if there is anything within your range.  I found my rental there and am renting from Cornell Professors, which is awesome since they understood the life of a graduate student.   It did, however, take some ignoring idiot postings before I found a good one but it was well-worth it. 

Edited February 14, 2014 by ohgoodness

[czesc]

Those streets on the hill (Buffalo, Seneca, etc.) can be nice, and they're isolated from noise. The only problem is that there's not really any transportation to speak of on this part of the hill...so you wind up having to walk up or down constantly to get either downtown or Cornell (and conversely, back down/up). Of course, you're only dealing with part of the hill at any one time, but that hill is nasty. It's probably the number one reason the buses are so popular (campus would be an easy walk from downtown/Fall Creek without the vertical distance the hill involves).

[ohgoodness]

^^ Now you're just being lazy czesc!   The hills are the reason as to why Cornell grads have the best calf muscles out there.     I'd take the hill any day over having to do the bus with all those undergrads -.-

[czesc]

Fair enough, to each his/her own! I liked developing my calf muscles, but arriving all sweaty to class in the summers was never fun, and during winter, well, steep slopes and ice haven't been mixing well, in my mind. I've noticed somewhere between 25-50% of people do prefer the walk, though.

[longforit]

Thanks guys! Seems a lot to consider here.  I know both of you aren't a big fan of on-campus housing, but am I right in thinking that finding a good off-campus apartment seems to need more investigation in person (be in Cornell and talk to the landlord), especially for those in FC and downtown area where most houses are run by individual landlords, therefore on-campus would be a "safer" choice for the first-year grads? I'm specifically talking about Hasbrouck here. I don't mind isolation. The distance to the main campus (if there are only few buses) is my real concern.

[gatsbysghost]

Thanks guys! Seems a lot to consider here.  I know both of you aren't a big fan of on-campus housing, but am I right in thinking that finding a good off-campus apartment seems to need more investigation in person (be in Cornell and talk to the landlord), especially for those in FC and downtown area where most houses are run by individual landlords, therefore on-campus would be a "safer" choice for the first-year grads? I'm specifically talking about Hasbrouck here. I don't mind isolation. The distance to the main campus (if there are only few buses) is my real concern.

 

I went to Cornell for undergrad and I can absolutely recommend the Lansing West apartments. I lived there for a year and it was great:

 

http://www.solomonorg.com/Lansing-West-Apartments

 

There's a nearby bus stop with regular service to campus. It's close enough to campus that the bus ride is only about ten minutes, depending on where you need to go. I would recommend a car (as it's the best way to get to Wegman's, which is heaven on earth), but you definitely don't need a car as such.

 

More importantly, I can vouch for the quality of these places. They're nice, spacious apartments and a reasonable price, and they're managed by a company rather than rented by individual (and potentially shady) landlords.

 

This location is great because 1) you're not in the middle of Collegetown, which is an absolute pigsty; and 2) it's right across the street from the Ithaca Bakery, which has the best all-day breakfast sandwiches known to man.

[ohgoodness]

Thanks guys! Seems a lot to consider here.  I know both of you aren't a big fan of on-campus housing, but am I right in thinking that finding a good off-campus apartment seems to need more investigation in person (be in Cornell and talk to the landlord), especially for those in FC and downtown area where most houses are run by individual landlords, therefore on-campus would be a "safer" choice for the first-year grads? I'm specifically talking about Hasbrouck here. I don't mind isolation. The distance to the main campus (if there are only few buses) is my real concern.

 

I live in the general vicinity of Hasbrouck and it would say that the distance from campus is not a real issue.   You would probably be able to get to your department within 20 minutes once you start finding your way around.   It is, however, right next to the undergraduate ghetto so you would be sharing bus routes with a majority of the on-campus undergraduates students..  I live by Judd Falls, which is 5 minutes from hasbrouck and 5 minutes from main campus,  and I have no issues walking.      Then again - I have less interaction with my cohort simply because they live in the Fall Creek/Buffalo St. area and I live on the opposite side of town (or maybe I'm just weird..) 

 

My experience of Hasbrouck, however, is that it is an international student ghetto so you will be more isolated from the main graduate student population than you would believe by looking at a map.     My whole issue with the on-campus residence is that they are more expensive than they need to be and that the areas are very isolated from the rest of Ithaca.  The location of Hasbrouck, however, is wonderful if you are a runner and like to run;  step out the door and you have amazing nature right there. 

[czesc]

I went to Cornell for undergrad and I can absolutely recommend the Lansing West apartments. I lived there for a year and it was great:

 

http://www.solomonorg.com/Lansing-West-Apartments

 

 

I would absolutely never live out there without a car. The bus service is nowhere near as frequent as in Ithaca proper, and getting to many parts of town (e.g. to the all-important Wegmans) would require transfers as well. And even if you had a car, you'd still be dependent on less-than-frequent bus service to campus, since, as I've mentioned before, parking on campus is very limited/expensive (and parking off campus to be on campus can be impracticably distant).

 

Of course, everything depends on who you are. If you want a very nice apartment for little money and don't care about the fact that you're going to have to be very careful about making sure to catch one of the few buses to campus and home on time every day, these suburban apartment complexes can make sense. They also make more sense if you absolutely plan to have a car anyway. And if you don't plan to have much of a social life with fellow grads, who will inevitably cluster in Fall Creek/downtown, able to walk home from one another's apartments or bars.

 

Depending on where you are, these complexes might feel like they have more access to nature, but most don't. The one linked above is in the midst of some of Ithaca's worst suburban sprawl. If you're going to deal with the problems of living in Ithaca suburbia but at least want to be in a more scenic part of the area, I'd recommend Cayuga Heights.

[davidipse]

Has any of you guys lived in Berkeley (only college town I've been). If so, or even if not so, I'd love to hear your thoughts on how Ithaca compare in terms of:

 

- bike-ability

- availability/price of groceries (I cook my own meals, mostly; don't eat out much)

- availability of "study cafes" (e.g. not the neigborhood Starbucks with the AC and music cranked up rendering you progressively deafer and dumber)

- natural scenery

 

Given the above factors as desirables, which neighborhoods/sides of campus (north, south, east, west) would you recommend? I enjoy biking so distance from campus is not a big deal as long as it's bikeable within 20 mins.

 

Thanks a lot (and if you have questions re Berkeley feel free to pm me!)

Edited February 15, 2014 by davidipse

[ohgoodness]

I would absolutely never live out there without a car. The bus service is nowhere near as frequent as in Ithaca proper, and getting to many parts of town (e.g. to the all-important Wegmans) would require transfers as well. And even if you had a car, you'd still be dependent on less-than-frequent bus service to campus, since, as I've mentioned before, parking on campus is very limited/expensive (and parking off campus to be on campus can be impracticably distant).

 

Of course, everything depends on who you are. If you want a very nice apartment for little money and don't care about the fact that you're going to have to be very careful about making sure to catch one of the few buses to campus and home on time every day, these suburban apartment complexes can make sense. They also make more sense if you absolutely plan to have a car anyway. And if you don't plan to have much of a social life with fellow grads, who will inevitably cluster in Fall Creek/downtown, able to walk home from one another's apartments or bars.

 

Depending on where you are, these complexes might feel like they have more access to nature, but most don't. The one linked above is in the midst of some of Ithaca's worst suburban sprawl. If you're going to deal with the problems of living in Ithaca suburbia but at least want to be in a more scenic part of the area, I'd recommend Cayuga Heights.

 

I am sorry but I would strongly disagree with a lot of this.  Not that I think that the solomon west is an amazing location but there are buses to and from central campus and heading into downtown twice every hour and you will be living very close to the ithaca mall and triphammar mall.  The location is not that bad but if you want to live downtown then it is not the thing.  In summer - you can bike to Cornell in 20 minutes from that location so it's not far out and Suburban Ithaca is actually kinda neat and is not "suburbia" proper.  And living there will not affect your social life if you want one. 

[ohgoodness]

Has any of you guys lived in Berkeley (only college town I've been). If so, or even if not so, I'd love to hear your thoughts on how Ithaca compare in terms of:

 

- bike-ability

- availability/price of groceries (I cook my own meals, mostly; don't eat out much)

- availability of "study cafes" (e.g. not the neigborhood Starbucks with the AC and music cranked up rendering you progressively deafer and dumber)

- natural scenery

 

Given the above factors as desirables, which neighborhoods/sides of campus (north, south, east, west) would you recommend? I enjoy biking so distance from campus is not a big deal as long as it's bikeable within 20 mins.

 

Thanks a lot (and if you have questions re Berkeley feel free to pm me!)

 

My girlfriend went to Berkeley for a single term but I never visited so I can't really answer but Ithaca has awesome natural scenery.  Beebe lake is gorgeous,  the hikes into the various state parks are amazing and you hike the Finger Lakes trail going through Ithaca and connecting into the APT further east.    I do long runs (10-25km) and it really never gets boring as the scenery is inspiring and refreshing. 

 

If you want bike up the hill then I would suggest looking into something close to the lake front or Cayuga heights-area.   South hill is Ithaca College-area and Townies,  West is just dead ends.   The hill really is the biggest issue into biking but you can always put your bike on the bus and hitch a ride up. 

Edited February 15, 2014 by ohgoodness

[czesc]

I am sorry but I would strongly disagree with a lot of this.  Not that I think that the solomon west is an amazing location but there are buses to and from central campus and heading into downtown twice every hour and you will be living very close to the ithaca mall and triphammar mall.  The location is not that bad but if you want to live downtown then it is not the thing.  In summer - you can bike to Cornell in 20 minutes from that location so it's not far out and Suburban Ithaca is actually kinda neat and is not "suburbia" proper.  And living there will not affect your social life if you want one. 

 

Of course, it's not as if it's impossible to live there. Ithaca suburbia is far away from, say, living in suburban NYC relative to Manhattan, meaning you have some kind of hours long commute. I just think it's inconvenient compared to other places in town. A 20 minute bike ride to campus in summer is awesome. What's not so awesome is that most of the academic year here is freezing, and waiting for a long time outside for a bus stuck in traffic and/or having to worry about waiting even longer because you've missed the only one for the next 40 minutes is annoying. And sure, you're closer to the malls...but those aren't really very walkable environments anyway. 

 

There's a reason apartments in that area are priced more cheaply for what you get than those in the city proper.

 

 

Has any of you guys lived in Berkeley (only college town I've been). If so, or even if not so, I'd love to hear your thoughts on how Ithaca compare in terms of:

 

- bike-ability

- availability/price of groceries (I cook my own meals, mostly; don't eat out much)

- availability of "study cafes" (e.g. not the neigborhood Starbucks with the AC and music cranked up rendering you progressively deafer and dumber)

- natural scenery

 

Given the above factors as desirables, which neighborhoods/sides of campus (north, south, east, west) would you recommend? I enjoy biking so distance from campus is not a big deal as long as it's bikeable within 20 mins.

 

Thanks a lot (and if you have questions re Berkeley feel free to pm me!)

 

I haven't been to Berkeley but I think I can address some of these desirables in general. From the photos I've seen of B, I'd say Ithaca is comparable if not better in terms of natural beauty (there's no San Francisco to gaze out upon, of course, but there is a similar hill/vista toward a large body of water setup, plus four seasons, which keeps things varied and fresh...and a ton of gorges and waterfalls, something Berkeley does not have).

 

There are a bunch of supermarkets in town, but they generally cluster toward the southwest, far away from campus. There's no real supermarket within an easy walk of the school. And the southwestern grocery stores require a bus transfer to reach from campus as well (another reason why I find living downtown convenient - since the buses converge here, you don't really ever have to transfer, and there is at least a smallish supermarket downtown as well). If you have a car, any of the grocery stores are a fairly quick drive, though. Beyond larger grocery stores, there are plenty of mini-marts, convenience stores, bodegas, etc. all over, and a fairly cheap grocery delivery service called Rosie.

 

Grocery prices vary, but there's nothing spectacularly cheap. If you've spent time in the SF Bay area you're probably used to Trader Joe's, which is cheap and fairly decent quality. You can get good quality groceries in Ithaca, but prices at Wegmans and GreenStar (the local, somewhat smaller, more health-focused version of Whole Foods) aren't as good a value as at TJ's. 

 

In the warmer summer months there's a Farmer's Market that features a ton of affordable (and also a ton of not so affordable) food. It's an amazing experience, actually; it feels more like some kind of gourmet foodie festival than a rural farmer's market (though you can also get everything you'd normally get at a farmer's market there). The market is also fairly distant from campus by foot/bike/bus, but it's only open two days a week anyway, so it's kind of a special trip.

 

Study cafes - Ithaca has plenty of independent cafes but nearly all are small and don't feature much workspace, unfortunately (they're really more like coffee bars with a handful of tables). That said, if you manage to snag a table you can get work done at nearly all of them. Many people I know who like working at cafes swear by The Shop, which is downtown and sells Gimme Coffee (one of the highest ranked coffees in the country that happens to be locally based) but has slightly more space to sit than Gimme's own two cafes in town.

 

There's a cafe specializing in mate downtown on the Commons which has an amazing interior that feels somewhat like a rainforest. It's also run by a somewhat creepy cult and plays annoying elvish pipe music all the time; the place is also closed on Saturdays for the cult's day of rest, which can make it inconvenient. That said, it has maybe the most space to spread out with a coffee of anywhere in town.

 

Cycling - what ohgoodness said; the hill is something you have to consider. I see people struggling up it on bikes, but if you don't want to do this constantly, I would really consider what you want to be able to bike to most often and plan around that. Other than the hills, it seems like it would be fairly easy to bike all over here. There are not many large or heavily trafficked roads at all. 

Edited February 15, 2014 by czesc

[davidipse]

Ohgoodness and Czesc, thanks for the info. Really, this is very helpful as I'm trying to savvy up my life-skills, plan, prepare, etc. and not just get myself dumped upon a new town, off the proverbial stork.

 

And, my god, TJ's is considered cheap by the folk on the (apparently) wrong side of this country? California spoils one ... any ethnic Asian, Mexican, or Armenian store here trumps TJ's price-wise, and (excepting cheese) almost always quality-wise .

 

O let us sit upon the ground

and tell sad stories.

 

Czesc, thanks especially for the virtual cafe tour

[ReadingLisa]

Hello guys, I've also been admitted into Cornell, but am really really doubting that I'll accept. I'm from NYC and the thought of not having a supermarket nearby kind of scares me. Also, I can't drive. :/ I hope I don't sound lazy, but it's just I've grown up in a big city so don't really feel comfortable anywhere small. I'm lucky because I've also gained admission into another good school, but I don't know if Cornell offers a better program, in which case I don't want to pass on it just because I'm scared of small towns. But I guess that's what student weekends are for...

 

I do know one thing though, if I do end up at Cornell I am sooo becoming a regular at that cult cafe! 

[czesc]

Hey Lisa,

 

I'm from NYC too (and before that lived in Boston), and I hated the idea of moving here. As someone who understands the environment you're coming from, though, let me tell you: it's really not so bad once you get used to it. I don't own a car and walk or take public transportation virtually everywhere, which is pretty easy thanks to where in town I've chosen to live, and I would say there are a great portion of other grad students (and even professors) who also do this. Now that I've settled in, I feel like living here (at least in the urban portions of Ithaca) almost reminds me more of living in certain parts of Boston or DC than living in a rural hamlet. 

 

And there are added benefits: the scenery is beautiful, for example, and you have access to things like waterfalls and wineries that don't exist in extremely close proximity to the city. There are fewer distractions from your work (which would take up most of your time wherever you went) and living on a grad stipend is very, very easy here compared to larger cities. Keep in mind, also -- even if you dislike it completely, it's really only around three years max (not counting breaks) until you're ABD and can move wherever to work on your dissertation. And it's possible to go back to NY on weekends as well -- I do this all the time.

 

Feel free to PM me if you have any other specific questions/concerns.

Edited February 15, 2014 by czesc

[ReadingLisa]

Hey Lisa,

 

I'm from NYC too (and before that lived in Boston), and I hated the idea of moving here. As someone who understands the environment you're coming from, though, let me tell you: it's really not so bad once you get used to it. I don't own a car and walk or take public transportation virtually everywhere, which is pretty easy thanks to where in town I've chosen to live, and I would say there are a great portion of other grad students (and even professors) who also do this. Now that I've settled in, I feel like living here (at least in the urban portions of Ithaca) almost reminds me more of living in certain parts of Boston or DC than living in a rural hamlet. 

 

And there are added benefits: the scenery is beautiful, for example, and you have access to things like waterfalls and wineries that don't exist in extremely close proximity to the city. There are fewer distractions from your work (which would take up most of your time wherever you went) and living on a grad stipend is very, very easy here compared to larger cities. Keep in mind, also -- even if you dislike it completely, it's really only around three years max (not counting breaks) until you're ABD and can move wherever to work on your dissertation. And it's possible to go back to NY on weekends as well -- I do this all the time.

 

Feel free to PM me if you have any other specific questions/concerns.

 

Thank you very much Czesc! It's reassuring to know that I don't need a car to get by up there. The more I read over this entire thread the more I'm enticed by the scenic beauty of the campus, which is definitely not something I can get in the city. In my department, though, (English) I think we're required to teach up to our fifth year so I don't think I could move after my third. 

 

Thank you again for offering your help.

[czesc]

On 2/15/2014 at 6:02 PM, ReadingLisa said:

Thank you very much Czesc! It's reassuring to know that I don't need a car to get by up there. The more I read over this entire thread the more I'm enticed by the scenic beauty of the campus, which is definitely not something I can get in the city. In my department, though, (English) I think we're required to teach up to our fifth year so I don't think I could move after my third. 

 

Thank you again for offering your help.

 

Glad to be of help. I'd make sure about that teaching requirement. I know that in history we can teach during each of the last four/five years we're supported, but it's not at all required for the PhD -- just the way you keep receiving your stipend in the absence of any external grant. And we definitely have one year of automatic departmental support for dissertation writing that's teaching-free. I would be surprised if this varied that significantly across the humanities.

[ohgoodness]

Hello guys, I've also been admitted into Cornell, but am really really doubting that I'll accept. I'm from NYC and the thought of not having a supermarket nearby kind of scares me. Also, I can't drive. :/ I hope I don't sound lazy, but it's just I've grown up in a big city so don't really feel comfortable anywhere small. I'm lucky because I've also gained admission into another good school, but I don't know if Cornell offers a better program, in which case I don't want to pass on it just because I'm scared of small towns. But I guess that's what student weekends are for...

 

I do know one thing though, if I do end up at Cornell I am sooo becoming a regular at that cult cafe! 

 

I don't drive either (it's an active choice and due to being from a big city) and it really has not affected my quality of life.   The buses do take you out to the mall if you need it - you can always find friend with wheels  and I spend 90% of my time working so having a car wouldn't be that much of a change.  

 

Ithaca is the best of small towns so don't knock it as easily. 

[periodically]

Hi all - haven't seen any postings in here about churches/religious life around Cornell. I'm most interested in Christian churches/religious life, but also the general feel of Cornell and Ithaca. What is the climate like? Are there places of worship near the main graduate communities?

 

Thanks!

[czesc]

I can't tell you much about religious life, but I doubt it would be very difficult to find or access whatever churches etc. exist in Ithaca, given how small the city is. The campus community is very large and diverse so I would imagine it would not be any harder to find any religious groups on campus than you would at any other school. 

 

As for climate -- it can be harsh in winter (snow falls a lot and it can get very cold -- between 5-10 degrees colder than NYC; you will need a thicker winter coat than you'd otherwise use elsewhere in most of the US) but very pleasant in summer, as it rarely gets too hot. The fall colors are really incredible.

[goldfox91]

Hello all,

I am an art history and archaeology student most probably going into the MA program for archaeology, in the fall of this year (2014). I received a "half package", and the half stipend will be my main sustenance for living in Ithaca. I'm looking to live in Ithaca in either a 1 or shared 2 bedroom, with a total net living cost of $1,000 per month. I've been scouring Craigslist and that seems to be possible with the apartment/condo listings advertised, but I'd like to get feedback from actual people who live in the area. I'm looking to lease/rent from mid July or the start of August for at least a calendar year. 

 

Also, any recommendations for the cheapest apartments (or local landlords) possible within a 45 minute walking distance from McGraw Hall? Also I've noticed a lot of listings are not friendly to cats/pets, don't even offer a pet fee, just have a staunch refusal--have residents known that to be the case in general with renting in the area, and is this flexible/negotiable in any way? I guess to qualify that, how likely is it that I'll find an apartment that will allow me to have my fat cat at a reasonable price?

 

Thanks so much, any information is fabulous, even if it is just to crush my cheap living dream

[ohgoodness]

I know people who live in the South Hill-area (Ithaca College), which is about an hours walk to McGraw,  who share a house with 4 others and pay about 4-500 thus leaving 500 for food and whatnot.   Note that your Cornell card will function as a free bus pass for the first year so if you live south hill/further out, buses are still an option even if you want to live cheaply. 

 

Apart from that -  there are places out by Community Corners and such that are cheaper (like 700) and would probably look the other way about pets.    

 

My suggestion - if you want to live on the cheap - find a house with 3-4 housemates.   I think my budget is about 1050 a month (800 rent + 30 cellphone) but I am extremely frugal and live straight edge so it's easier.  Sadly my monthly budget usually goes down the drain by having to pay for travelling to/from Ithaca for various work/non-work reasons... 

Edited April 4, 2014 by ohgoodness