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I currently work at UT MD Anderson and I know there are apartments available just for UT employees and students. I've heard they are rather safe, close to a bus line, and provide shuttles to UT's locations in the TMC. I also think they are pretty cheap for the area. I know the 1885 El Paseo location has a 24-hour guard, which controls access to the apartment, and this location has been updated recently. Here is the website http://ae.uth.tmc.edu/housing/index2.htm. There might be a long waitlist so you should look into them now. Hope this helps.

Hi all!

I'm an incoming doctoral student at UTSPH and am now starting to search for apartments. I have been consulting with an apartment locator, and saw some properties on a recent visit to Houston. However, I have been cross-checking options suggested/viewed with reviews online (including apartmentratings.com). For many apartments, especially those closest to the TMC, the rating are the pits!! It is a little unnerving. I try to take what I read with a grain of salt but am sure there is some truth to what's written -- especially if a number of folks are saying the same thing.

So, for folks familiar with Houston and the TMC area, are there any apartment complexes you might suggest? Ideally I'd like to be close to campus, but am willing to commute a bit, as long as it's in the Inner Loop.

Since I'll be in Houston for a number of years, I'd really hope to stay put in the same place for a longer period than not.

Thanks!

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  • 9 months later...

Hello all,

There is a chance I might be relocating to Houston to attend UH. I have read through all of the replies, but had a few questions I wanted to throw out there.

(1) I grew up on a relatively rural area in New England and have not spent much time in large cities. For undergrad I was in Florida and though I lived downtown, this was not a very developed area either. What advice would you have for someone in my position who is coming into Houston with very little experience of the area, and of big cities in general?

(2) I survived undergrad without my own car, primarily by living close to campus and borrowing a friend's car to get groceries, etc. when needed. I currently reside in New England and I do not think my vehicle is up to the drive down to Houston, nor do I want to bring it unless it is absolutely necessary. Some people have said it is, but I do not envision myself trying to investigate every corner of the city - primarily just getting around the immediate area and to and from campus. Can it be done relatively painlessly (and safely!) without a car?

(3) My stipend will be around $900/mo but might go up a little bit by the time I accept the offer. I will be arriving with some minor savings, and from all I have read Houston sounds very livable on a relatively small amount. I am wondering if it is possible to afford a 1 bedroom without a car that is in a safe area and still have money left over to pay other bills and to have for meager entertainment? Or should I consider trying to meet up with another grad student who could split a 2 bedroom? My preference is to live alone, but I would not mind a good roommate.

Thank you so much for your help!

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On 3/11/2012 at 6:48 PM, UnbearableNausea said:

Hello all,

There is a chance I might be relocating to Houston to attend UH. I have read through all of the replies, but had a few questions I wanted to throw out there.

(1) I grew up on a relatively rural area in New England and have not spent much time in large cities. For undergrad I was in Florida and though I lived downtown, this was not a very developed area either. What advice would you have for someone in my position who is coming into Houston with very little experience of the area, and of big cities in general?

Houston is huge. I've been here six years and there are plenty of areas I've never been to (some I'd like to explore, some I have no desire to see). Each area has its own character, upsides, and downsides- there's not so much a sense of the city of Houston overall, which can make it feel a little smaller than it really is. Learn the area immediately around you first, then branch out slowly. This goes triply if you don't bring a car, since you really can't get very far.

Quote

(2) I survived undergrad without my own car, primarily by living close to campus and borrowing a friend's car to get groceries, etc. when needed. I currently reside in New England and I do not think my vehicle is up to the drive down to Houston, nor do I want to bring it unless it is absolutely necessary. Some people have said it is, but I do not envision myself trying to investigate every corner of the city - primarily just getting around the immediate area and to and from campus. Can it be done relatively painlessly (and safely!) without a car?

(3) My stipend will be around $900/mo but might go up a little bit by the time I accept the offer. I will be arriving with some minor savings, and from all I have read Houston sounds very livable on a relatively small amount. I am wondering if it is possible to afford a 1 bedroom without a car that is in a safe area and still have money left over to pay other bills and to have for meager entertainment? Or should I consider trying to meet up with another grad student who could split a 2 bedroom? My preference is to live alone, but I would not mind a good roommate.

You can live alone on that stipend within biking distance of UH, but not particularly safely. You'll want a roommate to split costs. I doubt you could afford to keep a car and live on your own. The area around UH is not very nice, so unless you're okay with bumming rides whenever you want to go somewhere interesting, a car is pretty useful to have.

One of the (few) upsides to Houston is that, since it's flat and doesn't get very cold, it's a very bikeable city. I can't say it's a really convenient bike ride from UH to Montrose/Midtown/other fun areas, and I wouldn't want to commute from Montrose to UH by bike every day, but if you live relatively close to campus it's a good way to get out.

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  • 3 months later...
  • 6 months later...

It's been a while since anyone posted here, but I thought I would refresh it.

 

I have been living in Houston for the past 5.5 years, so if anyone had questions about the neighborhoods or other things, feel free to post!  Please don't PM me questions, because I'd rather have the answers posted where others can see.  I'll try to reply as soon as I can and give the best information I can.

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  • 1 month later...
I PMed you this, but realized other people might want to know as well. There are a lot of good places close to the med center, so I will just mention 3 (in no particular order) that I have had friends live at and like.
 
1. Fannin Street Station (previously known as Archstone).  It's somewhat close to the medical center, and more importantly, it is very close to a lightrail stop (which has multiple stops in the med center).  The lightrail is just one straight line, so it's not great for getting everywhere, but if where you are going happens to be on the rail (e.g. the med center or your apartment), it is very convenient. http://www.apartmentsearch.com/apartments/texas/houston/fannin-street-station-apartments.html 
 
2. The Boulevard Apartments.  It is not on the lightrail, but it is only about 2 miles from the med center.  It's a little more expensive, but also a bit nicer, so it depends on what you are looking for.  http://www.apartmentratings.com/rate/TX-Houston-Boulevard-Apartments.html#axzz2LqOpUqhh
 
3. Berkshires on Bromptom.  Again, it's not on the light rail, but it's even closer to the med center, <1 mile I think. http://www.apartmentratings.com/rate/TX-Houston-Berkshires-on-Brompton-formerly-Waters-On-Brompton-Map.html#axzz2LqOpUqhh
 
Let me know if you have any other questions or if you want an opinion on a complex I haven't mentioned.  I may know something about it or I may at least be able to tell you about the area.  Good luck!
Edited by lypiphera
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  • 4 weeks later...

Is anyone aware of any databases to find roommates who are also grad students in Houston?

 

Usually you can email someone at your grad school, like the recruiter or coordinator, and they sometimes keep a running list of incoming students interested in finding a roommate or current students that are looking. Even if they don't, they might be a good place to start getting contacts that you can then ask if they know anyone interested.

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  • 1 month later...

Does anyone know anything about the apartment complexes known as "gaslight square" or "shibui apartments" in Houston? They are in the Montrose area and very affordable, but I can't seem to find reviews anywhere, specifically for gaslight square, and it makes me a little nervous.

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  • 10 months later...

(Native Houstonian here. Note: I despise Houston with every fiber of my being).
 

Apartment complexes in Houston, in general, are kind of a crapshoot. Usually due to poor management and widespread crime.
I have never heard of the ones you mention specifically. But the Montrose area is an interesting mix of old and new. Apartment complex names can change several times in a year also.

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  • 10 months later...
  • 3 weeks later...
On 1/26/2015 at 2:07 PM, Ineedgradschool said:

Hey, I'm also moving to Houston.  Any updates? I'm just concerned with finding a nice place near Rice that is still affordable.

 

You can use www.har.com and select "find a rental" for a variety of options. You should be able to find affordable options in the Museum District/Montrose area. Try zip codes 77004, 77006, and 77098. Occasionally you can find reasonable rentals in 77005, but you have to be quick to grab them. Consider working with a realtor who specializes in rentals.

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  • 8 months later...

So I'm going to be moving to Houston come January 2016, attending UoH. I am planning to stay off-campus, I believe it will be the most economical for me.

From what I have scavenged from online and offline sources, places to stay include Medical Center, Midtown, Montrose, EaDo (East Downtown). Can folks living/have lived in these areas chime in with their specific recommendations.

I will initially be using public transport (yes, even though it's Houston - my bit for the traffic), will maybe get a car if I am able to pull off funding of some sorts (not till Fall 2016 at the least). I would prefer an area that is interesting, with a chill, young populace and somewhat affordable watering holes. Possibly somewhere I can commute by bus/rail to UoH and reaching in an hour? I spent some time in Glasgow and Edinburgh and liked the bohemian atmosphere there, maybe if there are such places around Houston?

This is me trying to resuscitate the thread. Cheers,

Edited by SochaNahi
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  • 4 months later...

Hi @SochaNahi, 

What neighborhood did you end up moving to? And what kind of public transportation have you been using? I will probably be moving to Houston in the Fall and I was thinking that maybe it could be a good idea to find a place near one of the light rail stations.

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1 hour ago, fernandes said:

Hi @SochaNahi, 

What neighborhood did you end up moving to? And what kind of public transportation have you been using? I will probably be moving to Houston in the Fall and I was thinking that maybe it could be a good idea to find a place near one of the light rail stations.

Houston has an eh rail system and a decent bus system. If you want to live near the rail... as in walk to the rail, not park and ride, you will be paying a pretty premium (We currently live on the rail). I would suggest staying west of 288, but that is my personal opinion. As someone stated above, the third ward isn't a particularly friendly place live. What kind of price options are you looking at? Because that will drastically change your options. 

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Thanks for the reply @sjoh197. I was hoping to find another student (or students) to share a house or apartment near the rail or near Rice. I was hoping to pay something between 500 and 700 per month (per person).

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1 hour ago, fernandes said:

Thanks for the reply @sjoh197. I was hoping to find another student (or students) to share a house or apartment near the rail or near Rice. I was hoping to pay something between 500 and 700 per month (per person).

You pretty much wont find anything not super sketchy near the rail for that price. ( For comparison, the cheapest 2 bedroom in our complex is over $2000... there are no 3 beds in a lot of the places on the rail) You can find stuff "close" to rice... depending on you definition of close for that price if you room share. Not within walking distance though. Unless its like a rent house or a garage apartment. You can definintely find things in that price range if you either commute by car or a bus route.

Or are just comfortable with a more lax security apartment. Theft and robbery are pretty rampant here which is why the security is a big deal to me. If you have a car or can commute, you can find some nice apartments between the bellaire and piney point village area. 

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On 2/29/2016 at 12:29 PM, fernandes said:

Maybe I'll just stick with the Rice Village Apartments or GSA apartments then. They sound safe, close and everything is included expect the electricity bills

Thanks!

Hi! I'm actually a senior undergrad student and wanted to chip in. I've stayed in apartments and as long as you don't keep rather expensive things in your car and lock your doors, you shouldn't feel too worried about theft. I've lived in a few apartments for the past few years and the worst that has happened was people rummaging through my car when I forgot to lock it. I've even left valuable things in there and for some reason they've never been stolen. Since then, I've always locked all doors and it's never been an issue. Also, there is a facebook group where students (undergrad and grad) both look for affordable places near the university. The link will be below. Just want to make sure you don't limit your options so soon :] Hope this helps!

https://www.facebook.com/groups/845844578762879/

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Awesome, @jdm11! Thank you so much for the help. I thought about the RGA because of how close it is to Rice and because all appliances would be included already. I guess that makes a good difference money-wise.

By the way, great job getting accepted to UC Davis and U Mich! Have you also considered Rice for grad school? Or did you think it would be a better idea to change schools a litle bit?

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@fernandes yeah RGA is still a very good idea! They even give a shuttle to and from there from campus (I think it's 24 hours!). You'll enjoy Rice. Also, thanks! I definitely thought it would be better to change schools a bit. All of our engineering departments are stellar but the Stat dept has a bit of catching up to do since it's so small. They're in the process of hiring more faculty and expanding but many of them advised me to explore elsewhere haha. Will you be able to visit Rice before you decide?

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@jdm11 well, good job exploring elsewhere then, you got it!

I was in an exchange program in 2014, so I was a visiting undergrad student within the MechE deparment at Rice. I loved being at Rice for both academic and personal reasons, so it's a dream to be able to come back. I lived in Martel and they were so so welcoming... I really felt at home there. By the way... MBYM!! Hahahaha

Rice is not so big, so maybe we even met each other. You never know! 

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  • 1 month later...

Hi everyone,

My partner and I are starting our respective graduate programs in Houston this fall (I'll be at Rice and she'll be at the Texas Medical Center). We originally wanted to live in the Rice Village Apartments but they don't open until August and her program starts in June. Since we only have one car between the two of us, we'd like to live someplace where we can walk, bike, or take the rail to the TMC. In particular, we were looking at some of the condos near the Reliant Park metro station. Do you guys have any advice about that area?

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