Plethora of apartments available

More apartments and the wide variety give students more decision time

By: Amber Jenne/ Staff writer

Posted: 2/24/03

Although students may harass apartment owners for next year's leases in the spring semester, availability is still an option during summer months, owners from various Charleston apartments said.

Students commonly sign leases in January when leases for the following fall semester become available, but students can wait longer.

"In the past, if students waited to find an apartment, what (selection) they had to choose from was horrible," Jim Wood, owner of Wood Rentals on 1512 A St said. "Because of more housing units being built, students don't have to scramble around like they used to. They now have a wide variety and can take the time to shop around."

Wood said there is no deadline to apply for his apartments until all of them are filled.

Mark Hudson, director of housing and dining, said Wood may have a point, but suggests students not take such a laid-back approach.

"Although this is true, the sooner a student starts his search and schedules an appointment, the better the results will be," he said.

He said the University Court apartments, at southeast of Andrews Hall, are located on such popular property they have no problem filling up.

Currently, 91 of 141 apartments are still available. The University Court office has 25 appointments scheduled for prospective leasers this week, and the number meets the trend set since the beginning of the semester.

Hudson said the apartments, which consist of 10 different buildings with two buildings designated to sophomores-only, will be filled up in two to three weeks.

Each University Court lease lasts the school year from Aug. 10 to May 10.

Wood said his complex is comprised of mainly two-bedroom apartments, but a few have three or four bedrooms. His 10 to 12 month leases are not completely filled.

For Wood, this year hasn't been as busy as in past years, but since enrollment is up at Eastern, he does not see the slowness as a problem.

Todd Foster -- an owner of one of the Woods Apartment-- owned Britney Ridge townhouses located on 950 Edgar Drive, said students who typically live there are sophomores who are trying to get out of the dorms.

Because this is his first year as an owner in Britney Ridge, Foster is unaware how comparatively busy business is from last year, but he has noticed students commonly room with people from their high schools, hometown or dorm roommates.

"They seem to be more comfortable sharing a room with people they know," he said. "And I will do whatever I can to custom-fit their needs to them."

Some students have completed their search for an apartment already.

Brad Marlow, a sophomore business management major at Olney Central College, will transfer to Eastern next semester and plans to live in a Bell Red Door apartment located on Fourth Street.

After beginning his search in October 2002, Marlow found his ideal apartment three weeks later and it was $150 cheaper than his first choice.

Marlow signed an 11 month lease in mid-November.

"We found out we could get the apartment we wanted, and the owner said she dropped the rent from $250 to $200 a piece," he said. "We signed the lease then because we didn't want to lose out on a good deal and take a chance of getting a worse one."

New apartment leasers, like Marlow, must begin earlier than those who already have a lease.

Teresa Nichols of Old Town Management on Sixth Street, said current students living in the apartments are given first choice if they plan to return the following year.

"Students may begin looking for their second apartment shortly after choosing their first," Nichols said. "And a lot of them even show up before Christmas break."

Heather Witmer, a part owner of the Red Door apartments, said new students typically sign leases before the end of spring semester, and some even complete the process in the summer.

Witmer said if students have no preference regarding a certain apartment building or floor, they shouldn't worry about waiting and looking later than the norm.

Marlow agrees students should get started as soon as possible.

"If students want a wide selection of choices...now would be the time to start," he said. "Although there is still plenty of time, they should avoid getting in a situation where they will have to take what they can get."