Fancy student apartments not so affordable

It is impossible to drive around the surrounding area of UNCG and not see new construction of numerous student apartments everywhere. Seeing all of these buildings raises a few interesting questions. Who is profiting from these? Is the overall student lifestyle changing? And also, what are the options for students?

If working with larger companies doesn't appeal to you then don't move into the fancy, new student apartments. Twin City Real Estate owns the majority of student apartments, and they were not available for comment.

Large profiting businesses like Twin City have bought up land in undesirable locations around campus and believe that they can get away with charging top dollar for them. At the end of the day, most people could be paying a mortgage for what they pay in rent at these "luxury" student apartments.

These companies figure that if there is need, which there is, they can take advantage of it. While some parents foot their student's entire college bill, many do not. Most students are stuck with loans accruing in tuition and rent.

Most recently, Twin City has begun construction on its Fulton Place Apartments, which are located on the mostly non-residential Lee Street.

"Lee Street is sketchville, USA," says Paige Vance, a sophomore. "Every five seconds there is cop there. I would much rather live farther away from campus and commute than live there."

Amy Childers, a sophomore at UNCG and a resident of University Village explains, "I pay way too much for where I live. If I was on my own I couldn't do it."

And then there are The Edge apartments, which are not altogether terrible, despite their location right on the railroad tracks. The Edge does offer lower rent, but it's not really worth it when considering it feels like an earthquake is going through your apartment several times a day.

It used to be the norm to live in a dorm for all four years of college. There used to be an understanding that college life is supposed to be rougher than home life. This is not the case these days. While people before this generation used crates as coffee tables, people now are hiring interior decorators for off-campus apartments.

Yes, the lifestyle of students is changing as our parents, and our society as a whole, become more affluent. But the uprising of student apartments is also due to more people attending universities than ever before, and there no longer being room for students in the dorms.

"Apartments are annoying," jokes Caroline Hughes, a freshman. "I'm just going to live in a box." It isn't unusual students prefer their own bedroom, bathroom, and kitchen as opposed to dorm life. As off-campus housing becomes a necessity, it also becomes a major stressor for students who can't afford more than $500 for a room.

So what are the other options available for students looking for off-campus housing? If you do not need a pool, tanning or other amenities, a good place to start is a house around campus. There are lots of cute, charming houses available for rent that are within walking distance. You can share a house with three or more people and have really cheap rent. Then there are also the older, off the beaten path apartments and town homes around the area. Fidelity Realty, a local family-run company, owns several apartment locations near by. Also try searching Craigslist and other databases for houses with apartments inside and people looking for roommates and sublets.

"The place where I live now is close by and 200 dollars cheaper than most," comments Aubrey Cupit, a junior. "The new 'luxury' apartments seem artificial and flimsy. My place is homey and older. I love where I live. It's not 'collegey.'"

It is possible to find somewhere affordable to move, it will just require a little footwork and effort.