If you’re thinking about living off-campus near ODU, you need to know your options. What apartments are near ODU? What about rental houses?
To make the most of your decision, you need to consider a few factors like cost, distance to campus, ability to host, and things like that.
To help you pick the best off-campus option for you, here’s a few key questions to consider before signing your lease.
Which Costs More: Apartment or House?
Some people assume that a house will cost more than an apartment since there’s generally more space.
Surprising to some, that’s not necessarily the case – especially with roommates. For example, a few of the houses for rent near ODU can go as low as $450-$475 a month per roommate.
In some cases, a nicer house can rent out for $500-$520 a month per roommate like The Mill, which comes with far more space and updated amenities.
For apartments, it depends heavily on who you rent through. If you rent an apartment through ODUrent, you will see relatively similar prices to the rental houses also rented out. If you look at other apartments near ODU like The Next, an average room can range from $700-$1,280 a month per roommate.
How Close is the Property to Campus?
A short distance goes a long way when it comes to off-campus housing near ODU.
The more effort it takes to go somewhere, the less you’ll want to get up and go, especially when you are tired from homework or a job. Most upperclassmen recommend living no more than a few blocks from campus at most if you want to get the most out of campus life while enjoying the perks of living off-campus.
This is especially true if you don’t have a car. Thankfully, PACE bikes are all around campus, costing only $1 per 30 minutes or $29 for the month. If you’re staying a few blocks from campus, these could be a great option for getting around without a car.
If you do have a car, be sure to check on what parking is like. Does your rental property come with protected parking?
And if you’re the kind that likes to have friends over, does it have additional parking? If parking is tight (like most places around ODU), staying closer to campus helps accommodate the people you invite over.
How Much Space Do You Need?
If the price were the same for an apartment and a house, which option is better for you?
More often than not, houses are better options than apartments for people who love to host large friend groups, but they are more work to keep clean. Additionally, if you tend to have, um, louder parties, houses are the better option due to not being literally wall to wall with your neighbors.
Apartments on the other hand still present a great space for hosting, but being usually smaller, are easier to clean.
Preparing for Next Year
When you’re planning for the move off-campus, be sure to browse a wide variety of options, both apartments and houses.
Start your research early if you want the best selection. Generally, we would recommend digging into research around February.
For the best selection of off-campus housing within 3 blocks of ODU’s campus, come visit us at ODUrent.com!
In the meantime, be sure to connect with us on social media so you don’t forget to start your research when the time comes!
