Off-Campus Living Guide

OFF-CAMPUS

LIVING GUIDE

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Important Things To Know

Places to Look

Maps of Places to Look

Athens Neighborhoods

Roommates

Signing a Lease

Inspecting a Property

Other Leasing Information

Example of Lease

Utilities + How to Set Up

Furniture

Food

Transportation

Budget Tool

Apartment Comparison

What to Bring or Buy

Where to Shop

5-10

22-23

IMPORTANT TIPS

When should I look for housing?

Most students look for housing many months in advance. Students start to secure

housing for the next academic year as early as November. To be safe, you should

have all your housing secured by March at the latest. The majority of leases are

year-long and do not have contractual subleasing agreements. There are some

select places that do offer six month leases. If you sign a 12-month lease, you are

required to pay for those 12 months, as outlined in your lease. Leases are legally

binding documents.

General Prices

Lving in Athens can be pretty inexpensive, so it is not too hard to findan

affordable rent. Most students pay between $400-$600 a month, butprices can

range anywhere from $300 per month to $1,200 per month.These prices depend

on how new the apartment/townhome/house is,where it is located, and what

services or amenities are offered with it.

Subleasing

You will need to check your landlord to determine if subletting is allowed within

your lease agreements. If you choose to sublet your place to someone, it often

means you will still be liable to any rent, utilities, etc. that your subleaser will pay

you. This is a Facebook group that lots of people join to find subleasers and to

sublease: https://www.facebook.com/groups/UGASubleasesRoommates/

Furnished vs. Unfurnished

Some places come furnished. Furnished means that it comes with a bed frame,

mattress, desk, and chair. It also includes living room and kitchen furniture but

will depend on each unit.

PLACES TO LOOK

Please note that this is not an exhaustive list of housing options.

MAP OF PLACES TO LOOK

ATHENS NEIGHBORHOODS

HOUSING INFO

Apartment/

Location

General

Pricing

Comments

DOWNTOWN

Georgia Heights

$$$

Walking distance to campus

The Standard $$$

Walking distance to campus

The Uncommon

Walking distance to campus

NORTH ATHENS

Whistlebury Walk $$

Whistlebury

Apartments

Has a shuttle system to

campus & downtown

The Lodge of Athens

Walking distance to campus

HOUSING INFO

Apartment/

Location

General

Pricing

Comments

CHICOPEE-DUDLEY

Steeplechase

Apartments

$$$

Walking distance to campus

& downtown

909 Broad

Apartments

$$$

River Mill

Walking distance to campus &

dowtown

Has 6 month leasing options

NORTH ATHENS

The Mark $$$

Eclipse on Broad

$$$

Walking distance to campus &

downtown

Waterford Place

Walking distance to campus

& downtown

Walking distance to campus

& downtown

Walking distance to campus &

downtown

The Flats $$

Walking distance to campus

HOUSING INFO

Apartment/

Location

General

Pricing

Comments

EAST SIDE

Polo Club Athens

Apartments

IKON at Athens $

On Athens Transit Line

Weekend downtown shuttle

NORTH ATHENS

Woodlands of

Athens

$$$

The Reserve

at Athens

On Athens Transit Line

Cambridge

Apartments

On Athens Transit Line

$$$

On Athens Transit Line

Walking distance to Publix

Shoal Creek $$ On Athens Transit Line

HOUSING INFO

Apartment/

Location

General

Pricing

Comments

EAST SIDE

Towne Club

Condominiums

Bromsgrove

Apartments

Walking distance to campus

Close access to UGA Transit

system

University Garden

Apartments

Walking distance to campus

Close access to UGA Transit

system

BAXTER STREET

Tanyard

Condominiums

$$$

Walking distance to campus

Close access to UGA Transit

system

Walking distance to campus

HOUSING INFO

Apartment/

Location

General

Pricing

Comments

EAST SIDE

The Bluffs

at Epps Bridge

$$ On Athens Transit Line

EPPS BRIDGE

NORTH ATHENS

The Park at Athens $ On Athens Transit Line

Athens Ridge

Clubhouse

Has shuttle system to campus

and downtown

MACON HIGHWAY AREA

Riverbend Club

Apartments

River Club $

The Redlands

Apartments

Bus stop on-site, service to

UGA

On Athens Transit Line

Leasing/Management Companies

Another popular option to find housing is to look through a leasing or

management company. These differ from traditional apartments or student

living communities because these companies manage many properties across

Athens that may not necessarilybe in the same complex or area. Some

property management companies located in Athens are listed below:

247 E Washington St,

Athens, GA 30601

Rent Athens

(706) 389-1700

rentathens.com

428 N Milledge Ave,

Athens, GA 30601

CollegeTown Properties

(706) 850-7740

collegetownproperties.com

1557 S Lumpkin St,

Athens, GA 30605

Landmark Athens

(706) 395-1400

landmarkathens.com

721 S Milledge Ave,

Athens, GA 30605

Howard Properties

(706) 546-0300

howardrentals.com

315 Oconee St,

Athens, GA 30601

Landmark Properties

(706) 543-1910

landmark-properties.com

475 N Church St,

Athens, GA 30601

Valerio Properties

(706) 546-6900

valerioproperties.com

ROOMMATE TIPS

Roommate or No Roommate?

Choosing to live with roommates or not is a personal choice, but

if you decide to, check out our tips on how to find them and

some ways to get along with them! Roommates are a great way

to save a little money and to possibly make some friends at the

same time!

Where to Find a Roommate?

If you are living on campus, you can find a roommate through

DawgHouse, which is a matching program.

If you are living off campus, Facebook is your best tool. Groups

like UGA/Athens Lease/Sublease are a great place to look for

shorter leases, roommates, and if you need to sublease your

apartment.

Tips for Living with a Roommate:

Have a thermostat agreement (Some people like the house

too cold or too hot and it can be expensive).

Choose roommates with a similar lifestyle (Pets or no pets,

smoker or nonsmoker, undergraduate or graduate students,

etc.).

Have a consistent rule for the common area (e.g. Everyone

washes their own dishes or load the dishwasher; each person

takes the trash away one week of the month, etc.)

Communication is key (Have conversations and agreements

at the beginning of your living situation)

Signing a Lease

If any of these things are not working or need improvement, be sure to discuss

them with your landlord and get them fixed before you sign the lease.

Appliances

Check to make sure they work. (Oven, microwave, stove,

refrigerator, washer/dryer, etc)

Faucets

Check to make sure all the faucets are working. You should

check to see that both the cold and hot water work.

Safety and Privacy

Check to make sure there are smoke detectors on each floor,

that all of your door locks are working properly and that there

are blinds or space for curtains.

AC/Heating Unit

Check to make sure the air conditioning and heating works.

Interior Surfaces

Inspect walls, floors, and carpet for mold, cracks, and scratches.

Lighting

Make sure all the light fixtures work. Also be sure to check that

there is enough indoor and outdoor lighting for your preference

and safety.

Windows

Check to make sure all the windows are intact, can be opened

and closed, and are able to be locked from the inside.

INSPECTING A PROPERTY

Applications

There is often an application before the lease that may have an

additional fee. Landlord will check over your information and

then inform you whether or not you qualify for a lease.

Commonalities in Leases

Often sent through online lease/agreement forms. (examples:

Docusign, Dotloop)

Main Components of a Lease

Rent (either total monthly payments or individual per

roommate)

Where/to whom it should be paid

Time of lease

Subletting restrictions

Pet allowances

Information on utilities

Use of premises

Repairs and damages to the property

Security Deposits (Security deposits are common- you will get

them back at the end of your lease if no damages to the

property are incurred)

Early Termination of the Lease

Move out procedures

Overall what you and the landlord respectively are

responsible for

Other Leasing Information

Security Deposit

What is it?

○ A security deposit is a required, but a refundable payment. It ensures that

the property is not damaged, and all rent is paid during the time you lease

it. The payment is often equivalent to one month’s rent and will be returned

to you at the end of your lease if there are no issues.

Tips on Security Deposits:

○ Take pictures of your entire place before you officially move in

○ Take note of anything that is not in the proper condition and inform your

landlord (there will often be a form, but if there is not, be sure to do this)

○ Make sure to ask about your security deposit at the end of your lease

Repairs & Work Orders

What happens if something needs to be repaired?

○ Most apartment complexes and houses have work order systems. A work

order is usually an online form where you can submit your problem, and

your landlord or building representative will follow up with you

○ Don’t hesitate to submit a work order; it is their job to fix any repairs!

Main Components of a Lease

How is rent paid every month?

○ It will depend on each complex, but there are often a couple different ways

to pay rent:

■ The first way is to send a check to your building management or real

estate company (If this information isn’t in the lease, check with your

landlord)

■ The second way is often through an online payment system, where you

can set up automatic payments every month. It connects to your bank

account, and lets you know when it’s been paid so you don’t have to

worry!

● If you pay with a credit card, there is often a fee associated with it.

Example of a Lease

Utilities & How To Set-up

If you are staying in an apartment complex, you probably won’t need to set up these

things, and it’s often included in your monthly payments. Ask your apartment

representative if you aren’t sure.

Water

How to set up:

Athens Clarke County can set up

your water easily. In order to set

it up, follow these steps:

athensclarkecounty.com/214/Pu

blic-Utilities

Gas

How to set up:

Georgia Natural Gas offers fixed

plans when you sign up. There

are 6, 12, and 18 month fixed

plans. Give them a call or go the

website to set it up.

gng.com

Wi-Fi

How to set up:

Commonly known as Charter,

most students set up Spectrum

wifi, which requires you to

purchase a router and have them

come set it up.

spectrum.com

Power

How to set up:

Either give Georgia Power a call

or go to the website below and

click Turn On/Off Power to set it

up.

georgiapower.com

Furniture

Furniture Rental

cort.com

Cort has furniture rentals available for monthly payments-

depending on how long you would like to rent it. You can rent by the

room or just rent specific pieces. All you need to do is select on of

their custom packages on their website, receive the furniture, and

the schedule pick up when your lease is up! Prices per month can

range anywhere from $25 a month to $400 a month.

furniturerentals.com/georgia/furniture-rentals-athens-ga

Some other furniture rentals places includes:

rentacenter.com

Buying Furniture

Target (located in Athens): target.com

If you are looking to buy furniture, some good places to look are:

Walmart (located in Athens): walmart.com

Facebook (Free & For Sale Group for Used Furniture):

facebook.com

Ikea (located in Atlanta): ikea.com/us/en/

Food

Below are the mostaccessible and common grocery stores in Athens. It depends on what

you get, but generally Walmart is the cheapest while Target is the most expensive.

Memorial

Hall

Store Symbol Grocery Store Locations Price

Start Location

Kroger

191 Alps Rd

2301 College Station Rd

1720 Epps Bridge Pkwy

Walmart

4375 Lexington Rd

1911 Epps Bridge Pkwy

3130 Atlanta Hwy

Publix

1860 S Barnett Shoals Rd

3620 Atlanta Hwy

Target

3065 Atlanta Hwy

Trader

Joe's

1850 Epps Bridge Pkwy

Transportation

Buses

There are two main bus systems

here in Athens: Athens Transit

and the UGA Bus system.

Download the UGA app for bus

information and routes. Both bus

systems are free, but you need to

have your student ID to ride for

free on Athens Transit. Many off-

campus apartments are either on

the Athens Transit route or have

their own bus transportation to

campus.

Car: Parking Information

Registration usually starts in April. An email will be sent out,

but you can check the website ahead of time as well.

Cost: Prices range from $20-$40 per month. You can register

for an academic year pass or a full year (from August to July).

Lots will range from $20-$30 per month, while the parking

decks are $40 per month.

possible to ensure that you get a space if needed.

Clickhere to check out the parking priority map.

Many students decide to bike or

walk to campus and around

Athens. There are bike racks

located around campus,

however keep in mind that not

all roads have separate bike

lanes and Athens is very hilly.

You can get to most places by

walking, but you’ll probably

need a bus or car to get to the

store.

Walking/Biking

Budget Tool

Apartment Comparison

What to Bring or Buy

Kitchen

Plastic containers for food

storage (e.g. Tupperware or

Gladware)

Good, sharp knives (at least

one large chef’s knife and a

small paring knife)

Serving spoon

Colander/strainer

Silverware

Silverware organizer (drawer

insert)

Dishes (e.g. plates, glasses,

mugs, bowls, serving

platters, etc.)

Easier to Bring:

● Dish soap and sponges

Example Packing List

Plastic wrap, and parchment

paper

Zip-top plastic bags of

various sizes

Cutting boards

Toaster or toaster oven

Microwave

Coffee maker

Kettle

Blender

Ice cube trays

Can opener

Trash and recycling cans

Dish drying rack

Measuring cups and spoons

Mixing bowls

Bottle opener and corkscrew

Easier to Buy:

What to Bring or Buy

Bathroom

Toiletries (e.g. bath soap, hand

soap, shampoo, lotion, etc.)

Toilet paper

Toilet brush

Toilet plunger

Bath mat(s)

Air freshener

Tissues

Trash can

Over-the-door towel hook

Towels and washcloths

Shower curtain (and rings to

hold it up)

Shower caddy

Toothbrush

Easier to Bring:

Easier to Buy:

Bed frame

Mattress and box spring

Mattress pad

Dresser

Hangers

Laundry Hamper

Curtains

Desk

Chair for desk

Easier to Bring:

● Pillows

● Sheets and comforter

● Night stand

● Lamp

● Trash can

● Alarm clock

Easier to Buy:

Bedroom

Example Packing List

Other

Safe for passport

Important documents

Money

Where to Shop

Target is great for furniture, bedding, bathroom, and kitchen supplies. It

can be a little more expensive than other places, but is a great 1 stop

shop. You can also buy clothes and food here!

Located in Athens | target.com

Target

One of the cheaper options for rugs and furniture. They also have pots

and pans + kitchen supplies.

Located in Athens | walmart.com

Walmart

Bed Bath and Beyond has everything you need for bedding, towels, and

handy tools! A little more on the expensive side but a good option if you

can’t find something elsewhere.

Located in Athens | bedbathandbeyond.com

Bed Bath & Beyond

The closest Ikea is in Atlanta, but you can order furniture from the website

and have it delivered here. It is relatively low cost and you assemble the

furniture yourself. They have rugs, kitchen supplies, and more!

Located in Atlanta | ikea.com/us/en/

Ikea

There are a lot of groups where

you can buy and sell things from

fellow UGA students. Anywhere

from cheap furniture to books, this

is a great option!

Facebook

Always a great option, especially

if you need something pretty

quickly! Be sure to read all the

reviews before purchasing!

amazon.com

Amazon

facebook.com

Good Luck!