cHocoBo 118 said:
based on your extensive knowledge on this stuff, im guessing you went to undergrad at UCI. May I ask then if you know of any other private apt complexes around UCI that are fairly nice but not so pricey as VDC?
after browsing the VDC website, i dont think i can live at PV or verano anymore. haha.
I did go to UCI undergrad.
🙂 Housing in Irvine is VERY expensive. Will you have a car? If you don't, you would have to live in one of the apartment complexes across the street of the main campus (It is still quite a long walk to the medical campus). Housing immediately surrounding UCI is the MOST expensive unless you share a room with someone and the rooms are SMALL. If you want to live really close check out Stanford Court, Harvard Court, Dartmouth court, and Berkeley Court (Do you sense a pattern in the names here? Its like they're trying to rub it in our faces
🙄 ) If you go further out, you can probably find something a bit cheaper, but only if you plan on having roommates or housemates. Parkwest is considered the cheapest housing (not so cheap anymore tho, they raise rent ALOT each year). WHen I lived in parwest 3 years ago I paid $550 for my own room in a 3-bedroom apartment. Now, I you would have to pay at least $700 for your own room. They have a shuttle that runs from the complex to the main campus every 30 minutes, so it is very convenient. However, I warn you, I lived in parkwest for two years, and although it is fairly large compared to other complexes, it is the oldest and dirtiest complex. We had a resident rat that lived in the kitchen and went in and out through a hole behind the stove. We called management a couple of times and all they did was cover the hole with some meshy stuff and put a mouse trap there. The rat just plowed right through the meshy thing and went on with its business. My roommate had to finally call and pretend she was her mom and got really upset at management so they came the next day and plastered the hole. Wow..that was long...you didn't really need to know all that..hahaha
My final year I moved to San Marino Villa, a very nice complex, about 10 minutes away from UCI. It is pricey tho. A two bedroom was $1650.
If you want to live off campus go to
www.rental-living.com. All of these complexes are owned my the Irvine Company that basically holds a monopoly of all of the apartments, hence the high prices.
I would suggest living at VDC, you will not find cheaper, nicer housing already furnished, with suttle service to campus. Trust me...you will not find cheap housing. THe ONLY way you can get a decent rent for your own room, is if you rent out a crappy privately owned home with like 5-6 bedrooms to share.
Good LUCK!
P.S. Im STILL waiting for UCI! Accept me already...PLEASE!