Daughter will be enrolling at Blinn in the Fall and hopefully transferring into A&M the next year. We plan to check out apartments and such in a week, but there are so many more options than when we were students. Where are some of the best and safest places for students to live? Where are the places to avoid? Figure several people might find this info useful. She's planning on an apartment, not a house. Appreciate any input!
Post Reply
1 of 1
Where is the Best Off Campus Housing
11,399 Views |
33 Replies |
Last: 5 yr ago by (Removed:11023A)
College View i think is the name of the apartments across the street from Blinn. They had a guy with a gun incident not long ago. I like the looks of the complex on the corner of Nash and Villa Maria. They're gated, relatively new, and walking distance to Blinn.
Doesn't need to be next to Blinn. She's fine being next to TAMU. Just want a nice place. Didn't know if some places had a better rep than others?
It's going to greatly depend on your budget.
My daughter is currently at the Lofts. On the plus side there are tons of girls there and lots of college students. In general people seem to feel very safe there. The apartments themselves are pretty decent. On the other hand, the management has been next to abysmal. They did have a new group come in last summer and recently there are signs that it may be improving. Still hard to tell. She is moving out this summer anyway because she is transferring to another school.
My daughter is currently at the Lofts. On the plus side there are tons of girls there and lots of college students. In general people seem to feel very safe there. The apartments themselves are pretty decent. On the other hand, the management has been next to abysmal. They did have a new group come in last summer and recently there are signs that it may be improving. Still hard to tell. She is moving out this summer anyway because she is transferring to another school.
Budget isn't an issue thankfully. Willing to pay for a good place.
Unfortunately this is most places and cyclical. What you tend to see are the same managers floating from place to place. They come in, do some good, get complacent, things fall apart, they leave...rinse, lather, repeat.
Also keep in mind that most of the newer places with large, resort pools are going to be party central, so parent-buyer beware.
Also keep in mind that most of the newer places with large, resort pools are going to be party central, so parent-buyer beware.
Do you want a party place or rather she be more sheltered?
Northpoint Crossing at Texas and University. Walk or bike to class.
There are some apartment complexes which are well away from campus so they have a more diverse population (undergrads, grads, single young professionals, young couples/families, older couples without kids, etc.) so living there tends to avoid the pitfalls of being in or near party central. It would require a little bit more of a drive to get to Blinn and even A&M, but if that's not an problem, you might look at some of those. Most are new or fairly new and gated.
The Bend At Crescent Pointe
The Curve at Crescent Pointe
Crescent Point Apartments
Ariza College Station
Residence at Oakmont
Farther south in CS are SoCo at Tower Point, The Ranch at Arrington, and one called Caprock Crossing (I know nothing about these other than they exist.)
Some of my coworkers have lived at Crescent Pointe and said it was very nice. I would guess the other two which are a bit newer are as well.
The Bend At Crescent Pointe
The Curve at Crescent Pointe
Crescent Point Apartments
Ariza College Station
Residence at Oakmont
Farther south in CS are SoCo at Tower Point, The Ranch at Arrington, and one called Caprock Crossing (I know nothing about these other than they exist.)
Some of my coworkers have lived at Crescent Pointe and said it was very nice. I would guess the other two which are a bit newer are as well.
"If you will not fight for right when you can easily win without blood shed; if you will not fight when your victory is sure and not too costly; you may come to the moment when you will have to fight with all the odds against you and only a precarious chance of survival. There may even be a worse case. You may have to fight when there is no hope of victory, because it is better to perish than to live as slaves." - Sir Winston Churchill
Check the transportation website and see which communities are on bus routes. There's a good amount of nice off-campus housing but some locations can be pretty far off the beaten path (or bus routes).
Gated means nothing, there are good gated complexes and crappy gated complexes. Gated don't keep anyone out, they just inconvenience your friends and your delivery drivers.
I'd find something north of campus if I were you, closer to Blinn but also avoid a lot of A&M traffic (I'd give that advice for someone going to A&M too). Something like Reveille Ranch
I would avoid anything on Marion Pugh just because how hard it can be getting on and off that road
I'd find something north of campus if I were you, closer to Blinn but also avoid a lot of A&M traffic (I'd give that advice for someone going to A&M too). Something like Reveille Ranch
I would avoid anything on Marion Pugh just because how hard it can be getting on and off that road
If she wants to be around other students, I'd say somewhere in Northgate like the Standard or Warehouse and Factory. If she just wants a nice, calm, high-quality community, something like 8085 at Traditions or some of the newer complexes on the east side of Highway 6.
Be aware that it can take 25 minutes to drive from campus to blinn at class change only to spend 15 minutes looking for a parking spot once there. Don't fall for the college station apartment complexes telling you there is a bus to blinn. That usually means there is a bus from their location to campus then transfer to another bus to blinn. Aka 1 hour each direction. Budget may not be a concern but getting to class might be.
Stay away from Doux Chene and any apartment on Harvey Road. These tend to have higher crime activity.
I would stay north of campus especially if she will be attending classes at RELLIS. Traffic can get pretty bad getting to Blinn on 29th. You don't need to add more traffic getting around campus. You might even check out some places to the east of Hwy 6. Lot's of students and young professionals in that area with easy access to University Drive.
Ditto. Avoid anything along Harvey Mitchell between Welsh/George Bush. North bound traffic miserable in the mornings and literally gridlock south bound in the evenings.
AgGunNut said:
Ditto. Avoid anything along Harvey Mitchell between Welsh/George Bush. North bound traffic miserable in the mornings and literally gridlock south bound in the evenings.
Ditto again. Avoid that entire area. Tons of accidents involving students trying to get in and out.
Stay away from 2818 & Holleman. Cluster of all clusters.
Appreciate the input. Agree with being closer to Blinn so not having to drive through traffic and would like to avoid a pure party place (and of course higher crime areas.) She has a house to stay in for her second year, but will need an apartment this first year so easier access to Blinn is good. That likely drops south College Station out. We plan to check out the places east of Highway 6 and stuff that is east and north of the A&M campus it looks like. How are the Northgate places? Wife is thinking we may get a place where she has multiple roommates and they try to match them up (won't know the roommates until closer to move in time I guess.) Been looking at places online. Good lord, there are a lot. Any more input is appreciated!
Camber Villas at Villa Maria and Nash by Blinn are your best bet. She can walk to class. They are adjacent to an over 55 area and the post office. Movie theater, Kroger and restaurants right across the bypass. Downtown Bryan is just a few minutes away.
If you have an RV Aggieland RV Park is a great option, solitude and close to Blinn. Plus the added bonus of using something you already own and hopefully selling it to get some of your money back. I did it for both undergrad and grad school, cheap and quiet. Come see me either during the weekend or week days and we can discuss it!
I am in the property management industry and would be happy to discuss my personal opinions if you want to shoot me a PM. Due to my current employment I can't really say anything on a public forum about my properties or any other apartments in town.
Calloway House, great place for Blinn & A&M students
How is this a great place for Blinn students?
It's walking/biking for A&M students and they had a dedicated Blinn van that left every hour as recently as two years ago when a friend's daughter lived there.
I've put this on other threads, but Aggieland Apartment Finders is a good company to use. In the words of one of their agents, you tell them what you want as far as amenities and budget and they do the leg work for you.
We used them to find a rental when were deciding where to buy and also when helping out of town friends look for places for their kids.
Free of charge to the client.
We used them to find a rental when were deciding where to buy and also when helping out of town friends look for places for their kids.
Free of charge to the client.
We found a place this weekend based off all the input. Hope the info helps others as well. Found a lot of places were all booked up or getting close to full in the 3-4 bedroom places she decided she wanted. Appreciate it!
You're welcome. Hope the best for her.
halibut sinclair
Joined:
Dec 29, 2011
How long do you want to ignore this user?
In case you need another idea, I own a duplex on Corregidor Dr. just off Holleman. It's a 3 bedroom 3 bath available August 2020. Had several tenants who went to Blinn live there over the years. My wife and I live in the other half of the duplex and are down for football season and other times of the year.
Here's a website with pics to take a closer look if you have interest.
bit.ly/duplex604texas
Here's a website with pics to take a closer look if you have interest.
bit.ly/duplex604texas
If they figure out this online college thing prompted by the corona virus you may not have to worry about off campus housing. That would be some kind of devastating for this community if other than in person attendance became the norm.
Today's college students learn much better when there is an adult in the room forcing them to learn. I would not worry about classes going all online.jja79 said:
If they figure out this online college thing prompted by the corona virus you may not have to worry about off campus housing. That would be some kind of devastating for this community if other than in person attendance became the norm.
And now?
The Barracks is a nice area. Can drive straight down Wellborn road to Villa Maria.
BeatTheHell said:
Budget isn't an issue thankfully. Willing to pay for a good place.
I have nice high end 2 bdrm 2.5 bathroom town homes in Summit Crossing that I lease out when available. These are two story, full laundry room, attached garage, small yard in a nice quiet subdivision over by Harvey Road