away-from-campus.
There are many options
available to these 26,000
students looking for off-campus
housing. The Bryan-College
Station area has an abundance
of apartment complexes
available, as well as mobile
home parks, townhouses and
condominiums, houses, rooms
in local family homes, and
fraternity and sorority houses.
Each type offers different
options, including swimming
pools, pet allowances, access to
the shuttle bus route and on-
location security.
There are well over 100
apartment complexes in the
area, some within walking
distance of campus and some
more than six miles from
campus.
Once again, price is a
determining factor in choosing a
place to live. Whatever the size
of the apartment, splitting the
cost with one or more
roommates is the most
economical system.
Most apartment complexes
offer several floor plan options,
including efficiency models.
Either furnished or unfurnished
apartments are offered in most
complexes. In addition, some
complexes offer rates which
include all utilities.
Efficiency models are
designed for one person living
by himself who doesn’t need as
much room as do two or more
people sharing an apartment
The average price for an
unfurnished efficiency model is
$251.33 per month, while a
furnished efficiency appartment
runs $286.71 per month, on
the average.
But say you want a little
more room, or you want a small
place to share with one person.
In this case, you might want to
try a one-bedroom apartment.
You could have a one-bedroom
place of your own for an
average of $280.11 per month
unfurnished, or $299.97 per
month furnished.
Two-bedroom apartments
allow two roommates to share
the costs, but not the bedroom.
If the two roomies don’t mind
sharing a bathroom, they can
rent an unfurnished apartment
for $327.64 per month on the
average, or a furnished one for
the average price of $369.77
per month. If there are four
roommates sharing the
apartment or if two roommates
each want their own bathroom,
two-bedroom apartments with
two bathrooms are also
available, for a slightly higher
price. Such a place averages
$388.38 per month
unfurnished or $424.62 per
month furnished.
Finally, there are three-
bedroom apartments available
in some complexes. The
average price for a three
bedroom, unfurnished
apartment is $483.68 per
month or $546.25 per month
with furniture.
Most of these prices do not
include utilities, so these
expenses should be added on.
For the average apartment
dwellers, not overly frugal but
not excessively wasteful,
electricity runs $30 to $40 per
month and phone bills run $15
to $20 per month, not including
long distance service.
Vi/utside the realm
of apartment complexes lie
even more opportunities for off-
campus housing. If you are
willing to pay a little more in
return for extra privacy and
space, you might want to look
into houses, condominiums,
townhouses, duplexes and
fourplexes. However, along
with the yard, the bigger rooms
and the homelike atmosphere
come more responsibilities such
as making small repairs or
mowing the lawn.
There are also rooms for
lease in family homes. Living
thus might enable a person to
feel a part of a family, but might
also include unexpected duties
such as cleaning and
babysitting. If you are looking
into such an arrangement, the
Off Campus Center advises that
all responsibilities and privileges
should be agreed upon prior to
moving in to ensure satisfaction
for both the tenant and the
family.
Yet another option to
consider is a mobile home. With
close to 30 parks in and around
the Bryan-College Station area,
you can make a choice based
on accessibility to campus,
grocery stores and washaterias
as well as other factors.
Although living in a mobile
home can be cheaper, with lots
averaging $111.50 plus utilities,
trailers do not offer much space
and are not very energy
efficient.
Finally, if you are a member
of a fraternity or sorority, you
may choose to live in your
organization’s house. Rooms in
sorority houses are normally
rented on a semester basis.
Rent averages $1565.62 per
semester, which covers room
and board. Fraternity housing,
on the other hand, averages
only $159.42 per month, which
includes bills, but no meals.
w hether you
choose to live on or off campus,
there will be disadvantages as
Right: A junior business
major from Houston has
given new meaning to
interior design by
decorating his apartment
with unusual acquisitions.
well as good points. Living on
campus gives students a chance
to be more involved in campus
life, seeing A&M both by night
and by day. There’s also the
opportunity to run home
between classes to change
clothes, books, or your mind