millionaire

Okay. So I've been accepted to Berkeley and I was considering dorms as my #1 housing option because of the friendships that I'd be able to make and to avoid hassles of paying utilities and all. However, my impression of the dorm room hasn't been so great. The rooms are VERY small and you have to share bathrooms with too many people. There's little privacy and the chaotic environment might not be the best for my studies. I started looking on craigslist for a room for rent in/near Berkeley, but it turns out that most of them are very old, dirty and dull. Living in such an environment could be somewhat depressing. I plan to spend my college years living in an affordable new, clean luxury apartment with my own room. I've done some calculations to find out that some of us can team up to rent such an apartment and have our own rooms. That way, we don't lose the social aspect of college while retaining our privacy in a nice environment.

Berkeley is a very old city. Most houses look very ugly and uninviting out there. It turns out that Emeryville is the closest city to Berkeley and it has some really cool new apartments for lease. Some of them are almost brand new, with new appliances, swimming pool and fitness center. Covered parkings are also included. If 3 of us can find a 2Bedroom/2 Bath apartment for under $2000, we could probably split up the rent in three and live comfortably throughout our 2/3 years at Cal. The person getting the master bed and bath should probably pay around 800/month, the one in the second bedroom would pay 700/month and 500/month for the third person in the living room. The 2nd and 3rd people would have to share the 2nd bath. Utilities can be shared. It turns out that on-campus housing is much much more expensive, more compact and lacks privacy and luxury. I'd be willing to be either person 1, 2 or 3...I don't care...To me, all 3 sound like good deals.

A little about me...I'm an eecs transfer student from Glendale Community College, located in the greater Los Angeles area. I'm 19 years old. I'd like to find friends in my roommates and I'd respect their opinions and privacy. If anyone's interested, please respond. Feel free to post apartments of your choice @ Berkeley or Emeryville (must be nice and clean). Any other suggestions about housing will also be highly appreciated. I'll start posting apartments once people respond.

Thanks much!!!!!

pinkerfloyd

i like the enthusiasm.
i hate the bourshiness.

CKG

berkeley is so much more interesting that emeryville.....why would you want to live in emeryvile...

millionaire

@Pinkerfloyd...I don't really understand what you mean by "bourshiness." Please clarify...Thanks!!!

@CKG...I've NEVER been to NorCal. I was just looking at rooms and apartments up there and I've noticed that buildings in Berkeley tend to be really old and dirty. Emeryville is also kinda like that, but there are some new buildings, from what I've seen online. I'm sure you have a better knowledge than me about both cities since I've never been there. I appreciate your response. Do you think it'd be possible to find a nice and clean room at berkeley for under $800??? One of my major weaknesses is that I can't concentrate on my studies if my surroundings are old, dirty and not well maintained. Thanks once again for responding!

pinkerfloyd

i meant bourgeois.
i hate your bourgeois mentality.

CKG

ahh okay, it's totally understandable if you've never been there! berkeley buildings may be older, yes, but there are some nice, clean ones if you look, and the older ones are often really cool architecturally and historically. emeryville=yuppie zone. all the buildings a squeaky clean and new, but BORING and entirely devoid of character or culture. emeryville is just filled with thirty-something techie types and strip malls and apartment complexes that all look the same. but it's your choice, and I don't have the right to tell you where to live. as far as cost in berkeley goes, you can get a nice one bedroom for $1500 and a crappy one for like $1000-1200, so I assume you could get a room in a nice two bedroom place for $1,000 or less. $800 is definitely feasible. check out craigslist!

millionaire

Alright, Pinkerfloyd, I'll take your word as constructive criticism. I'll try my best to change this "bourgeois" mentality of mine! LOL! Thanks for the criticism.

@CKG...Thank you very much for the reply. Your opinion will really help me decide between the two cities.