Apartments

dxmzan · 02-19-2008, 03:41 PM

I'm looking for suggestions for nice, safe apartment complexes close to UCF. Anyone have any recommendations?

seiclan · 02-19-2008, 05:07 PM

Check this out (from the UCF off campus housing website):

http://www.housing.ucf.edu/offcampus/files/listings.pdf

dxmzan · 02-20-2008, 10:59 PM

Lot of these apartments look like you have to room with people. I'm more interested in a 1/1 apartment or studio. Thanks for the link though.

swatdingo · 02-21-2008, 09:45 AM

you will be hard pressed to find an apartment where it is 1/1 close to campus. The only places I know of are by Waterford lakes, and that is a little bit of a drive from campus. All of the surrounding ones are 3/3 or 4/4.

gymeni · 02-22-2008, 07:58 AM

I will tell you this: stay away from Pegasus Landing and Pegasus Pointe, both university-sanctioned properties. Although the university is currently trying to step up police patrols in those areas, one look at the UCF Police Blotter (can be accessed from the UCF website) tells the story about the types of things that occur in those complexes. There is also another complex, Tivoli, that seems to have a great deal of crime.

Also, do understand that once you decide to live off campus, you are not allowed to move (back) on-campus.

swatdingo · 02-22-2008, 12:15 PM

I think pegasus Landing and Pegasus pointe get a bad rap because there is as much crime on campus and in other really nice apartments like Villages at Science Drive. Most of the crime that occurs at Pegasus Landing is because people leave their cars or doors unlocked and basically invite the robbers in. If you look at the statistics though, there is little difference between on campus and affiliated housing.

mom2three · 02-22-2008, 04:10 PM

My son did two years at student apartments off of Archer. He had to take the bus to school. It was OK, but too easy to decide that the trip wasn't worth it for just one class, or whatever. This year he has an apartment just 4 blocks from campus on the northeast corner, and it is MUCH better. He's on campus all the time.
Don't go for the glitz and pools and all that. Get within easy walking distance to campus, so you can get involved and stay involved on campus.

Better yet, if it's an option - live on campus your first year. I wish my son had.

dxmzan · 02-22-2008, 05:20 PM

Thanks for the responses. I'm 25-years-old and this isn't my first time attending a university. I'll be working full time while going to school, so I was really looking for a nice quiet one bedroom that's close enough to the university. Everyone I talk to seems to say that the further away the better. Thanks for the heads-up on Pegasus Landing/Pointe. Is crime a big problem around the campus area or Orlando in general? Are there other complexes/neighborhoods I should try to avoid?

Thanks again.

infeatheredeyes · 02-24-2008, 10:26 AM

Compared to other universities in Florida, UCF is one of the lower ones. But of course any city is going to have its share of crime.

dxmzan · 03-03-2008, 10:28 PM

Took a trip down to Orlando this weekend to do some apartment hunting. From what I've seen I liked Arden Villas and Heather Glen the best for a 1br/ba. Anyone hear any good/bad news about these two places?

gymeni · 03-04-2008, 03:20 PM

I must disagree with Swatdingo's assessment about the two complexes receiving a "bad rap". They are what they are and the statistics prove it: unsafe. I read the reports carefully since my D's a UCF student living off-campus in another community. My D's best friend also lived in Pegasus Landing a couple of years ago and could not wait to move out at the end of her lease. She said that she did not feel at all safe there. There's been more than one forced break-in at Pegasus Landing -- *armed*, even! The bottom line is just to be careful and ever vigilent, no matter where you decide to live (but *especially* in these two apartment complexes).

BlazeWizard · 03-05-2008, 07:13 PM

When my brother was finishing up his senior year, he roomed at Pegasus Landing. In the last few monthes, some guys came along and stole his rims, stole his friend's motorcycle and caused a bunch of crime. Recently a drug dealer was shot to death in that area. From everything he's told me, Pegasus Landing has become a horrible area, specially if you have a car.

swatdingo · 03-14-2008, 09:25 AM

well, if you look at the statistics for Pegasus Landing, and compare it to on campus you have as much crime going on. Many of the problems that occur at pegasus landing are people that know each other, and it is not a war zone occuring over there. They also now have a security gate installed where everyone must stop and talk to a guard before coming in, and actually they are taking ID's now so if you were to commit a crime, they have your information.

Orlando was the 11th most dangerous city in America (Safest and Most Dangerous U.S. Cities, 2007 — Infoplease.com) and there is a lot you can do to avoid these situations. Most of the crime occurs because people leave doors open, go outside by themselves, and do irresponsible things.