What's with the rent in Kennesaw. (Marietta, Acworth: extended stay, apartment, for rent)

[green_mariner]

Male student with no car. I'm at school all day(KSU), at least until 11PM. I am looking for another place to live. i can't get into the dorms because of the waiting list. It has to be in Kennesaw, it must be accesible by foot(20 minutes maximum) or bicycle(10 minutes maximum). The problem is I look at the bulletin boards at school. Most posts for rent are:

1) Far away(either in Woodstock, Acworth, or other places far away)
2) Want specifically female roommates
3) Anything in Kennesaw is now kind of expensive(I don't want to pay anything about $400 if I get roommates, and getting roommates is harder as many student with cars opt to live more than 30 minutes away by car.)

If I live in Marietta, it wouldn't be worth it as sometimes I have to be on campus very late and the bus stops running after a certain hour.

Rent in Kennesaw used to never be THIS bad and it never used to be THIS hard to find anything I needed. Before I could find something relatively cheap if I could get roommates. Right now the currently situation is not ideal for what I need.

[green_mariner]

I'm only guessing no one has any answers or suggestions.

[PKCorey]

More students so the rent is going to increase in the area.

Don't seems like you have many options since you are without a car.

Either the car or the Suburban Lodge across from the KSU Center.

[green_mariner]

Originally Posted by PKCorey

More students so the rent is going to increase in the area.

Don't seems like you have many options since you are without a car.

Either the car or the Suburban Lodge across from the KSU Center.

As soon as I graduate from college, I'm leaving for a place more suited to me.

The reasons I haven't bought a car:

1) Gas prices
2) Barely know how to drive(and I've never driven on the highway)
3) Cars are expensive(and thanks to a family who screwed up my credit, I can't get a car loan/I don't want to be paying off a car for years. Same reason I won't buy a house until I save the money for it).
4) Insurance(it's required in Georgia to have car insurance)

And at $31 a night for the cheapest rate, that is more expensive than renting an apartment. $31 a night for a month is over $900 a month.

[researchnerd]

KSU is historically a commuter school - unless you live on campus you pretty much need to have a car. Are you living on campus now?

As I understand it, reservations for campus housing open up in January for the following fall, and it's pretty competitive so you have to act on it immediately. But once you're in, you have a space for the whole school year. Maybe just get on the waiting list now, then in January you'll be all set for next year?

That said, I don't think you would have a lot of trouble finding a roommate for a nearby apartment. With the campus housing situation being so competitive, there are plenty of other KSU students in your situation - my son is one of them. He currently drives ~25 miles each way but would vastly prefer to live on campus.

Alternatively, if you're committed to not driving, you might consider transferring to a city school like Georgia State or Georgia Tech. These are more suited to walking and public transportation.

[green_mariner]

Originally Posted by researchnerd

KSU is historically a commuter school - unless you live on campus you pretty much need to have a car. Are you living on campus now?

As I understand it, reservations for campus housing open up in January for the following fall, and it's pretty competitive so you have to act on it immediately. But once you're in, you have a space for the whole school year. Maybe just get on the waiting list now, then in January you'll be all set for next year?

That said, I don't think you would have a lot of trouble finding a roommate for a nearby apartment. With the campus housing situation being so competitive, there are plenty of other KSU students in your situation - my son is one of them. He currently drives ~25 miles each way but would vastly prefer to live on campus.

Alternatively, if you're committed to not driving, you might consider transferring to a city school like Georgia State or Georgia Tech. These are more suited to walking and public transportation.

I was looking for a place in advance because I needed a place by late January. I basically gave up in September. I started looking again. I am on the waiting list for a dorm, but no spots are opening up. No one is giving up. And as of January, no one I know seems to know anyone who needs a roommate. I've checked craigslist. I have upped my threshold to $400 out of need. I have contacted ads on craigslist. No one seems to be responding to me. What I have found on craigslist:

1)Even if I upped my price range to $400, there is still nothing close by.
2)The cheapest places are also far away
3)The cheapest places disproportionally tend to ask for females only

I am left wondering:

Why is it that places for men are often more expensive?

Why are there not as many postings for male roommates?

And are so many places so far away?

For me, getting a car is more hassle than benefit. Cost of car, car insurance, cost of gas. If I have to pay rent, what is the benefit of owning a car? It's just an extra expense and I would constantly worry about money, even with the job I have. And extended stays cost too much, with the cheapest being $900/month.

[ATLTJL]

Contact a woman for a roommate. Just tell her that you are gay. Tell her you don't know any other gay guys at KSU and you are uncomfortable living with a straight man. It will work.

Or transfer to Georgia State.

Or buy an el-cheapo clunker car.

Or buy a moped.

Think outside the box.

[atlanta28]

lol, love this advice!

[BobKovacs]

Originally Posted by ATLTJL

Think outside the box.

How about pitching a tent in front of the student center and starting the "Occupy KSU" movement? That'd be affordable, and close to classes....

[green_mariner]

Originally Posted by BobKovacs

How about pitching a tent in front of the student center and starting the "Occupy KSU" movement? That'd be affordable, and close to classes....

And then I'd go to jail and get escorted from campus grounds.

Finally, someone contacted me. The rent(asking price) pushing it considering taking into account roommates. However, $400, I can live with it. It might work.

I still have questions though, that seem to never get addressed. I'm wondering:

1) Why are there less posting asking for male roommates?
2) Why are so much of the postings located so far?
3) Why is it that many of the listings asking for female roommates, on average, have cheaper rent than men? I've notice that females tend to have more listings with rent of $350 or less, versus men, who don't get as many deals like that.