Apartment Hunting in Columbia! (St. Andrews, Cayce: section 8, apartment complexes, to rent)

[AMD626]

Hey all! I'm headed down next week to check out a handful of apartments in Columbia, and was wondering if anyone had any experience/opinions on the places I've selected to check out?

Here they are by zip code:

29210 - St. Andrews Commons, Stoney Creek Apartments, Longcreek Estates, West Winds, The Farrington, Tamarind at Stoneridge, Waterford
29212 - Columbiana Ridge
29223 - Wyndham Pointe
29203 - Bay Berry Mews, Capital Heights
29204 - The Landings at Forest Acres
29209 - Hampton Courts, Hampton Greene, Deer Meadow Village
29702 - Chimney Ridge
29073 - Cedarcrest Village

Any info anyone shares is greatly appreciated!

[Letiigera]

I believe there are a few places off of Zoo exit off 20. They are very clean. I believe they are by Hampton's court or something. I can't remember the name, but a friend of mine lived there and they weren't very expensive

[waccamatt]

What part of town will you be working in?

I just read your other post that you'll be in grad school at USC. I'm curious, though, why suburban apartment complexes are all that's on your list when there are many awesome places within walking distance of campus? If I were looking I'd look at some of the quadraplexes in the Five Points area or some of the highrises near campus. If you want the amenities of a complex, there is Vista Commons in the Vista area close to campus and The Rapids over in Olympia, also not far from campus. From your list you can definitely cross of Bayberry Mews and Capital Heights. Chimney Ridge, Cedarcrest Village, Wyndham Pointe and Columbiana Ridge are all far from campus.

[AMD626]

Well, I'm only working from what I can search for off apartmentguide.com or apartments.com. I don't mind driving to school really, though it could be nice to walk or bike there instead. If all goes as planned, I'll be working for the Columbia Fire Department. I'll be moving with my boyfriend, who will not be a university student, so anything operated by school I have assumed is not an option.

How far is "far" from campus? I live in a rural area in Maryland and currently commute 30-45 minutes to school and work daily, so this is a relative idea, lol. And, why am I crossing off Bayberry Mews/Capital Heights?

Thanks!!

[waccamatt]

Baybeery Mews and Capital Heights are glorified public housing projects and have had some problems from what I can remember. Wow, a 30-45 minute commute is rough. There are a lot of great apartments within walking distance of campus and then you wouldn't have to worry about parking. You'd also be close to Five Points and the Vista for entertainment, dining out, shopping, etc. Some of your options are lots of duplexes, quadraplexes and small apartment complexes in the Five Points/Shandon area, a number of highrise apartments/condos downtown and close to campus, Vista Commons, which is a complex close to campus in the Vista, The Rapids, Olympia Mill and Granby mill apartmets, which are in the Olympia area not far from campus. The 2 old mills are loft-type apartments, while the Rapids and Vista Commons are more typical garden apartments with pool, etc. The 2 mills have a poo, also, I think. I used to live in an old quadraplex on Waccamaw Ave a few blocks from Five Points and I loved it. None of the places I've mentioned are operated by the University. Of course there are plenty of complexes out in the suburbs, too, but there are a lot of great neighborhoods surrounding the University and I think you'd enjoy not having to commute and find parking everyday. If you prefer to commute so that you can continue to live in a rural environment then that is certainly an option, also, though you would more than likely be looking at houses to rent instead of apartments.

[elizabethcameron]

I heard Columbiana Ridge also have some public housing section 8 now.

I totally agree with Waccamatt about the housing close to USC.

[Captain Worley]

Granby Oaks over on State Street in Cayce is a very well run, reasonably priced place. I've lived there two different times, which says something about the place.

[AMD626]

How is the neighborhood of Earlewood? I have a prospective townhome I might check out Friday, is the neighborhood "Great!" as the ad states?

[waccamatt]

Originally Posted by AMD626

How is the neighborhood of Earlewood? I have a prospective townhome I might check out Friday, is the neighborhood "Great!" as the ad states?

I love Earlewood and I live in the next neighborhood over. I can't think of any townhomes in the neighborhood, though. Did it give an address?