Athens renting? (Jefferson, Lumpkin, Oglethorpe: real estate, hoa, apartment complex)

[payton34]

I'm moving to Athens to teach at UGA in the fall. I want to rent rather than buy, because my spouse will be moving down the year thereafter, whereupon we'll buy something once we've gotten a good sense of the area. Any recommendations for decent apartment complexes in the area? Is there anything that isn't chock full of UGA students, or do you have to head more to the outskirts for that? Where do the renting professors and working professionals live? Thanks for any suggestions!!

[buckhead]

Originally Posted by payton34

I'm moving to Athens to teach at UGA in the fall. I want to rent rather than buy, because my spouse will be moving down the year thereafter, whereupon we'll buy something once we've gotten a good sense of the area. Any recommendations for decent apartment complexes in the area? Is there anything that isn't chock full of UGA students, or do you have to head more to the outskirts for that? Where do the renting professors and working professionals live? Thanks for any suggestions!!

Most of the apartment complexes ARE full of students, especially those closer to campus. The ones on Baxter Street, Milledge Avenue, Epps Bridge ROAD, Gaines School Road, Barnett Shoals Road, and Lexington Road, Prince Avenue, South Lumpkin Street, and elsewhere cater more to students than non-students. I'm not sure if there are really any complexes that try to appeal to non-students. If you get a bit further away from campus you might have better luck, but generally you don't have much in the line of apartment complexes away from Athens proper and Clarke County. You might consider a duplex or rental house within Athens. The Five Points area, Oglethorpe Avenue area, Normaltown, Jefferson Road, Whitehead Road, Timothy Road,Hull Street/Cobbham area typically have rental houses and/or duplexes, some of which are occupied by non-students. Oconee County is another option to get away from the concentration of students. Winterville (within Clarke County) is a quiet community that has some students but is also where a number of instructors, administrators, etc. from UGA live. There are some rental houses there. Duplexes and rental houses are also scattered throughout the outer parts of Clarke County, i.e., outside the old Athens city limits, and out US 29 (north) and GA 72 (east) toward Hull. Athens also has some newly constructed apartments and condominiums built out on the newer sections of Epps Bridge PARKWAY that might have lower concentrations of students than elsewhere. One area that has seen a resurgence of new builds of high-density units (apartments and/or condomimiuns, not sure which) is North Avenue, about 1 mile from downtown, but this area is still in transition and has had its share of crime problems.

One note of caution, some landlords in Athens are little better than slumlords, especially the ones that offer properties on some of the marginal close-in streets to campus. You might want to contact a real estate agent who could steer you in the direction that might suit you and help you avoid any pitfalls. Many of the rental houses though are NOT handled thorugh agents; they are privately placed. You might also look for renting a house from a professor who will be away from campus on sabatical or other long-term travel and needs sometime to look after the residence while away on leave.

[fosterino]

I would suggest, if you can afford, renting a house in a neighborhood. Possibly 5 Points or Normaltown (both very close to campus and downtown - bus, bike, walk). You will be around college students, but you won't have the constant party atmosphere like 99% of the apartment complexes have and you will be around more established residents, profs and older grad students. Some neighborhoods have small apt. complexes that my work well too.