[aparent]

Thank you so very much for your response. What do you think of the Bluffs? It was so nice of you to provide that information for me!

[Sailor Breeze]

Check out Capstone Condominiums, 708 11th Street, right behind Trinity Methodist Church on Bryant. They're gated, safe, 1/2 block from campus (no need for a parking permit) and usually have vacancies. Check with H.A.Edwards for leasing information. We own one and our daughter has lived there since moving out of the dorm after her freshman year. We're very happy with the location and the safety. I'd say we could discuss ours, but have people lined up for it for the next few years. Good luck!

[Tcgio1218]

I will only address the University Village Apts. My daughter lived there for a couple of years. I was very happy about the complex and security However I will warn anyone considering University Village. Read your lease agreement very closely they like to add in a number of fees that will add up in the end. When my daughter moved out they did not refund all of my security deposit and when I called to question the short payment they told me that they had made a mistake and would refund the remaining balance. I have waited several months for the check and still have not recieved it. I called and they told me that the check was "in the mail" I ask about the amount and they shorted me again. Just found another mistake. I will not get all of the money back and will have to take what I can get at this point. They will nickel and dine you to death and wait until you call several times to finally issue a check.

[aparent]

Originally Posted by Sailor Breeze

Check out Capstone Condominiums, 708 11th Street, right behind Trinity Methodist Church on Bryant. They're gated, safe, 1/2 block from campus (no need for a parking permit) and usually have vacancies. Check with H.A.Edwards for leasing information. We own one and our daughter has lived there since moving out of the dorm after her freshman year. We're very happy with the location and the safety. I'd say we could discuss ours, but have people lined up for it for the next few years. Good luck!

Thank you for this response. I saw those and did like them.

[aparent]

Originally Posted by Tcgio1218

I will only address the University Village Apts. My daughter lived there for a couple of years. I was very happy about the complex and security However I will warn anyone considering University Village. Read your lease agreement very closely they like to add in a number of fees that will add up in the end. When my daughter moved out they did not refund all of my security deposit and when I called to question the short payment they told me that they had made a mistake and would refund the remaining balance. I have waited several months for the check and still have not recieved it. I called and they told me that the check was "in the mail" I ask about the amount and they shorted me again. Just found another mistake. I will not get all of the money back and will have to take what I can get at this point. They will nickel and dine you to death and wait until you call several times to finally issue a check.

Yes I have noticed that some of these places will try to squeeze every bit of the deposit out of you! But I am glad to hear that these apartments are safe. Thanks you for replying. Do you or anyone else know of places that I should definitely avoid? What about Bryant Street? Thanks in advance for any responses. I so appreciate the responses that I am getting

[Croye22]

I don't particularly know Tuscaloosa well enough to suggest what apartments to avoid, but I do highly suggest you avoid any "student style" apartments. Generally, these are the ones that have the most problems in college towns and college areas. i used to live in some and it was problem after problem.

Problems can range from poor customer service to leasing problems up to safety.

My advice to you is learn as much as you can about an apartment complex as you possibly could. Ask the landlord to show you one just so you can see what they look like.

And another piece of advice that people probably covered already, but know the area the apartments are located in. Contact the local PD if you have to and ask them for advice and suggested areas to avoid. I made a mistake of moving to an apartments that were nice, but in a shady area and I ended up losing several valuable items from a break in.

Good luck and hope it works well for you.

[aparent]

Yes this is so true about student style apartments. Thank you for the tip.

[bopat23]

Hi everyone,

So sorry to hijack this thread, but I am in a very similar situation. I am most likely moving to Tuscaloosa (just waiting for paperwork) to start a post doctoral stint at UA. I am an East Indian moving from Toronto, Canada who has never lived in the south (except for 6 months in Boca Raton, FL), and so I would appreciate some sound advice on where to live in Tuscaloosa.

Ideally I would like to live in safe neighbourhood (duh!) that is close to campus. I have been looking at the suggestions from some of the posters in this thread and they seem nice. From the brief research I have done it seems like there is a lot of property crime (theft, break ins etc). Hence at this point I seem to be leaning towards a gated community. I am moving in by myself and hence would be happy with a 1 bedroom apartment. My contract is only for a 1.5 years at this point.

So, questions I have are:

1) What would be the best apartments in terms of safety and proximity to the university?
2) Does one need a car to get around in Tuscaloosa?
3) Other gems of advice?

I'm sure I'll have more questions as I continue to research the area, but for now, I'll stop here.

I eagerly look forward to your responses!!

Cheers,
bopat

[ttownfeen]

You definitely need a car to get around Tuscaloosa. If you live near campus you can make do going from where you live to campus and back, but you will need a car if you ever want to get to points off campus like the mall or stores like Target or Walmart. The nearest Indian grocery is in Birmingham!

[bopat23]

Thanks Ttownfeen!

I guess this means I'll soon be looking for a car! Once I've figured out housing I suppose!!