Renting in Minneapolis? (St. Paul, Maple Grove, Houston: extended stay, apartments, to rent)

[TheMathematician]

Hi, everyone. I have a family member who will be attending the University of Minnesota this fall. She doesn't want to live in residence halls, because cramped quarters and sharing bathrooms don't really sit well with her, and she would prefer to cook for herself. So, she's considering renting an apartment (studio/efficiency would be just fine) in Minneapolis, preferably as near the school as possible. Does anyone know which are the safest places to rent? She's also been thinking about extended stay at a hotel. However, she's not sure if a hotel address will be considered a permanent address, as she plans to stay there for a year and apply for residency status next year. Does anyone know about this?

[rzzz]

These are all essentially located "on campus."

Sydney Hall
412 Lofts
The Edge on Oak
The Knoll

Opening in the fall is The Bridges, by the same developer.

There are tons of other apartments near campus but those are the easiest to list. The percentage of students who live in a residence hall at the U of MN is actually very small compared to other colleges and universities. I believe it is only around 12%.

[TheMathematician]

Thank you. I'll be sure to pass these locations on to her.

[MNTwins]

all of the complexes that rzzz mentioned are luxury student housing complexes that'll run $1000/ mo. at the MINIMUM. If that's what you're looking for, great! Otherwise, the Como Park neighborhood is a popular choice for U of M students seeking a studio or 1BR.

[rzzz]

Average rent in MPLS is now over $1000/m. Might as well go for something nice and on campus. Especially since the OP was seriously entertaining the idea of a year in an extended stay hotel.

[TheMathematician]

Lord have mercy, that's expensive. Then again, nearly fifteen years ago, I was living in a rundown section of Houston, TX, and the landlord of my apartment charged upward of $600 a month. And by rundown, I mean I lived next to a drug dealer and downstairs was so clean I wouldn't even dare the thought of stepping foot there.
Anyway, would the hotel idea be cheaper?

[rzzz]

Originally Posted by TheMathematician

Anyway, would the hotel idea be cheaper?

No

[TheMathematician]

All right then, thanks. My asker was gathering all the options she thought would be feasible.

[QuietBlue]

Honestly, as a U of M alum myself, I really think she should consider living in a residence hall for at least the first year, and then see from there. I understand concerns about space and privacy; I had those too. But living in a res hall as a freshman just makes for a better introduction to the college experience, IMO, and is a great way to make friends and meet people. Plus there are single rooms available in some halls.

There are plenty of nice apartments around the U nowadays, but they're expensive. It's not like college towns where you have a lot of cheap housing right by campus (well, there is some, but it tends to be run-down).

[Justabitoff]

There aren't any Extended Stay America or Residence Inn hotels even near campus. The best ESA rate in Maple Grove is $55/night, which is $1650 for 30 days. The Residence Inn is by the airport and it's $139/night.

There's another thread about studio/efficiency apartment, and I think the consensus was that they run 550+ / a month, but it might not be right by campus. Her best bet for even better digs is to find a roommate and rent an apartment. But all the neighborhoods by campus would be fine. There's a lightrail line to St. Paul opening this summer. And you can also take the bus from other parts of Minneapolis. It pretty convenient to get around.