Housing and Apartments  

Housing Options for UNR

Important terms to know:

Lease contract term - Length of time in months you must live in the apartment. You agree to pay rent money every month until the term is finished. If you decide to leave before then, you must find someone to take over the lease, or you will receive a penalty fee (usually several hundred dollars), and rarely a small claims court judgement. Many of the apartments discussed require you to pay 12 months of rent. Some are month-to-month which means that you can decide to leave anytime, as long as you give them 30 days prior notice of you leaving.

Utilities - Other necessary charges for electricity, water, heating/gas, garbage, and internet/phone. Most of the following apartment complexes require you to pay for your own electricity. Some will pay for the water, internet, garbage and gas for you. Most utility charges for a 1 bedroom apartment will range from around $50 to $80 a month.

Deposit - Money you must present first before moving into the apartment. The apartment manager holds this money as long as you live in the place. It is used to pay any late rent, property damage, or penalties you might have while living in the apartment. You may receive a portion of the money back when you move out, if you leave the apartment clean. Most of the following apartment complexes require a deposit of around the same amount as the monthly rent. I have noted some exceptions for some places. Also, some may want you to show your bank statements or school letter from OISS to verify you have enough money to live monthly.

Below, I will attempt to provide a fair opinion (both positive and negative aspects) of the different housing options around campus. Much of this information and opinion has been provided by other college students. There are four main types of housing around UNR:

I have researched and visited many of these places, and here is some information at the best of my knowledge I have as of 2009:

Dormitories:

UNR Dorms - Living on campus is a great way to learn English and adapt to American culture quickly. I recommend most new students to live in dormitories their first year if they can. Many students have told me what they don’t like about the dorms: the price is high, lease contract is strict, and other students are loud at night. If you mention these concerns to the housing agent ahead of time, they can put you in a quieter hall. Semester rent charges range from $500 to $600 a monthly to share a room. You will likely need to purchase a meal plan. Website: http://www.reslife.unr.edu/default.asp

Apartments:

Married Student Housing (University Village) - Located on the east side of UNR, these apartments are reserved for married students. Married couples who are taking UNR classes, assistantships, or research with up to one child can apply to live here. The main benefit is the affordable price. The apartments are small, and often have a waiting list for acceptance. Call 775-784-1113 Website: http://www.reslife.unr.edu/familyhousing.html

North Virginian - Near Lawlor event center. Lease term: month-to-month. 1 bedroom apartments start rent approximately About $460 a month. Utilities included in rent. $300 deposit. Walking distance to UNR, 5 minutes. Closest apartment complex to the center of campus. Studio style, with private apartment/bathroom with shared kitchen. Contact: North Virginian Apartments (775) 786-3734 1617 N Virginia St

Westwood Sierra - Top of Sierra street hill. Full year lease contract term. 1 bedroom apartments start rent in $580+ monthly. Amenities include pool and laundry. Walking distance to UNR, 10 minutes. Rent full apartment, so most expensive. Multi-bedroom apartments available (cheaper per room). Similar location, different management from Westwood apartments. Westwood Sierra Apartments (775) 786-2479 1555 N Sierra St

College Terrace - Across Sierra street from dormitory halls. Full year contract term. Private bedroom with shared kitchen and bathroom apartments. Rent for one room starts around $410 a month. $300 deposit. Walking distance to UNR 5 minutes. Close to university dormitory halls. Laundry in apartments, security gate. Known to have louder parties, so be cautious which apartment to live in. 775-324-1880

Wolf Run Village - Front entrance is off Valley Road by car, but commonly accessed from UNR from Evans to Jodi, to Beverly St. if walking. Full year contract term, some short term contracts when available. Private bedroom with bathroom, pantry storage in shared kitchen w/laundry and furnished living room w/TV. Each townhouse has five bedrooms. Rent for one room as low as $395 a month. Gas - Water - Electric is extra and is split evenly between housemates by office monthly. Walking distance to UNR through a neighborhood is 5 to 10 minutes. Gated community with on-site after hours emergency staff. High speed fiber optic Internet is included, local phone line, cable TV, business center w/copier-scanner-printer-paper, Internet cyber bar, espresso coffee bar and book exchange. Security deposit starts at $150. Enforces "quiet" policy and does not allow loud parties. Many internationals and graduate students live here. http://www.wolfrunvillage.com/ http://www.wolfrunvillage.com/

Highlands - On north end off of valley road and Socrates. Full year contract term. Private bedroom with shared kitchen and bathroom apartments. Most apartments have four rooms. Rent for one room starts at about $375. Deposit is a fee of less than $100. Walking distance to UNR is about 20 minutes. Share bathroom. Newer complex with amenities like laundry in each apartment, pool, and basketball courts. This complex has a reputation of having loud parties and poor security. It is also the farthest and most difficult to get to UNR. No shopping or stores are close. I have talked to many students who have moved out after their first year of living there. They have improved their security recently however.College Park Highlands

The Villager - On Valley and Sadlier way. Rents month-to-month. Rent full studio apartment, and share kitchen with four other apartments. Rent starts around $450 a month. $300 deposit. Many non-students and workers for the casinos live in this complex. Some students have mentioned that it feels lonely in this apartment complex. Smoking smell despite having “non-smoking” options. Walking distance to UNR is about 10 minutes. Amenities includes shared laundry facility and pool. Similar management as North Virginian. 775-786-1384

Apartments by Shirley Chen -Close to campus. Clean & private. Next to Lawlor event center. Full private apartment with kitchen, living room, bedroom and bath. 1 bed/1bath apartment near $500; 2 bedroom, 1 bath, near $600. $350 deposit. 6 mo. lease minimum. Utilities extra. I have referred several students to this apartment building. Good landlord and one of the closest apartments to UNR. Telephone: 828-2592

Houses/rooms for Rent - There are many houses for rent around the UNR campus. Sometimes they rent by room and sometimes the whole house. I’ve noticed rents in 2009 reduced, and now range between $350 and $500 for a room in a house. If you plan to rent a complete house with friends, calculate the total rent with the number of bedrooms or people sharing. Here are some suggestions: