Apartment Spotlight: University Village

1.       Why did you choose to live at University Village? How long have you lived there? Bottom line: University Village Apartments is cheap. Last year, I lived in Hyde Park and was able to take advantage of all the cool restaurants, bars, and parks it had to offer. It was a great experience, but my bank account definitely took a hit. The Riverside area is very affordable for AmeriCorps members and is down the road from South Congress and Barton Springs.  I’ve lived here since August of this year.

2.       What are a few things you like about the complex? UVA is a student-housing apartment complex, so it definitely caters to younger people looking to enjoy their college years. There are two sand volleyball courts and a good-sized pool that people take advantage of frequently when it’s nice out, aka 10 out of 12 months in Austin. This year, it’s been a lot of fun having people from work over on the weekends for epic battles on the volleyball court. There are also E-buses that take you downtown and back on weekend nights.

3.       What are a few things you do not like about the complex? There isn’t a lot of parking available, even for residents, which is very frustrating because towing is a problem. If you didn’t pay for a covered or “reserved” parking space, finding parking on weekend nights can take up to ten minutes. It can also be a pretty loud area to live. These apartment complexes are some of the biggest I’ve seen and it is not unusual to hear loud music from passing-by cars and random people talking very loudly as constant background noise. UVA is also located in somewhat of a food desert, with an HEB down the street surrounded by every fast food chain known to man.

4.       What are your neighbors like? Neighbors are generally students at UT Austin or ACC, or young adults looking to live super cheap. The general income level is on the lower side of the spectrum (e.g. AmeriCorps members), and it is easy to strike up a conversation in the pool or get in on a pick-up volleyball game.

5.       How much does it cost to live in a 4 bedroom apartment? For a four-person, completely furnished apartment I pay $435 per month, utilities, internet, and cable included. We each have our own bedroom and bathroom, and we share a decent-sized common area and kitchen.

6. If some of our future Austinites have more questions, would you mind if they contacted you via       email. I’ve been tricked into giving out my email before, but what the heck: nzarazua@collegeforward.org