The Village is a community of apartments complexes pretty darn close to SMU's campus (two freeway exits, I think) that share a park, "country club" and other recreational facilities. The whole community has a 2.5 mile jogging trail and two lakes. Pretty. I think that there are 14 different complexes that are within the purview of "the Village" and I looked at 4 or 5 of them while I was there.
Some of the buildings are newer than others, and some have different amenities, so there can be quite a swing in rent from one complex to the next. I think the lowest priced 1/1 I saw/heard of in the Village was about $600/month, and the highest that I saw was around $1000. For 2/2 I saw some that started right around $850, and went up from there.
The complexes that I looked at were called The Bend/Bend East, The Gate, The Cliffs, and The Lakes. I also took a quick glance around The Dakota (mostly because of the name -- maybe I could convince people I lived in the same building as Yoko Ono).
I was particularly interested in The Cliffs -- it had a gated parking area, some lake views, included alarms, and these cute "greenhouses" where they had enclosed what would have been a patio to add on to your indoor space. I think a 1/1 there ran about $657 without the "upgrades" (black appliances, tile entry, wood laminate flooring in the bath rather than linoleum) and without a W/D. I'm not too worried about the W/D because each complex has several communal laundry facilities spread out, so odds are I'd be pretty close. The Cliffs was behind the Lifestyle Center/country club, close to a main road. That's why it's gated -- so that it can't be used as a short cut.
The Bend/Bend East was located before you got to the Lifestyle Center/country club, coming off of Lover's Lane and Amesbury. They seemed to be less expensive than the other places I checked out, but they weren't gated, alarm service was an extra $25/month, and their pool wasn't quite as nice as the other places. However, the leasing office was really friendly. The plus side was that it would be closer to the SMU Mustang Express, which is apparently a shuttle that will take you to campus. Neither the Bend nor the Cliffs allowed pets (not a problem for me right now, but I might want a dog in the future -- after 1L. Odds are that I would kill anything living from sheer neglect my 1L year).
The Gate is really pretty, with a great pool and really nice landscaping. They do allow pets, and are slightly more expensive than The Cliffs. They, too, are un-gated and un-alarmed. They were across the street and down a little from the Bend and Bend East.
The Lakes was nicer than any of the other buildings I checked out, because it's newer. It has great lake views, is the closest to the "country club" and other communal amenities, and has good access to the jogging trail. It was also the most expensive of the complexes I looked at. I probably wouldn't be able to afford a 1/1 there, but if I got a roommate a 2/2 would be close to what a 1/1 would run at another complex within the Village.
Overall, the Village seemed like a good option for people who wanted to be pretty close to campus while still being removed from it. It was cheaper than I was expecting, and the community had a nice, safe feel to it. It seems like a lot of law students (and other students) make the Village their home, but most of the buildings are 21 and up, so I don't think you would have to worry about it being too undergrad-y. I'm definitely keeping the complex in the running.
So, does anyone have any experience -- good or bad -- with the apartments in the Village?
No comments:
Post a Comment