Multiple off-campus housing options create a difficult decision for KU students

As summer break approaches, many students are finalizing their housing plans for next
school year. While some students get a head start on finding housing close to a
year in advance, other students are still looking come spring. Lawrence provides many housing options, several of which may be appealing for students.

Patrick Dipman, a realtor with Asset Property Management, says there are different factors that affect students’ housing search.
“Price and location are the big ones,” Dipman said. “Three other important factors would
be utilities…renters insurance… and a third one would be compatibility with
roommates.”

Students should consider all of these factors and more, such as what benefits they are getting from their place of residence. When all of these factors are considered, different spaces may be popular for different types of students.

For instance, some students choose to rent houses in the heart of Lawrence, near campus.
They appreciate being able to be in a good location close to campus, downtown, bars,
and friends. Kentucky Street and Tennessee Street have grown widely popular for
student living.

Ellyson Moore, a junior at KU, lives on Kentucky Street and enjoys being in that area of
town.

“It’s really close to everything,” Moore said. “It’s close to downtown and also isn’t like on
campus so you don’t have to deal with all the traffic of that…but also you can still be a
part of everything.”

Houses are also popular because they offer a more private living situation and often
other benefits like a backyard or reserved parking.

While many students enjoy living near campus in duplexes, houses, or other living
communities, others prefer student-dominated apartment complexes such as The
Quarters Lawrence, The Connection at Lawrence, and The Collective Lawrence.

These apartments can often offer a more put-together and administered living situation. They
also often include many amenities that wouldn’t be included with a house.

“As far as our amenities go…the flashy ones like the pool, the gym, the half court
basketball court, those are really big,” said Cole Dock, a community assistant at The Quarters. “We also have some pretty nice things like the bus stop being right on property. We also have the mail room.”

As a community assistant, Dock also lives at the complex, and appreciates the sense of
community that being in an apartment complex offers.

“The community aspect is really great,” Dock said. “The fact that we can have events
with residents, it’s nice that we can get everybody together.

Amenities and community drive some students towards apartment living no matter
where it is located in Lawrence.

With so many different options, it’s important for students to consider what’s most
important to them when finding a place to live. Whether it’s the location and privacy of a
house or the community and amenities of an apartment complex, there is a place for all
KU students in Lawrence.

For more information on off-campus housing in Lawrence, visit:
https://offcampushousing.ku.edu/listing

Watch the segment here: