Student Apartments vs. Traditional Apartments
One perk to renting an apartment in Gainesville is the availability of rental units designed with students in mind. Students looking for four-bedroom rentals typically want to share living space and expenses with other students. They need space that is designed a bit differently than the standard large apartment that may have four bedrooms.
For starters, each bedroom in a student apartment is often connected to a private bathroom. This gives each student some privacy, and the common areas are often spacious with an open design. You may see this type of apartment listed as a "quad," since the floor plan features four private living areas and a main living area.
An apartment designed with families in mind may feature fewer bathrooms and is likely to position the bedrooms along one long hallway or in clusters. These traditional apartments aren't set up to accommodate roommates, so it's important to look at the layout of each four-bedroom apartment before you make your final decision.
You may also find that cheap apartments designed with students in mind offer amenities that are more suitable to the student lifestyle. For instance, they're more likely to offer a fitness center, swimming pool, clubhouse, game room or study room than a playground. Apartments intended for families and professionals are more likely to feature dog parks, playgrounds and child-friendly swimming pool designs.
Finding Four-Bedroom Rentals in Gainesville
When selecting an apartment in Gainesville, think about how close you want to live near UF. Apartments near UF are likely to feature four-bedroom student apartments with student-friendly amenities. Large apartments located away from the campus or close to the downtown area are more likely to offer family-friendly amenities. These units may also be close to elementary, middle and high schools.
In addition to standard apartments, you can look at townhouses and condos for rent in Gainesville. Many townhomes will feature two or three bedrooms along with a finished basement that you can use as an additional bedroom. In some cases, you can transform a large basement into two bedrooms with room dividers or by hanging curtains. These rentals are less likely to feature a bathroom connected to each bedroom, but they may offer enough space for three or four roommates interested in sharing living expenses.
Leasing Options for Four-Bedroom Apartments
Student apartments are likely to offer individual leasing. This means that rent is collected from each resident rather than from each rental unit. If you live in a four-bedroom rental with three roommates, you will only have to pay the landlord your rent. If one or more of your roommates fall behind on their rent, their financial problems will never impact your position within the apartment. This is the best arrangement if you don't know your roommates well, and it will prevent financial conflict between roommates.
You can often identify apartment communities with individual leasing by the pricing structure on their advertisements. They will state a price per room rather than simply giving one rental price for each unit. For example, "starting at $560 per room" is indicative of an apartment that charges by the bedroom rather than by the apartment.
If you're looking for a large apartment with a traditional one-year lease agreement, you may want to look at least one mile away from the university or call a few properties to ask if this is an option. Some units advertising individual leasing will still offer alternative leasing options if you ask.
Make the Most of Your Four-Bedroom Rental
If you have one or two roommates and you can all afford a larger apartment, there are good reasons to opt for a unit with four or even five bedrooms. You can each take a bedroom while using the extra rooms for extra storage or to create a study room. A small den or sitting room that feels more private than the larger living room is another option.
If you do have three roommates and are concerned that the space will feel too cluttered with four people plus the occasional guest, look for larger units that offer a bathroom connected to each bedroom. This will give you more personal space within the apartment, so you can always retreat when you feel too clustered.
You may also look for four-bedroom rentals with a patio or deck. This outdoor space will allow your housemates to spread out more while bringing some fresh air into the apartment.
