Imagine squeezing a small one-bedroom apartment into one large room. This is essentially what you get with a studio rental, though the bathroom is often in a separate room. These rentals will contain kitchen appliances and enough living space for at least a small bed or a reasonably sized living room set, and you get to determine how you utilize that space.
While some renters prefer living room furniture, others create one big bedroom for a cozy living environment. Still others use room dividers or position their furniture to create the feel of a separate bedroom and living room. The amount of furniture that you will need to fill the space depends on the size of the studio rental. This guide will help you size up the studio market in Gainesville so that you rent the right unit for your lifestyle and budget.
Most studio apartments near UF in Gainesville are between 300 and 600 square feet. Since studio rentals are like miniature apartments, it isn't surprising that many feature mini kitchen appliances. This means that you may not have as much room in the fridge or freezer as you would with full-sized appliances. You may have limited oven space as well. Many units offer little to no storage space, and they may or may not come with central air conditioning and heating.
Studio rentals are often located within larger apartment complexes, so you will have access to all amenities available to the community. This may include a swimming pool, fitness room, study room, ball courts and walking trails. Some units may also offer balconies and patios, though outdoor living space is often reserved for larger units. The more outdoor amenities the better because they give you the opportunity to escape your room without spending money or venturing far from home.
When you find a cheap studio rental that may fit your needs, ask the following questions to determine its suitability to your lifestyle:
If you worry that you might start to feel cooped up in a small studio, there's one more question that you should ask: What will you see when you open your window? Opening a window to a park, trees, flowers or green space can make your living space feel larger and less restrictive. If your window opens to the side of another building, you may feel even more confined.
Most Gainesville studio rentals charge between $500 and $1,200 per month. You may find the occasional unit for less than $500, but those units are often small with few to no amenities. They also fill up quickly due to the budget-friendly price point. Units falling toward the high end of that range tend to have more space and are more likely to offer air conditioning and more luxurious interior features.
Studio rentals are attractive to students who want to live alone or with a significant other, and those students flood the University of Florida and surrounding areas around August of each year. They're in search of rentals for the upcoming school year, and many properties run promotions and offer discounts to attract the most reliable tenants.
If you find yourself amongst those students competing for the best studio spaces, the following tips will help you get the space that you need at the most affordable price:
Studio apartments aren't suitable for every personality and lifestyle, but there are some signs that you're the perfect candidate:
Since you can find one-bedroom apartments for the same or lower prices, make sure to consider small, cheap apartments in addition to studio units. Sometimes a one-bedroom in the right location is better than a studio in a less convenient location.
