OT- Med School Housing

Submitted by BallsoHarb on
Hello everyone, this summer I will be moving to Ann Arbor for the first time to begin med school. I've spent the last two weeks looking for housing and have yet to see something that I feel confident in, so I'm looking to the board for some help. My first question: My fiancé and our puppy will be coming with me, and we are looking for a place at $1100 or less that has all utilities except electricity included. Our second priority is location, I would like to be within a 15 minute walk to campus. Third priority is size, probably around 500 sq ft. Is this feasible to find? My second question: Am I too late in the cycle to be picky about where I live? If I find something that stretches the budget to say, $1250, but checks all the boxes should I just take it? Finally: If utilities are not included, what is a good estimate of gas, water, trash, heat, and electricity in AA? Thanks all, really appreciate any help!

Ma1zeandB1ue

March 21st, 2017 at 9:30 AM ^

My wife is a Med student here at UofM. We live in the "white coat ghetto" which is in the shadow of the hospital. Your cheapest option would be Island Drive apartments, but those are pretty old and often out dated.



I think your best bet would be Medical Center Court apartments. Those should be right around your price range, are decently sized, allow dogs, and is a ten minute walk to the hospital.



Good luck. Ann Arbor is amazing. Apartment hunting here is not.

FauxMo

March 21st, 2017 at 9:34 AM ^

Won't all the med students move into one big house together and get into a series of awkward and whacky romantic relationships? That's what TV told me... :-(

GPCharles

March 21st, 2017 at 9:38 AM ^

When in med school she lived in the area bounded by State to the west, Huron to the south, the river to the north and Fuller to the east (North Ward?).  That area is full of graduate students including a lot of med students and includes the med school fraternity.  It is an easy walk or bike ride to the med school.  I would give you more details from my D, but she is currently in Africa working at a clinic for a month.

Good hunting!

crrt78

March 21st, 2017 at 9:42 AM ^

I believe you would qualify for UoM Northwood housing as a grad student, utilities are included. Medical Center Court is really close to the school. I am not sure the conditions, I stay there on some years... ago (35)

Zoltanrules

March 21st, 2017 at 9:43 AM ^

It's pretty good.

https://offcampushousing.umich.edu/

Not many prime places  near the the medical campus are dog friendly. Most good places for this fall were leased out by last November. If you are willing to go south (between State and Packard)  towards fringe Burns Park, there are houses available, that would meet your criteria. There are many campus buses that run from there to the medical center and are very reliable.

Subletting this summer (May 1 to Sept 1) is a total buyers market. You can get a cheap quality place and get your bearings in the meantime. Some landlords who haven't rented  their places out for the fall will be willing to negotiate.

All that said if you really like a place, are premed, and it only costs $150 /month than your ideal budget - take it!

 

Walter Sobchak

March 21st, 2017 at 10:26 AM ^

Congratulations on acceptance.

These will be the best 4 years of your life.

Also, it's difficult to have a puppy as a med student if your wife works or has class.

BallsoHarb

March 21st, 2017 at 11:29 AM ^

Thank-you! Fortunately I'm in love with my work so the load usually doesn't get me too stressed out.

As far as the dog, I look to Harbaugh for inspiration. If he can have 7 kids and spend 25 hours a day coaching, I can handle this puppy.

taistreetsmyhero

March 21st, 2017 at 10:36 AM ^

just moved into an apartment on 400 block of North State Street. It's the perfect location--triangulated at a 10 minute walk between undergrad campus, kerrytown, and medical school. There are some undergrads living in that area, but it's quieter people (he lives around a couple hippie co-ops) and larger percentage of grad students.

He pays $1,177. It's a little run down but he and his fiance spruced it up. Probably around 600-700 square feet.

If you find a place like that, you snatch it right the hell away because that's probably $500/month cheaper than surrounding rentals.

Also, Congrats!!! Kick ass your first three years and then enjoy the year-long victory lap that is M4.

Cam the Tartar

March 21st, 2017 at 11:13 AM ^

cribspot.com is an excellent resource where all the off campus housing in Ann Arbor is listed. It was founded by U of M grads. As a side note, as a med student you will spend very little time on 'campus' and proximity to the Medical campus and hospitals is what you really need.

Drbogue

March 21st, 2017 at 11:32 AM ^

This is going back almost 20 years but I lived in the Med Center Court Apartments. The apartment was $800/month and was a large 1 bedroom about 800 sq ft. Easy walk to he school and plenty of parking. Lots of friends with dogs there.

Michiganfootball13

March 21st, 2017 at 12:03 PM ^

My wife finished Michigan medical school a couple years ago and live at Nielsen court which was pretty pricey but honestly you'll have a hard time with a pet and a 1100 limit. Island drive isn't super nice but really close

1974

March 21st, 2017 at 1:16 PM ^

An underrated -- though expensive -- spot for med school is the area just south of Stockwell and the CCRB. You're really close to the school and -- when time permits, as it occasionally will -- other "amenities." [1]

The White Coat ghetto is fine, but it's isolated and its downhill location is just generally unpleasant. The walk up to the hospital or anywhere else on campus features wind, heavy traffic, and interminable stopllight waits. It's rather depressing.

[1] Scoring anything in that location at this point is unrealistic. Start thinking about where you'd like to be M2 year and make inquires of landlords.