Off-campus housing options range from apartments to houses with varying prices and lease agreements. Upper classmen typically search for next year’s housing in September, around this time (Xavier Delcid/ photo editor).
After living on-campus for the required two years, most Geneseo students search for off-campus living that involves signing lease agreements and paying rent. Landlords and off-campus housing options have a lot of factors that influence where rent prices are set.
The Meadows of Geneseo Apartments and Ambassador Apartments are two complexes that house many off-campus students.
The Meadows, run by Essex Hotel Management, is located off Hillside Drive, perpendicular to Court Street. The apartments’ prices are determined by the number of bedrooms, but utilities are included, according to representative Bridgett Ellis.
“The average price—so we have two, three and four bedrooms units—so your rate is going to be anywhere from $2,450 up to $2,995 depending on what unit you decide to rent,” Ellis said. “That includes everything: your heat, electric, internet, cable, garbage, water and parking are all included in our prices.”
Ellis said rent prices are determined through the analysis of the market and other prices in the area.
“So, we like to stay in the market. We’re not going to charge a product x amount more dollars for something when they could go somewhere else and get pretty much basically the same products somewhere else for less money,” Ellis said. “We like to make sure the students have an even playing field with us.”
In comparison, Ambassador Apartments are generally around $2,990 a semester, according to Ambassador Apartments Co-property Manager Steve Csapo.
“Our base price here, which is 80 percent of our rooms, is $2,990 per person per semester which includes heat, hot water, electricity and we actually clean the apartment two times minimum each semester,” Csapo said.
Sociology major junior Macaire Lisicki—who lives in the Ambassador Apartments—explained some of the unexpected costs to living off-campus.
“I do pay for laundry which isn’t ideal. It’s $3 every time I do a wash,” Lisicki said. “I do think my apartment is similar in that way where the utilities are included, like Wi-Fi. A lot of my friends pay for electric in their apartments.”
Csapo explained that internet will no longer be included in the Ambassador rental agreements because of signal issues due to heavy amounts of streaming.
“When we started offering it six years ago it was a very good system, but that’s when everyone had Cable TV also. So, the current group of tenants are doing a lot of streaming,” Csapo said. “If you’re using YouTube or Netflix and using those sticks that are working off the Wi-Fi it does slow the system down, so it’s not adequate in our opinion to provide that to our tenants.”
Aside from the apartment complex option, there are many landlords that rent houses throughout the Geneseo community. Landlord Scott Durso explained that locations play a large part in determining rent prices.
“[The average is] about $3,000. I have places on Main Street I charge $3,300 … but then you got to average in down the hill,” Durso said. “Maybe $2,000 on Livingston Street. Places far away, they take what they can get.”
Landlord Scott Kipphut predicted an average price around $3,000 a semester.
“I’m seeing about $3,000 a semester. Court Street is probably a grand less,” Kipphut said. “It’s the desirability of the location that you’re at that lends itself to some of the pricing.”
Both Durso and Kipphut do not include utilities in their rental agreements.
Another factor that is affecting rent prices is the college and its prices for room and board. Durso explained that the prices at the college are much higher than off-campus.
“The college makes the prices. In other words, as of right now, we are drastically low. All the landlords, we talk about how low we are, because the school is charging so much,” Durso said. “But then again, you look at what campus was charging, and we were probably only $1,000 cheaper a year. Now, even though we’re even up to $3,000, $3,100, we’re still probably $4,000 to $5,000 cheaper than living on campus.”
Kipphut also bases his prices on Geneseo’s high dorm rates, which he believes are a way to make money because of free tuition programs.
“I base it on what the dormitories are charging. They’ve been raising the rates drastically over the years,” Kipphut said. “But I think the college has driven up the housing cost because a lot of the kids are getting the state funded tuition.”
Lisicki explained that she chose to move off-campus because it is cheaper than the school’s room and board.
“It’s definitely cheaper than the housing offered by the school so I definitely think it could be worse,” Lisicki said. “I feel that my parents and I thought that it was incredibly inexpensive because we were used to paying for the dorms and were comparing the cost of my apartment to that price.”
Csapo explained how off-campus living also allows students to save money and gain more freedom.
“When you compare it to what it costs on campus to live, absolutely. We don’t require a meal plan,” Csapo said. “We don’t require two people in a bedroom. So, we’re actually giving you your own bedroom and the freedom that goes along with that.”
Rent prices are also determined by other landlords in the area, according to Durso.
“There’s no set formula. It’s almost like ‘well I know what they charge next door,’ so you know what people are charging around you,” Durso said.
While there will always be clear differences between apartments and houses, the debate of fairness regarding rental prices is relevant to all off-campus housing.
According to Durso, no matter where a student lives, they are being taken advantage of.
“Do I think [rent prices are] fair? Not at all,” Durso said. “Then again, [these prices] wouldn’t be what they are because the college dictates the prices. So, it’s basically the college that’s ridiculous. I think it’s unfortunate for [students]. We can supply better places for students for cheaper.”
Kipphut believed that his prices are still lower than other landlords in the area.
“For what I offer, I think I’m fair with my rates. I’m actually probably lower than I should be in some places,” Kipphut said. I’ve been seeing other people charge $6,500 [for the year] so I’m going up to $6,000.”
Ellis noted that compared to housing prices at other schools, rent is still significantly lower.
“Out of other school districts that my kids have gone to college I would say these rates are very competitive,” Ellis said. “I almost wish we had these rates where my kids go to school.”
Csapo echoed Ellis’ statement, citing that other SUNY schools are pricier.
“My kids all went to SUNY schools and in comparison, believe it or not, Geneseo as a whole is lower,” Csapo said.
While rent prices are fairer in off-campus housing, Lisicki noted the new challenges that living off-campus brings.
“Again, I think that being a junior and going into the first year of living off-campus, you don’t understand how many costs you now have to worry about that, while more expensive, were always accommodated for when you paid for your housing.”
Editor-in-chief Julia Skeval and news editor Emma Boskovski contributed reporting to this article.