We have lived in a 1-bedroom upstairs apartment in NW IV for almost two years. We love how easy it is to hop on the bus to get to campus, and a grocery store is in walking distance (from our side of NW IV), so it saves a lot on the cost of commuting and parking. Utilities are included in the rent, including high-speed internet. Landline phone costs (with voicemail, caller ID, etc.) are also included; you only pay 2 cents per minute for long distance calling. It's really nice in the cold winter to not have to worry about paying the heat bill. We have to pay an extra $50/month for central A/C, but with an upstairs apartment, it has been worth it. We also have a basement! You just can't beat that with any other 1 bedroom apartment in Ann Arbor. It is really nice to have our own W/D and extra storage space. These apartments are also close to the freeway (US 23, M14), and the bus system makes it easy to get downtown without the hassle of parking.

The maintenance crews are very responsive. We have had to call for various reasons, but they have always shown up within 24 hours. Unfortunately, some of the problems are bad enough (mostly with plumbing backups, mold) that all they can do is patch up the problem, so you might have to keep calling them back.

The apartments are old, even with some of the nicer upgrades they are doing (new wood laminate floors, new cabinets in the kitchen, etc.). Several apartments have had problems with black mold in the shower, so they have put in those fancy-looking tub liners. (I have to wonder how much black mold is lurking behind those walls now!) The walls are thin; we can hear babies crying downstairs and footsteps when people wear shoes. Loud conversations and singing can also be easily heard.

Overall, we would do it again. We thought about moving when the lease was up, but the truth is that once you factor in costs for utilities, commuting, storage space, phone line, etc., this is cheaper, even if it is old. We also like that there is a family environment, so it's great for children and for moms who stay at home. It's definitely not the nicest place there is, but it's convenient for a college budget for only 2-5 years.

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