All right, so this review is for University lake apartments. However, as there?s no place to review this complex and it "belongs" to Royal Park Apartments (i.e., you sign your University Lake lease in the Royal Park office), this is the only appropriate place to do it. University Lake is situated right behind Royal Park, and they share the same main office. I?ve broken my review into three sections: the good, the bad, and the ugly. In case you care, I?m a graduate student at UNC and have lived at University Lake for about 2 1/2 years, so I have a lot of experience to go off of.

The Good: First is the cheap rent. As of right now (2/11/2004), they have a waitlist special such that rent is only $399 per month (this is for both Royal Park and University Lake). Quite honestly, that price cannot be beat. The parking has never problematic as I?ve always managed to get a spot near my front door. Also, unlike many other low-rent carrboro apartments, I don?t feel unsafe walking around at night. The office staff has always been delightful; they are eager to help and always very nice. I also think that University Lake is well-situated: there are three grocery stores within a few minutes of my front door, the post office is close, as is my bank and many other things). University Lake only rents one bedroom apartments, so there are other graduate and professional students living around you. Lastly, it?s on the J bus route.

The Bad: This new rent deal sure is sweet...except that you really do get what you pay for. These one-bedroom apts are very small. I barely have space for all my stuff, and I?m left with very limited living space. It?s almost impossible to feel at home when you don?t have much space in which to relax. The apartments are very dilapidated and feel cheaply constructed (for example, most of my door knobs are completely loose and my doors are hollow). Although there are other graduate and professional students living around me, most of the rest of the tenents are low-income families, sometimes with multiple children. It can be very annoying having to live right next to a family of five. The walls and ceiling are paper thin so that I can hear music that my neighbors are listening to or TV that my neighbors are watching. I generally don?t feel unsafe, however, there are people living here that I avoid when it?s dark outside. Lastly, although the office staff is very nice, they aren?t always the most knowledgable about the apartments.

The Ugly: This apartment looks and feels very old. The entire inside feels like it belongs in a different era. The appliances aren?t in good condition (for example, my stove unevenly sits on the floor), and most of the decor is an eyesore. The buildings themselves are ugly and look like they need to be torn down.

In sum, the rent is great but you certainly do get what you pay for. If you?re looking for a very cheap place to live that?s not awful or unsafe, then University Lake (or Royal Park) is for you. However, if you?re interested in more space, then I honestly suggest putting down a bit more money and getting a nicer apartment. Overall, I don't think I'd recommend it to most people. AD2Hw9Wn8Umb3NN1w1jt

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