THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
11C
Signing bonuses may make decision easier
BY LISA TILSON
correspondent@kansan.com
KANSAN CORRESPONDENT
Each spring apartment managers get offer signing bonuses and unique perks to students to get them to sign leases. Apartments can start to blend together in the minds of students after they see six or seven, and the deciding factor can be the perks and bonuses some complexes have to offer.
or below you.
Signing bonuses are monev
incentives that complexes can offer you when you sign a lease. Most commonly, they are a set amount of money that goes toward the first month's rent.
toward the school. The four-letter word that can hook any college student is free. Students who sign at Canyon Court, Chase Court, Highpointe and Parkway Commons, which are all First Management owned complexes, get free DVD rentals. Williams Pointe and LeanneMar Townhomes have free carports. Jefferson Commons has free tanning and The Legends has free breakfast.
Pets are not welcome everywhere. Apartment buildings that are pet friendly often put weight restrictions on the animals. Animals less than 30 pounds are welcome at many complexes, including Abbots Corner, South Pointe Apartments, Stonecrest Townhomes, Quail Creek, Eddingham Place, Pinnacle Woods, Pepper Tree, Parkway Townhomes, Park 25 and Canyon Court. Animals less
than 60 pounds are welcome at other complexes, including TrailRidge, Hawthorn Place Townhomes, Hawthorn Houses and Graystone.
Commons refer a friend who signs a lease, they receive either $200 off of a month's rent or a gift certificate.
and Graystone. Fire places, an elegant perk, can be found at many complexes, including Chase Court, Eddingham Place, Greens at Alvamar, Highpointe and Trailridge.
Many complexes have pools, but Colony Woods and The Legends have gone the extra mile with their water perks. The
Potential renters who sign a lease with Holiday Apartments before the end of March, receive free security deposit, which is equal to one month's rent.
Legends has a beach entry pool and Colony Woods has a heated indoor and outdoor pool.
One of the most significant signing bonuses is at Williams Pointe Townhomes. For a limited time, every person who signs the lease will receive a free desk. Lorimar and Courtside Townhome are offering an early signing special on three-bedroom townhomes for just $810 a month if tenants sign before April 1.
If residents of Jefferson
This is just a taste of what apartment complexes in Lawrence have to offer. Signing bonuses will expire so don't wait to sign a lease and enjoy the perks of your new complex.
Lawrence apartment complexes offering perks and signing bonuses include the following:
Free DVD rental
DVD ROM Rental
Canyon Court (700 Comet Lane)
Chase Court (1942 Stewart Ave.)
Highpointe (2001 W 6th St.)
Parkway Commons (3601 Clinton
Parkway)
Pools
Pools Colory Woods (1301 W. 24th St.) The Legends (4101 W. 24th Place)
Free tanning Jefferson Commons (2511 W. 31st St.)
PERKS AND BONUSES
free prices
Chase Court (1942 Stewart Ave.)
Eddingham Place (1501 Eddingham Drive)
Greens at Alvamar (3700 Clinton Parkway)
Highpointe (2001 W. Sixth St.)
Trailridge. (2500 W. Sixth St.)
Animals less than 30 pounds welcome
South Pointe Apartments (2168 W.
26th St.)
Stonecrest Townhomes (530 Eldrigde
St.)
Quail Creek (2111 Kasoid Drive)
Eddingham Place (1501 Eddingham
Drive)
Pinnacle Woods (5000 Clinton
Parkway)
Pepper Tree (3100 W. 22nd St.)
Park 25 (2401 W. 25th St.)
Canyon Court (700 Comet Lane)
Animals less than 60 pounds welcome
TrailRidge (2500 W. Sixth St.)
Hawthorn Place Townhomes (Clinton
Parkway and Kasold Street)
Hawthorn Houses (3600 W. 24th
Street)
Graystone (2500 W Sixth St.)
Free carports
Free carports
Williams Pointe (4410 Clinton Parkway)
Leanna Mar Townhomes (4501 Wimbledon Drive)
signing honors
Williams Pointe Townhomes (4410
Clinton Parkway)
Lorimar Townhomes (3801 Clinton
Parkway)
Courtside Townhomes (4100 Clinton
Parkway)
Jefferson Commons (2511 W 31st
St.)
Holiday Apartments (211 Mt Hope
Court)
Compiled by Lisa Tilson
Nate Stafford, Overland Park sophomore, unloads his personal items from a box to decorate the room he shared last year with Mark Brehm, Overland Park sophomore. Stafford and Brehm decided to live together at Elsworth Hall because they were friends in high school.
Some upperclassmen choose to live on campus
By SCHLER HOPPINS
correspondent@kansan.com
KANSAN CORRESPONDENT
The University of Kansas has been Malakai Edison's home since he was in junior high.
While many upperclassmen choose to live in an apartment or house off-campus, Edison, Olathe senior, has lived in the residence halls for the past four years. He lived in McCollum Hall as a freshman and has been a Hashinger Hall resident as a sophomore, junior and senior.
sophomore, junior and senior
"I remember being in the eighth grade and thinking, 'Living in Hash would be the coolest thing to ever happen to me!'" Edison said.
Edison's wish was granted his sophomore year. He had enjoyed his stay at McCollum, but he said that the atmosphere and the community aspect of Hashinger made him want to return year after year.
want to return year after year. Roughly 15 to 20 percent of the University's 3,500 hall residents are returning upperclassmen, said Diana Robertson associate director of student housing.The environment is one of the many factors that attract upperclassmen to the halls.
that attract upperclassmen "The convenience factor is certainly a reason to return," Robertson said. "Dorms are close to campus, close to activities and close to other people."
Robertson also said that for many upperclassmen, the location of the bus route played a major role in their decision to return. For students without cars, the bus system is a large benefit of living on campus. But location and atmosphere aren't the only aspects of halls that returning residents look for.
"Living in the dorms is very cost-effective." Robertson said. "Between the convenience and the cost, you can't really find a better value."
Beth Kimberly, Fairway senior, will be graduating this fall. During her years at the University, she has lived in four different residence halls and also spent a semester in the on-c campus Jayhawker Towers Apartments. The cost of room and board was the deciding factor for Kimberly to stay on campus.
g factor for Kimmie at stay
She lived in a single room at GSP
"The convenience factor is certainly a reason to return. Dorms are close to campus, close to activities and close to other people.
Diana Robertson Associate Director of Student Housing
"My older sister had stayed in a single, so I figured I would like it too," she said.
Corbin Hall her freshman year.
"I grew up in a family of six, so I was always around other people," she said.
I figured I would like it too, she said. But Kimberly missed the community aspect of dorm life.
Kimberly returned as a sophomore to the Jayhawker Towers with four other roommates. She said it was the cheapest living arrangement on campus.
Like Edison, Kimberly also enjoyed living with other KU students.
Edison said dealing with the freshman class required patience and an attitude that was receptive to change.
was receptive to change.
"Don't expect things to be the same," he said. "There's a tendency to say things like, 'This is how it's going to be done, because this is how it was last year.' Don't push a dynamic on new residents."
dynamic on new ideas He also said that upperclassmen needed to understand that freshmen desire to create their own identity.
ate their own literacy. "It's important to keep traditions, but you have to let each new class come through and build their own community," he said. "Take things as they come."
Both seniors said they would most miss the atmosphere of community in the residence halls when they finally left the University.
"The whole place is my house." Edison said. "It's like a mansion. Two-hundred fifty people live here and we're all in the same family."
- Edited by Ross Fitch
JAYHAWK PROPERTY MANAGEMENT INC.
2 BR $450-500 1 BR $400-440 Water paid on all units On KU bus route
Call for details 842-3416 1912 W.25th