Update (7 Aug 2009): This page is in the top 10 results on Google for Drexel Off Campus housing, and is in need of some maintenance and updating.  The information below is still useful, but I will try to update it to make it more relevant very soon!

Finding off campus housing at Drexel University can be difficult, especially if it is your first time looking for housing.  This is meant to be a guide not only for first timers in the area, but anyone looking for housing that is convenient to Drexel University.

Where do I want to live?

This first question is a simple one, but requires a lot of thought.  Where you want to live will dictate how much you will pay and how long your commute will be.  If you have a car, it also dictates the ease of parking.  To aid in the decision making process, I have compiled information on the following areas:

Drexel’s Campus

What is typically considered “on campus” at Drexel is the area between Market Street and Spring Garden Street, and 32nd Street and 36th Street.  Housing in this area is typically of high quality, and a large number of students live in this area.  Streets such as Hamilton and Baring tend to be quieter, as wealthy locals tend to live in the nicer victorian houses that line these streets, while other streets are dominated more by Drexel students and are of variable quality.

If you choose to live in this area, you must also consider the lifestyle you plan on living.  If you are keen to hosting stereotypical college parties and always creating a lot of noise, one of the streets dominated by locals that are likely to complain about you is not the best choice.  Neither is an apartment building where you are likely to have neighbors that disprove of your bawdy behavior.  For you, you would want to find a house, preferably near other students.  Around the edges of the aforementioned area is usually a good bet.

If the lifestyle of the college partier is not for you, you may benefit from being on one of the nicer, quieter streets.  Much of the housing in these areas is apartments, often carved out of old houses, such that you will only have a few other units in the building.  You won’t find very many huge apartment complexes in this area, but I have included descriptions of a few below.

If you go farther north or west, you can typically find places of much higher quality (recently rennovated, tons of amenities) for a lot less money.  The drawback is that you will no longer be in the safest of neighborhoods.  Although crime is not getting worse in these areas, they have been riddled with robberies, shootings, stabbings, beatings, and other violent crimes over the past few years.  Despite this fact, many students live in these areas.  It is up to you to decide where to draw the line.

University Crossings

The building is in poor condition, the site of many parties, and maintains the guise of security by having a security guard sit at the front.  It looks and feels like a college dormitory building, and is priced accordingly.  Expect to pay a lot to live there, and have to deal with the side effects of others binge drinking:  that is my way of saying be prepared for elevators that reek of vomit and urine.

The units themselves are nice, and I know a fair number of people who have lived there.  However, their basis for living there is that it is convenient to campus (the Computer Science Department is actually in the ground floor of the building, as is the College of Engineering Office of Student Services), and the rooms are generally nice.  It has a very collegiate feel to it, but is pricey.  You are basically paying for location.

The Courts

The Courts is a wonderful, quiet place to live.  It has a security guard on duty that offers actual security, and it not a known partier’s destination.  The units are generally small, and have lots of carpet in them, but are cozy and liveable.  You will generally pay more to live there, but have added security over having your own hourse, and have management on site and a quiet, private place to live.

Penn’s Campus

Another popular destination for Drexel students in on Penn’s campus.  Penn’s campus offers similar style housing to the buildings found on Drexel’s campus, with a different type of neighborhood.  Housing near Penn is generally around the same price, but the neighborhood is full of more young professionals and (obviously) Penn students.  You can easily get to campus by walking, biking, or taking the trolleys/subway from here.

Art Museum

The Art Museum neighborhood is another popular spot for Drexel Students, and is easy to get to by foot or on bike, but not as easy as others by public transportation — although it is not bad.  The neighborhood is an older crowd, typically active singles and younger couples.  It is clean, quiet, and much more of a neighborhood than Drexel’s campus.  It is convenient to both campus and Center City, as well as the Art Museum, Fairmount Park, Kelly Drive, West River Drive, and numerous other destinations.

The Art Museum area also boasts many perks — there are many convenience stores, drug stores, laundromats, and restaurants located within walking distance to most locations.  There is also a grocery store (Whole Foods) and a hardware store (Fairmount / Ace) located within walking distance.  These are very convenient perks especially if you don’t have a car.  And if you do have a car, it is generally easier to park in the Art Museum area during the day because there are no nearby hospitals, but harder at night.

Center City

Living in Center City is typically more expensive, but a totally worthwhile experience, especially if you are of legal drinking age.  Life in Center City is typically more active, faster paced, louder, and more conducive to an active social life.  For those who have never experienced city life before, living in Center City is almost a must-try, and would be worth the higher rents for a year if you can afford it.  Neighborhoods include Avenue of the Arts, Fitler Square, Logan Square, Olde City, Rittenhouse Square, Society Hill, and Washington Square West.  These neighborhoods typically offer the cosmopolitan lifestyle desired from city living.

South Philadelphia

South Philadelphia offers some nice, quiet neighborhoods, but is more crowded than areas such as Drexel and Penn’s campuses and the Art Museum.  Desireable neighborhoods include Graduate Hospital, Queen Villiage, and Bella Vista.

How to find a place

There are a number of Drexel-specific sources to try first:

There are also a number of realty agencies in the area that can be useful to try.  They include Academic Properties Inc. (API, a subsidiary of Drexel University), Urban and Bye, and New Age Realty.  Typically, you pay more for the same amount of house that you can find on your own.  Service and availability of help in the case of emergencies can be better or worse from these realtors than when renting from individuals.  I once had API install new door and locks to my building’s main entrance, and neglect to provide me keys for two days.  I also had to leave work to pick them up, since they only worked during the same hours as me.  I have had much more pleasant experiences renting from an real person.  Landlords and property managers on Drexel’s campus are typically local and active, and will be readily available for any emergencies you might have.  Many are even Drexel graduates.  Be sure you find this out about a property before you choose one — there are such things as bad landlords but they are typically easy to spot from the beginning.

The most economical method is likely finding one yourself, through a search of classified ads in The Triangle, Craiglist, or Philly.com (in that order).  Craiglist is still growing in popularity and is a great resource.  Try the following search terms if you are looking for places near Drexel:

  • University City
  • Drexel
  • Penn
  • Powelton Villiage
  • Art Museum

What to look for

  • A landord or property manager who lives nearby and is accessible.
  • A house that is in good condition.
  • Somewhere with parking nearby if you have a car
  • Enough storage room for your stuff, such as bikes.
  • Neighbors your lifestyle is compatible with

Read your lease

  • Make sure you know what you have to pay for
    • Electricity?
    • Water?
    • Heat?
    • Gas?
    • Cable?
  • Make sure you know your responsibilities:
    • Trash?
    • Recycling?
    • Lightbulbs?
    • Air filters?
    • Simple repairs?

Check the property

Before you move in, make sure you have leverage to get all of your security deposit back.  Without due diligence here getting a deposit back is rare.

  • Photograph before you move in
  • Give your landlord / property manger list of problems when you move in.

Once you move in

  • Maintain a healthy relationship with your landlord /property manager.  This increases odds of things getting fixed in a timely fashion and you getting your deposit back when you move out.

Conclusion

Off campus housing is significantly less expensive and much higher quality than on-campus housing at Drexel.  Once your Freshmen year is up, and you are able to move out of the dreaded dormitories, off-campus housing offers you a greater opportunity to grow and to live more comfortably and affordably. Off campus housing also encourages Drexel students to do something very important:  to break away from being completely tied to the University and engage themselves in the Philadelphia community.

I hope this guide was useful.  If there is anything I can think of to add, I will do so as I see fit.  I have also included a comments block to facilitate the addition of new information to this guide.  To read another person’s perspective, try reading this article, whose author takes a more cautionary stance.