Finding housing in the Durham area can be overwhelming given the variety of apartment complexes. With three large universities all located in the same general area (Duke, University of North Carolina, and North Carolina State University), student housing abounds. Taking the time to explore the pros and cons of each housing option before signing a lease is worth it in the end. Most of what follows is geared to students looking to rent apartments.
Buying a House
Several students opt to purchase homes for their law school years. Durham's real estate market is generally very stable and students have been able to purchase a townhouse or condo before graduation and then sell it later after graduation. Assuming you break even on your purchase and sale, you can essentially live for free during law school. Another added benefit is that homes generally have more square footage than apartments and so might be more comfortable.
Helpful housing numbers and Web sites:
Duke University Housing Management
(919) 684-4304
Duke Community Housing Office
(919) 684-6711
This is a great website listing rentals and sublets in the Durham area from Duke students and faculty members.
Duke Trading Post
Updated weekly, has a small number of housing listings in each issue. There are also listings for furniture, cars and people looking for roommates.
Triangle Apartment Finder 24-hour hotline: 1-888-360-APTS
Some Popular Apartment Complexes
This list is not exhaustive but gives you a sense of the locations and types of complexes law students live in.
Alexan Farms
240 Ivy Meadow Lane
Durham, NC 27701
(919) 401-4660
alexanfarms@tcresidential.com
Quite popular among law students, living options range from apartments, to townhomes, to cottages. The complex is only a few years old and contains a pool and laundry facilities. Located just off of 15-501 and Garrett Road, Alexan Farms is less than a 10-minute drive to school and is on the way to Chapel Hill. Prices range anywhere from a great deal to a bit pricey, depending on the size and whether or not there is a special deal going on–ask, because there are often good deals.
Alexan Place
100 Alexan Drive
Durham, NC 27707
(919) 490-6990
alexanplace@tcresidential.com
Location: right off of 15-501 near South Square; about an 8- to 10-minute drive to campus.
Nuts and bolts: A former tenant: “I really liked my apartment, and it was very new and nothing ever broke.”
Maintenance: The maintenance staff has been described as “wonderful.”
Negatives: A former tenant expressed her disappointment that the office staff was not very helpful with safety concerns: “There were a few break ins and no one ever called me (even though one was right below me) and they simply left a form note on our doors. I would have appreciated a deadbolt to be installed on my deck, especially when there is crime. But I really liked my apartment and it is fun but still quiet!”
Alta Crest
100 Rose Garden Lane
Durham, NC 27707
(919) 401.1912
altacrest@tcresidential.com
Alta Trace
400 Stone Lion Drive
Durham, NC 27703
800.344.7005
altatrace@sdbell.com
American Village
Ticon Properties
3622 Lyckan Parkway Suite 1002
Durham, NC 27707
(919) 493-0540
westgate@ticonproperties.com
Archstone
20 Moorcroft Lane
Durham, NC 27705
(919) 419.9895
866-559-4650
Price: reasonably priced for what you get
Location: 8 minutes from campus
Nuts and Bolts: new facility (opened 7 years ago), so all of the appliances are brand new and apartments are in excellent condition; gated; there is a pool, exercise room, computer room, laundry facilities (if you do not have a washer/dryer in your apt), tennis courts, etc. They do not rent to undergrads, and most of the tenants are from the business school.
Maintenance: maintenance people extraordinarily helpful; when you make a complaint they are speedy on fixing problems.
What students who live there say: mainly a married-type community, very quiet, and there are some families with kids.
Negatives: the garbage facilities are outside the complex gates, so even though it is more aesthetically pleasing, it is a pain in to throw out your garbage.
Beech Lake
4800 University Drive
Durham, NC 27707
(919) 489-7599
(866) 618.8902
beechlake@aimco.com
Price: Singles for $600; 9-month leases are available; security deposit of $100
Management: Very responsive and helpful
Nuts and Bolts: Laundry room available and easy to use
Location: 10 minute drive to campus; close to Harris Teeter and CVS
Negatives: Described as “a fine place, but nothing special;” some concern about car burglaries; complex reminiscent of “a summer camp location”
Berkeley at Southpoint
1400 Laurel Springs Drive
Durham, NC 27713
(919) 484.0963
berkeleyatsouthpoint@yahoo.com
Campus Oaks
311 Swift Avenue
Durham, NC 27705
(919) 383-2598
http://www.griffin-realtors.com/
fully furnished
Conveniently located within walking distance of a bus stop on Duke’s East Campus, these apartments are fully furnished and reasonably priced. However, Campus Oaks is known more for undergraduate living, and has in years past been occupied by rowdy lacrosse players.
Campus Walk
2748-2752 Campus Walk
Durham, NC 27705
(919) 309.9765
trinprop@aol.com
The best part of Campus Walk is its location near campus. Less than a 5-minute drive, and walk-able if necessary, its proximity is an asset. It is located across the street from the Belmont and near the Millennium Hotel. However, Campus Walk is not known as “posh,” and some students have complained about hearing everything their neighbors do. It also is a little run down, and it is not gated. It does not have a gym or some of the other perks that go along with some of the other complexes, but it is very close to campus.
Deerfield
910 Constitution Drive
Durham, NC 27705
(919) 383.0345
Deerfield@cornerstonereit.com
Duke Manor
311 S. LaSalle Street
Durham, NC 27705
(919) 383-6683
dukemanor@triangle-apt.com
Duke Manor is located next to The Belmont, but it is not Belmont-esque. Mainly inhabited by local “Durhamites,” Duke Manor is not populated by many Duke students. It is not located in a very good area of town and does not have the gate or the amenities of its neighbor and some other complexes in the area. Cheap?
Edinborough at the Park
1-800-BSTREET
Location: Located at I-40 and S. Miami on the east side of Durham in the Research Triangle Park. About a 20-minute drive to school.
Nuts and Bolts: Apartments were built in the last four years and described by a student as “very nice; I think they were built for professionals from the RTP, but when the bubble burst, they had to lower rents, so it’s actually a lot for the money.” Not a lot of students–mainly families. Not a lot of crime, and the complex is gated. Two outdoor pools and an indoor lap pool. Twenty-four hour fitness center and laundry facilities.
Maintenance: very helpful and responsive, but rarely any problems to deal with
Negatives: distance from the school; not recommended for people who want to be close to campus.
Evergreens at Mount Moriah
5512 Sunlight Drive
Durham, NC 27707
(919) 489.8788
info@evergreensnc.com
About a 10-minute drive to Duke, the Evergreens is a fairly new complex. It is located just across the street from a shopping center housing Wal-Mart, Best Buy, Barnes & Noble, Old Navy, and several other stores. It is very close to both 15-501 and I-40.
North Pointe Commons
2335 Broad Street
Durham, NC 27704
(919) 220.550
northpointecommons@swhprop.com
About a 10-minute drive to Duke, North Pointe Commons is located very close to Costco, a Home Depot, and strip malls with several other stores, including Kroger, Bed Bath and Beyond and Petsmart.
Partner’s Place
929 Morreene Road
Durham, NC 27705
(919) 383-2595
www.griffin-realtors.com
Pinnacle Ridge
3611 University Drive
Durham, NC 27707
(919) 490-0531
www.camcoinc.com
pinnacleridge@camcoinc.com
Price: very affordable, probably the most affordable apartment complex.... doubles cost $687 a month total
Other Duke Law students: about 20-30 duke people live there, including a bunch of LLMs
Nuts and Bolts: the pool was just cleaned, so it’s pretty nice... new deck chairs, etc. There is a racquetball court, weight room, laundry facilities, and lots of trees, which add to the aesthetic pleasure of the complex.
What students who live there say: not noisy at all; no college kids around; only 5 minutes from school; more than enough parking space (unlike the Belmont); one of the few complexes within walking distance of a bar (Doyle’s).
Negatives: not as modern an apartment complex as other places
Southpoint
614 Myra Street
Durham, NC 27707
(919) 493-7487
www.aimco.com
Complexes near Southpoint Mall come recommended by a married student as being convenient for work in the Research Triangle Park and the commute to Duke.
Springfield
4600 University Drive
Durham, NC 27707
(919) 493-2400
www.springfieldapts.net
ncspringfieldLs1@simpsonhousing.com
Price: $460 for a one bedroom but the apartment is small.
Nuts and Bolts: Renovations were just completed, so the pool was recently redone, and there is a brand new gym and computer center with internet access and printers. It also has a racquetball court.
Location: It is close to school (10 min drive) and other complexes, is very close to the Harris Teeter, the Wynnsong movie theater on Martin Luther King Drive, a bunch of good restaurants
Negatives: “It’s not where I’d live if I had endless money, but it is fine for a broke law student and is good for people who want to live alone without paying lots of money.”
Other law students: Several law students live there, but not the most heavily Duke Law populated complex.
Station Nine
2211 Hillsborough Road
Durham, NC 27705
http://www.stationnine.com/
These are brand new loft-style apartments–located near Duke’s East Campus, close to 9th Street. An advantage of this is its proximity to bars on 9th street, as well as several popular hangouts in the Erwin shopping center (?) including Parizade’s and Verde. The leasing office is next door to Cosmic Cantina, Durham’s finest burrito joint.
The Belmont
1000 McQueen Drive
Durham, NC 27705
Phone: (919) 383-0801
Fax: (919) 383-1283
http://www.lincolnapts.com/communities/community.cfm?proc=0&commid=652
Price: On the expensive side, but relatively reasonable with a roommate.
Location: Located very close to campus. Less than a 5-minute drive, and walk-able. It is located in a not-quite-as-charming area of town, but it is gated. However, the gates are sometimes stuck open or inconvenient for guests to get past. The complex has a pool and a small gym. The apartments are spacious, with large closets and a bathroom per bedroom. While maintenance is friendly, they do not always respond after the first (or second) call. Many students live in the Belmont, but for those not wishing to be around a large number of undergraduates, this is not the complex to live in.
The Forest
800 White Pine Drive
Durham, NC 27705
(919) 383-8504
www.kormancommunities.com
West Village
604 West Morgan Street
Durham, NC 27701
919/682-3690
www.westvillageapts.com
These loft-style apartments are located in former tobacco warehouses, just across the way from Brightleaf Square, Durham’s historic shopping district.
Apartment/Housing Brokers
If you are looking for non-traditional apartment complex living (such as living in a house off of East Campus, for example), there are several brokers:
Trinity Properties – students have had positive things to say about Trinity in the past
2723 Campus Walk
Durham, NC 27705
(919) 309-9765
Bob Schmitz – supposedly cheap rent, but if there are any problems, beware!
1222 Broad Street, Suite A
Durham, NC 27705
(919) 416-0393
bsphousing@hotmail.com