Apartment Search

[Scar Junior]

Hey all...

I've been searching rent.com and other wesites for apartments in the Disney area. It's been about two weeks worth of visiting websites everyday. I am planning on working for WDW after I graduate from the U of Minnesota this fall. Any suggestions on location and what to look for/stay away from?

I will probably be able to find roommates, so I am thinking a 2 or 3 bedroom apt. (perfer a 2 bedroom). I'd like to spend about $500 or less. I found one place that was a 2 bedroom for $350 pp and is about 10 minutes away... is this the best I'll find?

Close is good (but also usually more expensive), know of any good locations that are less expensive?

Any good/bad neighborhoods? What are good/bad areas to commute from (as far as traffic goes) -- i know I-4 can be pretty bad.

Anything else you have to offer is much appreciated.

 

[GaryT977]

If you found something that cheap you may want to check and make sure there are no income restrictions. A decent two bedroom place currently runs in the $800 per month range. I found a place in Millenia, which is between Disney and downtown Orlando, for about that price.

Also, there was an article in the Orlando Sentinel last month about an apartment shortage in Orlando. My advice is find something you like and grab it before it gets rented or goes condo.

 

[tednvon]

Here is a different idea that I think will work with a little luck and a lot of internet time. As you may know there are literally thousands of homes and condos around Disney for weekly rentals. These are fully furnished and rent includes all utilities and amenities at the condos or housing developement. This would mean NO start up cost for furniture, linens, anything to do with the home...
There are many of these that go almost empty most of the time.

If you would get on the net and start at www.rentalo.com and put a message to all their owners that says something like:

I am a 22 year old graduate of U of M and moving to Disney area to Work at the World. I plan have one roommate to share. Looking for a one year rental. We will have no pets, do not smoke, no children and will take very good care of your home or condo. We are willing to pay $1200/month to include utilities.
You will have no cleaning costs and minimal wear and tear. Would like to begin rental on X date. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Also go to www.vrbo.com and www.villas2000.com and search 2-3 bedroom condos and homes around Disney...send the above message to each unit that you like and has openings on their availability calendar...the message will repeat on vrbo so you will not have to cut and paste each time...YOU WANT TO GO DIRECT TO OWNERS, NOT ANY MANAGEMENT COMPANIES...THESE ARE DIRECT TO OWNER WEB SITES.

If you can find someone far enough ahead that they have no weekly bookings you may be surprised how many offers you get. Remember, the $1200/month includes everything...if you want to try $1000/go ahead, you may still find some folks who can make money on the home or condo and be care free for a year...
Good Luck...I have owned weekly rentals and know the area well...this is how we stay 3 months in the winter and we get many offers for our price. We stay in a 4 bedroom-3 bath with heated pool for 1400, so it can be done.

Email me via PM if you have questions...Ted....and Iowa Hawkeye, by the way!!!

 

[tednvon]

Here is an example of one place that I would bet you get get for 900 to 1100 and is very close to Disney...this is just one of hundreds and hundreds of such rental...

http://www.vrbo.com/73687

Ted

 

[PigletIsMyCat]

While I was apartment hunting in the WDW area, I found that anyplace that was under $700 a month for a two-bedroom was income restricted. Also, alot of places are either going totally condo or are selling portions of their buildings as condos (such was the case at Bristol Place and others near Universal - they were renovating to sell about half of their apartments as condos). If you are planning on working at WDW, chances are you actually might fall under the income restrictions. Most hourly positions pay just about $7 an hour, which is just over $200 a week. To qualify for a one-bedroom in the area I live you have to make under (I THINK) $15,000 a year, which works out to under $300 a week, which means most hourly employees at WDW can live in the restricted area. But, the restricted area is NO WHERE near as nice as the part I live in.

Most places that are cheap and that close to WDW are crappy, small, dirty, and/or really noisy. There are alot of cast members where I live, and it's less than ten miles from Disney. Spending under $500 a month is not going to be easy, roomates or no. Factor in car/travel expenses, food, gas/water/electric, phone/cable/internet, trash, pest, or sewer (some places include these in the rent), and some cash to furnish your place. Look online to get ideas, but don't rent based on that. I can't tell you how many places on my to-see list looked great online, great pics, nice amenities, good location, and then when we got there.... forget it. Not to mention, three places on my short list of ten communities were listed as available on the major rental sites, but when I went to view, I was told they were NOT renting and were actually going condo. The idea about getting a vacation property seems worth looking into. This would give you an easy way to get into the area, and you could take some time looking around at other places. This is really a good idea if you know you will have roomates. A grand a week for a three bedroom home filled with amenities is a sweet deal when you split it three ways!

 

[If You Had Wing]

For PigletIsMyCat:

"While I was apartment hunting in the WDW area, I found that anyplace that was under $700 a month for a two-bedroom was income restricted."

When you say "income restricted," do you mean Section 8 Housing?

"The idea about getting a vacation property seems worth looking into."

Forgive my :hammer: stupidity. How exactly is "vacation home" defined?

For Scar Junior (and everyone else):

Be careful with Rent.com. The Rent.com company :fork: refused to honor my $100 move-in rebate as they advertise on their site. Even worse yet, my own property manager wouldn't help me either and said "We have nothing to do with Rent.com." I shall never use that site again.

 

[CatLady]

Another option is getting a roommate and looking at a house or townhouse. There have been several two bedroom townhouses for rent in Williamsburg for $950 a month recently. It's 15 minutes from Disney.

There are a lot more houses on the market for rent now than there used to be. A lot of people bought them as investment properties in the past few years and seem not to be getting tenants as easily as they thought.

 

[tednvon]

Hi...to answer the question, what is a vacation home..

Individuals purchase a "second home" as either a place to eventually move to in retirement, or to always use as a second home, or strictly as an investment.

Some folks are wealthy enough to let it sit when not in use. Many others look to rent it out to vacationers, usually on a weekly basis to cover costs when they are not using the home. They totally furnish the home or condo so the renters or guests need to "only bring a toothbrush" for the vacation.

These homes and condos have become very popular in the Disney area. We owned a 7 bedroom 6 bath as strictly investment. It rented very well at first but as more homes were built, renting became harder. We sold a year ago. we feel we have become kind of "experts" as we stay now for 3 months near Disney and really researched the area over the years.
These rental are just like hotels....you can get a "Motel 6" or a Ritz Carlton in terms of location, furniture, hot tubs, game rooms, HGTV, free internet, and so on....They have become very very competitive as the market is saturated.

These homes are expensive to keep up as you must have a management company handle your guests, your maintainance, pool cleaning, cleaning after each rental, in addition to taxes, PI, Insurance which has really skyrockted since the hurricanes...

So that is a "vacation home" in a nutshell...hope it helps....Ted