Boalt 1Ls taking questions Forum

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Flokkness

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Re: Boalt 1Ls taking questions

Post by Flokkness » Sun Apr 03, 2016 12:21 am

MrR10 wrote:Can somebody give their opinion on graduate housing? My take on it is that it sounds like a pretty good deal in terms of price, location, as well as the inclusion of utilities. However, I don't know whether the size of the apartment, for example, would be worth the price, or the added stress from apartment hunting, especially for someone out of state.

I am thinking about bringing my car, so distance is not that big of an issue for me, but I would like to stay as close to the law school as possible for convenience sake. Thoughts?
Jackson House is about two blocks from the law school. Note that it has kitchens but no reserved parking.

Manville House is about an 8-10 minute walk. It has no kitchens but has some reserved (hard to get, according to a friend there) parking.

Jackson rent is up to just over $1200 next year for the doubles, a bit less for the 4-5 person apartments. There was only a $200 deposit (not sure if that's still policy) too, which was cool. It's pretty quiet, noisy idiot undergrads/fratboys in the area notwithstanding. Some classmates pay a little less for housing, some pay a lot more.

I highly recommend NOT bringing a car with you. The AC line will take you to Trader Joe's or Safeway for shopping and if you need to go further just ride with a classmate or share a rental for an hour or two. Also there's BART. Uber Pool will get you to Oakland for $7 bucks too. Obviously, YMMV if you can afford to buy a parking spot for said car.

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KiltedKicker

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Re: Boalt 1Ls taking questions

Post by KiltedKicker » Sun Apr 03, 2016 11:20 pm

Anyone have any experience with Berkeley Apartments, the management company? They own a ton of apartment buildings around campus but they seem to get terrible Yelp reviews?

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Re: Boalt 1Ls taking questions

Post by Lawcat11 » Sun Apr 03, 2016 11:29 pm

I was just talking to a friend who lives in Berkeley and she said that all non-university housing leases generally begin on June 1st and it's a pretty strict 12 month thing. Can anyone shed any light on this?

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Redamon1

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Re: Boalt 1Ls taking questions

Post by Redamon1 » Sun Apr 03, 2016 11:33 pm

Applesauce11 wrote:I was just talking to a friend who lives in Berkeley and she said that all non-university housing leases generally begin on June 1st and it's a pretty strict 12 month thing. Can anyone shed any light on this?
Not in my experience. Plenty of leases start/end July 1st or August 1st, for those apartments that typically turn over during the summer, in line with the academic year. And beyond that, many apartments will allow tenants to go month-to-month after the first full year, so you see openings at random other times during the year, one month after people give their notice.

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Re: Boalt 1Ls taking questions

Post by Lawcat11 » Sun Apr 03, 2016 11:39 pm

Redamon1 wrote:
Applesauce11 wrote:I was just talking to a friend who lives in Berkeley and she said that all non-university housing leases generally begin on June 1st and it's a pretty strict 12 month thing. Can anyone shed any light on this?
Not in my experience. Plenty of leases start/end July 1st or August 1st, for those apartments that typically turn over during the summer, in line with the academic year. And beyond that, many apartments will allow tenants to go month-to-month after the first full year, so you see openings at random other times during the year, one month after people give their notice.
Thanks! That's comforting to hear. Would you mind commenting on any good apartment complexes to check out (or ones to steer clear of)?

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KiltedKicker

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Re: Boalt 1Ls taking questions

Post by KiltedKicker » Sun Apr 03, 2016 11:47 pm

Is there a good way to find housemates? I'm assuming the school doesn't facilitate that in any way, correct?

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Redamon1

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Re: Boalt 1Ls taking questions

Post by Redamon1 » Sun Apr 03, 2016 11:54 pm

Applesauce11 wrote:
Redamon1 wrote:
Applesauce11 wrote:I was just talking to a friend who lives in Berkeley and she said that all non-university housing leases generally begin on June 1st and it's a pretty strict 12 month thing. Can anyone shed any light on this?
Not in my experience. Plenty of leases start/end July 1st or August 1st, for those apartments that typically turn over during the summer, in line with the academic year. And beyond that, many apartments will allow tenants to go month-to-month after the first full year, so you see openings at random other times during the year, one month after people give their notice.
Thanks! That's comforting to hear. Would you mind commenting on any good apartment complexes to check out (or ones to steer clear of)?
The key takeaway is that, in Berkeley, most apartments get rented out through apartment management companies, so it's worth focusing your efforts there. I used Everestproperties for a place where I stayed two years and they were fine. Other companies I remember: JD Management, K &S Co., North Berkeley Properties, Premium Properties, Cal Rental (through Berkeley).

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Redamon1

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Re: Boalt 1Ls taking questions

Post by Redamon1 » Sun Apr 03, 2016 11:56 pm

KiltedKicker wrote:Is there a good way to find housemates? I'm assuming the school doesn't facilitate that in any way, correct?
No. Post on the class Facebook group in August. Or Good Old Craigslist. Lots of graduate students in town in July/August looking for roommates.

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KiltedKicker

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Re: Boalt 1Ls taking questions

Post by KiltedKicker » Tue Apr 05, 2016 11:54 pm

Redamon1 wrote:
KiltedKicker wrote:Is there a good way to find housemates? I'm assuming the school doesn't facilitate that in any way, correct?
No. Post on the class Facebook group in August. Or Good Old Craigslist. Lots of graduate students in town in July/August looking for roommates.
Do leases in the area usually run June to June, or August to August, or something else?

I'm going to be traveling in Europe all summer and come back to the bay on August 1st. Any chance there are students (maybe 3Ls) who will be looking now for someone to start in August? Any chance there are current students looking for housemates?

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Jordan Catalano

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Re: Boalt 1Ls taking questions

Post by Jordan Catalano » Sat Apr 09, 2016 11:25 am

Repeat post deleted.
Last edited by Jordan Catalano on Sun Apr 17, 2016 3:05 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Jordan Catalano

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Re: Boalt 1Ls taking questions

Post by Jordan Catalano » Sat Apr 09, 2016 11:34 am

180kickflip wrote:
MrR10 wrote:Can somebody give their opinion on graduate housing? My take on it is that it sounds like a pretty good deal in terms of price, location, as well as the inclusion of utilities. However, I don't know whether the size of the apartment, for example, would be worth the price, or the added stress from apartment hunting, especially for someone out of state. I am thinking about bringing my car, so distance is not that big of an issue for me, but I would like to stay as close to the law school as possible for convenience sake. Thoughts?
Does anyone know anything about the university village family housing? I'll be coming with a fiancee and kid in tow, and the price (like 1350 utilities included) for a 1br sounds great. I saw online the apartments are like 3 miles away from campus, but I have no idea how that commute will be. If at all possible, I'd be trying to use public transportation or bike in (coming from the east coast, so bringing a car is a hassle). Would love to hear any impressions of the place. Thanks!
I went to Berkeley to check out University Village's housing. I am a parent, so the location and condition of housing really matters to me. The UV area is not as nice looking as the area near campus, by far, but it is OK. The housing complex is very large. The area surrounding UV housing are under construction and there are a lot of empty lots. Check it out on Google maps/street view. Also, take a look at the University Village housing website. There are pictures of units and floor plans.

Re: cars: You can bring your car. There is ample parking and you get a space with your unit (you might have to still pay for the parking space...not sure) I was snooping on the webpage for the committee of UV residents that interacts with the UC system and it seems like getting two parking spaces is an issue. I think people who aren't using their first parking space can sell their spot to another resident. Another issue I read about was people w/o kids wanting units away from units with kids (lol) and the UC system is basically like, "Nah. Deal with it." So noise might be something to consider if you are a single person w/ no kids. Noise might also be an issue in the reverse form: people with kids don't want singles having parties late at night. These issues come with every apartment complex...

There is a hierarchy system for the UV housing wait-list. Single parents with children get top priority. Next is couples with kids. Then single students w/ no dependents.

Distance: You could walk to campus. It would take you about 35 (?) minutes and it would be a pleasant walk through neighborhoods. Biking would take you about 20 minutes (and there is one big hill) and driving takes about 15 minutes. But parking is about $15 a day. The UV complex is two miles from campus.

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180kickflip

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Re: Boalt 1Ls taking questions

Post by 180kickflip » Tue Apr 12, 2016 10:10 am

How close to orientation should I start my lease if I am moving from the east coast to berkeley?

Should I start it August 15 and get there right before orientation, August 1st and have a couple of weeks to chill, or sometime in July?

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Re: Boalt 1Ls taking questions

Post by Alive97 » Tue Apr 12, 2016 11:24 am

Boalt is the most awkward word in the world, and you should really just call it Berkeley.

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Flokkness

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Re: Boalt 1Ls taking questions

Post by Flokkness » Wed Apr 13, 2016 3:31 pm

180kickflip wrote:How close to orientation should I start my lease if I am moving from the east coast to berkeley?

Should I start it August 15 and get there right before orientation, August 1st and have a couple of weeks to chill, or sometime in July?
I'd say get here early by two weeks (or more) if possible. Get moved in, settled down, and go see some sights before classes start. Nothing would be shittier than having to unpack with classes ongoing. Reading will be keeping you plenty busy, lol.
Alive97 wrote:Boalt is the most awkward word in the world, and you should really just call it Berkeley.
I don't think this holds true when addressing older grads who know it as Boalt and will always know it as Boalt. Calling it Boalt isn't gonna hurt, and might actually help if interviewing an older grad (who is probably in a position to help you along if so inclined). Probably just consider your audience.

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Re: Boalt 1Ls taking questions

Post by urbanist11 » Wed Apr 20, 2016 1:27 pm

Any Boalties out there choose Berkeley over larger scholarship offers from other t14? Do you regret your decision not to follow the money? Feel free to PM.

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Re: Boalt 1Ls taking questions

Post by middleastpeace » Mon May 02, 2016 12:53 pm

Anyone commute from outside of Berkeley their 1L year? I.e a 30+ min driving commute. Did you ever get late bc of traffic? I'm debating whether or not I should commute from my parents' house and save money on rent.

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Re: Boalt 1Ls taking questions

Post by patentlitigatrix » Mon May 02, 2016 3:33 pm

middleastpeace wrote:Anyone commute from outside of Berkeley their 1L year? I.e a 30+ min driving commute. Did you ever get late bc of traffic? I'm debating whether or not I should commute from my parents' house and save money on rent.
Where are you coming from? I didn't live in Berkeley any of my years there.

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Re: Boalt 1Ls taking questions

Post by middleastpeace » Mon May 02, 2016 3:37 pm

patentlitigatrix wrote:
middleastpeace wrote:Anyone commute from outside of Berkeley their 1L year? I.e a 30+ min driving commute. Did you ever get late bc of traffic? I'm debating whether or not I should commute from my parents' house and save money on rent.
Where are you coming from? I didn't live in Berkeley any of my years there.

As of right now, North Richmond (near point pinole), but my parents and I might move this summer. We would move to an area that still adds up to a 30+ min commute for me. Did you have trouble finding parking in Berkeley? I heard the underhill parking lot fills up quick.

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Re: Boalt 1Ls taking questions

Post by patentlitigatrix » Mon May 02, 2016 3:41 pm

middleastpeace wrote:
patentlitigatrix wrote:
middleastpeace wrote:Anyone commute from outside of Berkeley their 1L year? I.e a 30+ min driving commute. Did you ever get late bc of traffic? I'm debating whether or not I should commute from my parents' house and save money on rent.
Where are you coming from? I didn't live in Berkeley any of my years there.

As of right now, North Richmond (near point pinole), but my parents and I might move this summer. We would move to an area that still adds up to a 30+ min commute for me. Did you have trouble finding parking in Berkeley? I heard the underhill parking lot fills up quick.
I commuted from SF. I rented a space from someone on Craigslist about 2 blocks from the law school because it was about the same price and a guaranteed space.

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Re: Boalt 1Ls taking questions

Post by sdancer89 » Mon May 02, 2016 8:16 pm

I park in Underhill and as long as I was there by about 11am, I had no trouble finding a spot. There were a few days in the fall where I had to come a little earlier because they reserved spots for an event, but it's usually not that bad.

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Re: Boalt 1Ls taking questions

Post by pterodactyls » Wed May 04, 2016 12:24 pm

I know this has already been discussed to some extent, but can some of you share your timelines of when you signed a lease? Did any of you have difficulty securing an apartment on your first visit try? CalRentals recommends 4-6 weeks in advance, but I've read on here that it may be best to look 25-30 days in advance because people have to give 30-day notices.

The reason I ask is because I'm out of state and will have to pick a weekend to fly in and look at apartments. Would probably be looking for August 1 or August 15 lease. Could either come out to look mid-June or mid-July. I'm hoping to avoid visiting the weekend of July 4 because that's a good BBQ/family weekend, but don't want to miss out on apartments either.

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Re: Boalt 1Ls taking questions

Post by YCDAACH » Thu May 05, 2016 3:26 am

pterodactyls wrote:I know this has already been discussed to some extent, but can some of you share your timelines of when you signed a lease? Did any of you have difficulty securing an apartment on your first visit try? CalRentals recommends 4-6 weeks in advance, but I've read on here that it may be best to look 25-30 days in advance because people have to give 30-day notices.

The reason I ask is because I'm out of state and will have to pick a weekend to fly in and look at apartments. Would probably be looking for August 1 or August 15 lease. Could either come out to look mid-June or mid-July. I'm hoping to avoid visiting the weekend of July 4 because that's a good BBQ/family weekend, but don't want to miss out on apartments either.
+1 I am worried about finding housing. I don't live in the Bay Area and I will want a lease that starts in August. Hearing about timelines would help.

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Re: Boalt 1Ls taking questions

Post by YCDAACH » Mon May 09, 2016 6:33 am

Are students who want CA biglaw/private sector work able to get it pretty easily?

So my budget basically requires me to find housing under 1,500 a month. Is this doable?

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Jordan Catalano

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Re: Boalt 1Ls taking questions

Post by Jordan Catalano » Fri May 13, 2016 10:18 am

Why are all the outlines available online so old? They are all from 1998-2003. Does this matter? Does anyone have newer outlines for civ pro, contracts, torts, crim law, property, etc?

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Re: Boalt 1Ls taking questions

Post by RationalHeretic23 » Sun May 15, 2016 12:53 am

Jordan Catalano wrote:Why are all the outlines available online so old? They are all from 1998-2003. Does this matter? Does anyone have newer outlines for civ pro, contracts, torts, crim law, property, etc?
Where online are you finding these particular outlines?

Seriously? What are you waiting for?

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