So, you’ve decided that Sweetwater is the perfect apartment for you and you’re ready to sign your lease… but you still have to convince your parents.
At Sweetwater, our leasing team has helped hundreds of students sign leases, and understand that finding the perfect student apartment for you in Gainesville can be a tiring process.
For this reason, we’ve provided a guide to help you convince your parents to let you sign a lease with us.
Convincing Your Parents about Sweetwater
Do your Homework
When you bring up living at Sweetwater to your parents, be sure that you’ve done your research on other Gainesville properties. Be prepared to back up your decision with stats on other buildings, be it their amenities, price points, location, etc.
We have many building reviews on our website, including The Standard, Stadium House, and Hub University.
Sweetwater is located at 1225 W University Avenue, just one block from the UF campus.
Know the Benefits
What do you love about Sweetwater? Is it the floor plans, the amenities, or the location? Is it all three? Make an extensive list of why Sweetwater is the place for you. If you need guidance on where to start, read our article on the six reasons to live at Sweetwater.
Here are some examples we’ve heard from future residents:
- It’s right across the street from the Business School
- It’s close to your sorority house
- There are lots of study spaces
- You get free coffee for the rest of the lease up season, leading up to move-in
- Only a couple minute drive to Midtown
Sweetwater has an on-site coffee shop, Daydreamer, featuring hand-mixed coffee drinks, matcha and artisan pastries.
Anticipate their Questions
With new developments comes a lot of questions. In order to instill confidence in your parents that Sweetwater is the best place to live next year, we’ve made a list of common questions we get from parents about the property:
- How much will it cost? Not just rent, but what other fees will I have to pay?
- Check out our article on What Fees Should I Expect to Pay When I Sign a Lease at Sweetwater? that breaks down every additional cost you’ll pay when signing a lease at Sweetwater.
- What is parking like? Where will you park if the garage is sold out?
- Sweetwater offers on-site garage parking. If parking is sold out by the time you sign a lease, we’ve put together the ultimate guide to parking near UF to help you find a garage that works best for you.
- Why do you need to live in a new building? What about the ones already built?
- Living in a new building has many benefits, including a fresh start, updated security and a sense of community. Read our article on Moving vs. Renewing: Which is Right for Me? and pick out the top few benefits that resonate with you and your parents.
- What are the safety features? What does security look like?
- Here at Sweetwater, safety is a top priority. Sweetwater is a controlled access building with secure parking. We have a fob system with electronic key locks to units and amenities throughout the complex, as well as deadbolts included on your front door. We also have complex-wide video monitoring capabilities.
By having answers to these common questions, you’ll help ease any of your parents potential concerns. Still looking for answers? Check out our FAQ, where we answer all of our most-asked questions.
Sweetwater’s meticulously crafted kitchens feature tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances and quartz countertops.
Talk to your Parents!
After you’ve done some outside research, made your list of benefits, and thought of any other potential questions or concerns your parents may ask, it’s time to sell! Here is a template for the conversation:
Hey [Mom/Dad]!
Next year, my friends and I really want to live at Sweetwater next year. It’s a new development that’s only a block from UF campus. I picked Sweetwater because:
[Examples, pick or add your own!]
- As a new development, the security is up-to-date with the latest technology
- I love the design aesthetic! I can’t wait to live in such a perfectly curated space.
- Everything is new, so I won’t have to worry about appliances not working or furniture being worn down
- It’s location is perfect for me, it’s really close to all of my classes
- Etc. Add your own reasons here!
The floor plan I’m looking at, [insert floor plan name here], is only [insert rent price here] per month which includes furniture, amenities, basic utilities and security. We picked this floor plan for the following reasons:
[Examples, pick or add your own!]
- We all get a window
- It’s the most affordable option for our group
- It has a balcony
- It’s located right by the elevators / gym / [other amenity]
- Etc. Add your own reasons here!
After looking at some other rental rates around Gainesville, this price point is in line with the market for this type of property. They also list all the additional costs on their website so we can get a complete idea of financials.
Sweetwater has so many amenities: a yoga studio, fitness center, a rooftop pool, tons of study spaces including private study rooms, and an on-site coffee shop, Daydreamer!
Think about all the money I’ll save on a gym membership every month since they have a 24-hour gym and a yoga studio. And with all the study spaces, I can study at night without having to walk home in the dark.
Plus, when I sign my lease, I’ll get free [insert your Daydreamer drink of choice] from Daydreamer at the leasing office for the rest of the year!
How does this sound to you? If you have any more questions or concerns, we can look through their website together. They have an extensive section of resources covering everything we might need to know about the property.
We hope this article gave you a helpful guideline on how to convince your parents to live at Sweetwater. If you want more advice or have questions about Sweetwater, contact our leasing team! We are more than happy to help you!
