As a student at UF, I understand the struggle of budgeting for Gainesville housing. For many students like myself, cost is a huge factor that will determine where you sign a lease.
At the Sweetwater leasing office, before a student is ready to sign their lease, we often get questions like, how much will I have to pay right now? How much at move in? How much each month?
Read Next: 15 Questions You Should Ask When Touring a Student Housing Apartment at UF
We know it’s important for students to be aware of cost expectations so you can make an educated decision on what’s right for you.
That’s why we’ve put together a list of the different fees you should expect to pay, why you have to pay them, and when you have to pay them when you sign a lease at Sweetwater.
Sweetwater is located at 1225 W University Avenue, just one block from the UF campus.
Recurring Fees
Recurring fees are the expenses that you’ll be responsible for on a monthly basis while you live at Sweetwater. Your recurring monthly fees will include:
- Rent
- Parking (optional)
- Pet Rent (optional)
- Utilities
Rent
All Sweetwater residents will be charged a monthly rent, determined by your floor plan. With the wide variety of floorplan options, you’re sure to find something that fits your price range. Rent will be charged on the 1st of each month and will be due by the 3rd of each month, recurring for 12 months.
Representative image of kitchen areas at Sweetwater, featuring tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances and quartz countertops.
Parking
If you choose to bring your car with you to campus, you can purchase a parking pass at Sweetwater for $230 per month.* If on-site parking doesn’t fit your preferences, check out our guide to parking near UF.
Pets
If you choose to bring your furry friend to campus, you’ll pay a $35 rent charge per month. You’ll also pay a $250 non-refundable pet deposit, which will be due at move-in.
Utilities
You’ll pay for water and electricity through a third-party app, SimpleBills. This app coordinates with the utility company to collect your grand total and split that price evenly between all your roommates. That way you never have to worry about who is paying which month or who you’ll need to Venmo. SimpleBills takes care of that for you!
There will also be a $5 trash fee added onto rent each month.
One-time Fees
In addition to rent, there are a couple other fees that you’ll only need to pay one time before move-in. Some of these will be due up front when you apply for your apartment and some will be due upon move-in.
Sweetwater’s fireplace lounge a cozy retreat perfect for remote work, preparing for an exam or collaborating on a group project.
Up-Front Fees
The only up-front fee that you will incur when you apply to live at Sweetwater is the application fee.
The application fee will be due at the end of your application. Completing an application is a requirement for all future residents, and the first step to securing your perfect unit! This fee is $75 and nonrefundable. This pays for the background checks we’re required to run for future residents and selected guarantors in order to approve your application.
Fees to be Paid at Move-In
There are several fees that are due before you move-in to Sweetwater. These will be available to pay as soon as you sign your lease, but aren’t due until move-in. These fees include:
- Admin Fee
- Security Deposit
- Utility Set Up
- Pet Deposit (optional)
If you’re not bringing a pet with you, these fees will be $360 total. If you are, you’ll need to pay a pet deposit which will bring the total due at move-in to $610.
1. Admin Fee
The administration fee will be available to pay after you complete your application, but is not due until move-in. This fee is $200 and nonrefundable.
This fee pays for billing, bill auditing, overhead and similar expenses for the property.
2. Security Deposit
The security deposit, like the admin fee, will be available to pay after you complete your application, but won’t be due until move-in. This fee is $100 and refundable, granted there are no damages to your unit.
3. Utility Setup Fee
The utility setup fee, like the last two, won’t be due until move-in. This $66 fee is charged by the Conservice, so you don’t have to worry about setting up your own utilities. We will take care of that for you!
4. Pet Deposit
Like we mentioned previously, if your pet will join you at Sweetwater, you’ll pay the $250 non-refundable pet deposit before move-in.
We hope this article helped you understand and budget what fees you should expect to pay when you sign at Sweetwater.
If you have any more questions about fees, expenses, or living at Sweetwater, contact the leasing team who is happy to answer any questions for you!
*All listed rates current as of 10/5/2022. All rates are subject to change.
