Oxford Hall Property

Lived here for a year from 2014 – 2015 before graduating and moving cities. I thoroughly enjoyed living here and even got 96% of my deposit back at the end of my lease (I have NEVER had that happen before with my previous landlords). The rent was pretty reasonable when I lived there (about $ 970 for a single room, shared bathroom) and around $ 1400-​$ 1500 for a studio with kitchen and bathroom. It really is like a dorm; most residents are students and there are shared bathrooms and showers in the building. There is a really nice, cozy lounge with a television and lots of books + tables. There’s a shared kitchen too! The building is old but very well maintained; it gets cleaned nearly every day. All utilities are paid for and even internet is included. The current manager (Unes!) is super accessible, efficient, and is probably the fastest email responder I’ve ever met. Twice I locked myself out and he unlocked my door within 20 minutes. The location is fantastic as it is right on Center St. and it’s a block from the new Target express. Also extremely close to BART. The only issue I had was with the noise levels as the building IS downtown and it can get loud sometimes.

I just graduated, but lived here until about a month ago. This place is super convenient-​it is right across from UC campus, 1 block from BART, and within walking distance to lots of good places for foodies. Most of the people who live here are students. The rent is low, and includes the utilities! The manager is reasonable. It is an old building as others mention, but the owner really does a good job maintaining it. I don’t think you can beat it unless you are willing to pay a lot more!

I lived here for 3 years. I enjoyed my time at Oxford Hall property. The location and all utilities + internet included cannot be beat for the price. The manager mentioned in other reviews is no longer with them. The new manager does a great job. He is tough but fair. Many students live in this building so you need someone to lay down the law to keep order. You cannot expect luxury living at the prices Oxford Hall charges but the value is strong. There is a nice communal tv room and the building while old definitely has charm. The one downside is the walls are VERY thin. You will hear your neighbor talking.

My daughter has been living here since ⁰⁶⁄₂₀₁₂ and I have to say nothing but amazing things about the property Manager (Unes). He makes sure every student is happy and goes out of his way to make sure things are running smooth. Yes, it is an old building and it could use some TLC, however the restrooms, hallways, kitchen are cleaned daily. It ‘s location and safety of the building beats anything else around this area. That is unless you want to pay 5 x more for the apartments across the street. My daughter loves this place, it is always quiet and neighbors respect one another, never has there been a party or any loud noise. If you need a safe and quite place then you should consider these rooms.

It’s an oldie red brick building converted from a former hotel. I would only recommend it for students on a low budget or anyone who needs a short-​to-​medium term stay (1 – 6 months).
Pros:
1. Location. Location. Location. It’s right in the middle of downtown Berkeley, hence in the middle of everything. There are many nice restaurants, cafes, delis, and specialty shops of all variety within walking distance. Right across Oxford street is the west entrance to UC. So you’d also have easy access to the many amenities the university has to offer. Many students live here. The neighborhood is generally safe. One block away, across a city parking lot, there was a 24-​hour food store/​gas station/​car wash, which I found to be a nice convenience. Just take your usual precautions when you walked the neighborhood after midnight, and you’ll be fine.
2. Owner is a nice guy (from Iran if my memory is correct) who lives in the Marin county, and who comes in one or two days a week. Even though the building being so old needs a lot work done on it, I could see that the owner was genuinely interested in doing as much as he could to keep it up.
3. Cheap rent. Being a long-​time resident, they didn’t raise my rent all that much. Even for the new move-​ins I know for a fact that they still pay significantly below market rate. And the main reason for that? See below…
Cons:
1. Building is in pretty bad shape. It must be 60 or 70 years old. It simply can’t keep up, despite the owner trying hard at it. The inside walls, ceilings, windows, share bathrooms, kitch area, patio area… just a lot of remodeling work to be done all around. The handy man Mr. Lee once joked that he has his work scheduled up til his retirement.
2. Creepy part-​time resident apartment manager. There used to be an older guy Jim, who used to be the resident manager for years. He was kindda weird too but friendly and helpful. Then for unknown reason he suddenly disappeared. (There were rumors of suspect foul play heheh.) Then came this new guy named Zeke, who was just creepy, cold, and not helpful to the residents at all. You’d see him now and then just hanging around in the hall ways of the building, and sometimes in the TV lounge, like a silent shadow… CREEEEEEEPY.