Thread: MERP Mansion: MERP Housing for Dec 08 Semester

Looking for MERP HOUSING for the December 2008 semester?

Available MERP Housing: Affordable luxury group residence for mature and dedicated students of the Ross University MERP program, located in the beautiful, quiet and extremely safe Pinecrest neighborhood of south Miami. Close to the 7000 Building, Metrorail (Dadeland South Station) and Dadeland mall.

Amenities include: Oversized swimming pool; hot tub; indoor & outdoor study areas; large bedrooms; living room opening onto spacious patio; breakfast room adjoining kitchen with full array of quality appliances, plus an extra refrigerator in the well equipped laundry room. Large, fenced yard with volleyball; pool deck with BBQ grill.


Go to:www.MERPMansion.com for more info

The absolute best value in MERP Housing, and the only MERP Housing offered in Pinecrest.

Now accepting individual student applications for both private and shared rooms for the upcoming semester.

Email: Info@MERPMansion.com ** Phone: (305) 665-7575

I HIGHLY recommend looking around for somewhere else to live while attending MERP. I lived there, so I would know. Yes, the place is nice, but it is not worth the price. For the shared rooms, the price is 1250 a month per person. That is ridicuous. You don't even have the privacy of your own room. And to pay 1600 for a single bedroom, no way. I did not know anyone who paid as much as we did for a place while in Miami. My one friend lived in a REALLY nice plane downtown, and she paid less than we did. If you look around you will be able to find somewhere more affordable, and most likely closer to school. I don't know if you prefer to study in groups, but if you do, that might be one good thing about living there. I can tell you though that our group study sessions lasted about two weeks then we all split up and did our own things. If you don't have a car too, it is a little bit out of the way. You will have to get the train to even hang out with the other students, because most likely none of them will be living near you. Another rule that sucked was the no overnight guest rule. You prob won't know about that one until you get there, which is the day before class, so you can't do anything about it then. So if you have a b.f/g.f, expect to rent a hotel when they are in town, I had to...
It is your call though, but feel free to PM me about the place if u want more information.

It seems that MERP Mansion isn't for everyone, and we are sorry Occam's Razor didn't feel it was worth it for him. Every semester we have MERP students who are VERY happy that they invested their money in the incredibly special combination of quality living and academic focus that only MERP Mansion offers.

At least he admits that the place is nice, and you can check out how genuinely nice it is on our website (www.MERPMansion.com), where we have many photos, list the amenities we offer, and give lots more info, and then you can compare this to what you see offered elsewhere. MERP Mansion is a large house, on a 1/2-acre property, with fantastic amenities, in an incredibly upscale and safe neighborhood. There will always be cheaper places to stay, but NONE offer the same value.

As for its proximity to classes and overall convenience: The Mansion is just 1.7 miles from Ross, and only about a five minute walk to the Metrorail station, which is then just two stops (4 mins) from the Metrorail station at Ross. By car it takes about 5 mins to get to the 7000 building, by bike about 10 minutes, by Metrorail about 15-20 mins door to door, and you could even comfortably walk it in approx. a half-hour. Honestly, it is an incredibly convenient location, with tons of shops and restaurants in the immediate neighborhood, and even the awesome Dadeland mall within easy walking distance. Additionally, it's the only MERP housing offered in all of Pinecrest, which is the most upscale and safest neighborhood in all of south Miami.

As far as hanging out with other students, since MERP Mansion is so big and luxurious, residents often decide to make the Mansion the MERP HQ for both studying and socializing, including celebration dinners after exams. So, if the current residents decide to continue this tradition, you won't need to worry about finding your way to the "less-safe" neighborhoods and small apartments of other MERPers, they'll gladly come to you. ;-) If you do decide to go to them, or anywhere else in Miami or even South Florida for that sake, having the Metrorail just a 5-minute walk from the house makes most anywhere as convenient as you can expect if you don't have a car.

As for no overnight guests, this is a policy that respects all residents and protects the main goal of the house. People come to MERP to study, and study hard. If you have a boyfriend or girlfriend, or even family visiting from out of town, that is great, but it is not acceptable for them to live at the Mansion and stay overnight, as this is an imposition on the other residents (whether they are willing to say so or not, and most housemates are not willing to say what they really feel in such a situation.) Again, the Mansion is not for everyone, and in deciding whether or not to have a "no overnight guest" rule, we decided to go this way. MERP is tough enough, and the Mansion is a shared residence. Who wants someone else's boyfriend or girlfriend in the bathroom at midnight....or sleeping (and maybe doing other things) in the next bed all night?! The Mansion is not a dorm or fraternity house, it is a quality living and academic environment for dedicated MERP students.

Occam's Razor also admits that if you prefer group study the Mansion is a good place for that. We would say it's a GREAT place for that, and one of the major reasons most residents find MERP Mansion so valuable. Ross highly recommends MERPers to engage in regular group study. MERP Mansion residents have a tendency to finish at the top of their class, and this is attributed by those students to living at the Mansion. Why? Both because everyone they live with is also a MERP student and so, in addition to formal group study, even informal conversations over dinner or when hanging out in the pool are often review/study sessions, AND because it is such a comfortable place to live and unwind from the intensity of the MERP program.

Certainly, the cost of staying at MERP Mansion is higher than other places offered to MERP students, but it is a large house, on a large property, with a large pool and other amenities, in a high-end neighborhood, and this means it costs a lot to maintain, pay property taxes, etc, and these costs need to be covered. After all, it is run as a business, not as a charity home for med students! BUT, the value of MERP Mansion, and we are told this by our residents semester after semester, goes beyond the amazing amenities. It's about the complete package!!

We are sorry that Occam's Razor didn't feel this way. Again, unfortunately, it seems that MERP Mansion isn't for everyone.

To see if it is right for you, please visit our website at:
www.MERPMansion.com.

If you wish to ask questions on this ValueMD thread, please do. We are proud of MERP Mansion and have nothing to hide. We will also be happy to email, PM through ValueMD, or speak with you regarding any questions or concerns you may have, and even put you directly in contact with former residents who had such a wonderful and successful experience at the Mansion that they have gladly offered to be a reference. (And "no", we are not offering them money or any other compensation to do so!!)

Thank you for considering MERP Mansion. We work very hard to make it the absolutely best accommodations for dedicated MERP students to excel in their classes and make it to "The Island"!! After all, isn't that why you are attending MERP in the first place?!

Thank you for your consideration! We have limited availability for the upcoming semester, so please contact us ASAP to reserve your place.

Bottom Line:

It is over priced.
Who wants to pay 1300 a month to share a bedroom with someone else on a twin bed?

The group study only lasts a couple of weeks, then you find something else that is better.

I had a bunch of people think my place was out of the way, so people tended not to come to our place. We tended to meet at people's places closer to school.
Therefore noone came here to study, and noone wanted to come there to socialize..

Again, just look around and you will find better places for a better price. It isn't your job to rent from her so she can pay her property tax.

And besides who wants to live next door to their landlord...

Bottom line: MERP Mansion is not for everyone...

But neither is any place else!

We respect occam's razor's opinion, as judging value is subjective, but the way he state things as complete fact, rather than opinion, could cause people who might really appreciate MERP Mansion to take a pass. He could write things like "for me it was not worth it", but he doesn't.

Better places at better prices in close proximity to Ross? We don't think so, but that's our opinion. Maybe it will be yours too....read on:

People who do feel that MERP Mansion IS the best value understand that Pinecrest is an exceptional neighborhood in south Miami, and believe that living in an upscale location that is quiet and very safe, exclusively with MERP students, is important to both their personal well-being and academic goals. The higher rents are not about paying the owner's property taxes, but when you want to live in an expensive home in an upscale neighborhood, and get to take advantage of all that means, then you have to share the costs of what it takes to provide that -- this is not a charity home for med students, after all. There definately are cheaper properties offered to MERP students, but no one offers the complete package of MERP Mansion -- and for some people, it is definitely "worth it".

I've quoted from a ValueMD post from someone who stayed at MERP Mansion at the beginning of 2008. I've excerpted just part of what he wrote, but people are free to read the rest. While he does agree with occam's razor that study groups didn't just happen at the Mansion, it seems that important studying did take place among the residents throughout the semester and it paid off. As well, it seems they had no problem having people come over whenever they wanted them to.

Like everything in life, I guess, it's what you make it! After all, it's just a house and property, the residents decide collectively how best to live in it.

Originally Posted by jmnoq

Merp Mansion [excerpt]

During March MERP 2008 I stayed at the MERP Mansion.....It is a little bit of a party house. We also get a lot of studying done. We are still in the middle of the program, but everyone here has passed the first mini, one of the guys here got the class high score. We normally study together before exams which are every wednesday and friday. When we first got here we would do everything together. It was fun. As time passed we all became more independent and now we study with a variety of people from the program, but we still review before the quizzes. Okay enough about school. One last thing MERP is no joke. They tell us from the get go to study in groups and study hard.

.....Usually during the weekend everyone goes out together. There is like 30 of us for dinner. We all meet at the MM [MERP Mansion] and go out together.....People come over to study all the time. The neighborhood is beautiful. It is close to everything. I have a bicycle and ride to the grocery store sometimes, but usually we go shopping together some of the guys have a car.

Price, the truth about the price is it is pretty competitive. You could probably save a couple hundred, but to live this nice no way. The singles are about thousand more, but you get the privacy of your own room.

For me one of the best reasons for staying here is it was easy. Took the pressure out of having to find a place and rent furniture set up accounts for the internet.....

What else. Not much. Like I said before I love living here. Recommend it.

As far as having the caretaker of the property next door, tenants think it's great. It's her neighborhood, she cares about the property and its upkeep, and is right there to fix things immediately (when tenants report that there is a problem). It's much better than living in a rundown Miami apartment while your landlord resides up in Boca. The way occam's razor puts it you'd think she's there every day making sure you made you bed. Come'on! MERP students -- at least the ones we aim to rent to -- are mature responsible adults, not kids away at a party school, what's the downside of her living next door?

So, if anyone reading this is willing to consider other opinions, as well as tons of photos, info about the neighborhood of Pinecrest, FAQs, and lots more, please check out www.MERPMansion.com. Yes, it's our website, but you can at least see, really see, why we think it's the best possible value for MERP students. You may also call us at (305) 665-7575.

Thank you for your consideration. It's SO worth it!!

(And if you happen to read any other negative opinions about MERP Mansion on ValueMD, please let us know directly by sending a PM or writing us at Info@MERPMansion.com) . We'd like to have the chance either set the record straight -- or, if there is a valid gripe, to fix it so that future tenants don't end up feeling the same way. After all, our quality reputation is very important to us!!)

In Defense of MERP Mansion:

Originally Posted by jmnoq

Merp Mansion

Hello Hello. I would like to start a thread about place TO stay in Miami. During March MERP 2008 I stayed at the MERP MAnsion. I want to share my experience thus far. I am not being paid to do this, however it was a request. Otherwise I would normally be to lazy to post something like this.

I love living here. It is a little bit of a party house. We also get a lot of studying done. We are still in the middle of the program, but everyone here has passed the first mini, one of the guys here got the class high score. We normally study together before exams which are every wednesday and friday. When we first got here we would do everything together. It was fun. As time passed we all became more independent and now we study with a variety of people from the program, but we still review before the quizzes. Okay enough about school. One last thing MERP is no joke. They tell us from the get go to study in groups and study hard.

Okay about the pad. The house is a four bedroom house. Two of the rooms are shared two are singles. There is a pool and a hot tub. To be honest we don't use the hot tub too often I think I have used it twice in the last month, but we swim every week. The house is kept in great condition. If anything goes wrong I call the landlord and she is always willing to take care of any issues. (ie the internet wasn't working she went out and bought a new router, shower head broke she had a new one..) The furniture isn't great, but it is a place to rest your rump. I heard one of the guys taking about how she wants to improve the furniture. Other then that no major complaints. Oh the water pressure is low, ice machine in fridge no work no big deal though enough said about that. [Note: These were minor repairs that were both fixed quickly as soon as they were reported by the tenants.]

Usually during the weekend everyone goes out together. There is like 30 of us for dinner. We all meet at the MM [MERP Mansion] and go out together. Bring cash otherwise the waiters get upset. Some of us drink some don't. People come over to study all the time. The neighborhood is beautiful. It is close to everything. I have a bicycle and ride to the grocery store sometimes, but usually we go shopping together some of the guys have a car.

Price, the truth about the price is it is pretty competitive. You could probably save a couple hundred, but to live this nice no way. The singles are about thousand more, but you get the privacy of your own room.

Pretty much everything is included and as long as your not wasteful I don't assume you will break the budget, which is what ever the people spent the program before.

For me one of the best reasons for staying here is it was easy. Took the pressure out of having to find a place and rent furniture set up accounts for the internet.....

What else. Not much. Like I said before I love living here. Recommend it.

In response to a post implying that MERP Mansion has an insect problem and other negative claims:

Originally Posted by sghoward744

If you are looking for housing, the MERP mansion is fine. There are no infestations of any kind. The house is in good shape. It is actually a very nice place to stay. It has a well-kept pool. It is cleaned every Wednesday and the yard is taken care of as well. A washer and dryer are in the house. If you want a nice neighborhood and a quiet place to study, I suggest the MERP Mansion. Also, if you choose to live here find other MERP students that are in the same frame of mind as you. Currently we have 5 MERPers and we are all doing well in the program. The best thing to do once you get to MERP is find a study group. This house provides that opportunity. I suggest giving the landlord a call at 305-665-7575 if you want more details concerning the house. Good luck finding housing for MERP.

-Scott Howard
current MERP mansion tennant.

Ditto (thank you Tony and Sevi!):

Originally Posted by miyar

I do not own merp masion. I do own a property that I rent out to merp students. We have had clean students and not so clean. MERP MANSION is a good place and have heard good things about it.

As for the Bugs. Let me just say that we also try to keep a clean house but in defending the MERP Masion... If someone leave things in the sink bugs will come sooner or later. We have had problems like anyone else. Some students have left dirty plates in their rooms and this cause a problem for the entire house. The owners can only do so much... it's also up to the students to keep the house clean.

MERP MANSION is a nice place.

Tony and Sevi Miyar

Originally Posted by Dr.Kim

It's not easy for newbies who are nowhere near Miami to decide where to stay. Finding an affordable, conveniently located, safe place to live in Miami on a street that doesn't turn in to a canal during the June-September rainy season, is actually quite difficult. Having stayed at Merp Mansion myself, I am appalled by what one individual has been posting about that outstanding place. No student could ever hope to find a better place to stay. I've stayed in a few places during my undergraduate and graduate studies, and I have also visited places where my classmates are staying. Merp Mansion is unequivocally the best place by far, in terms of quality, location, and service provided by the landlord. It runs about $200 per month more than places that don't even come CLOSE by comparison. If you can afford that extra amount, your life in Miami will be much better if you can get a space at Merp Mansion. Good luck!

Thanks for considering "other opinions" in your search for MERP housing!

A few individuals with strong negative opinions, time on their hands, and possibly an axe to grind, can use the internet to do a lot of damage these days. It doesn't matter if what they say is true, or if it was done with malicious intent, their words go around the world in seconds....and people believe them.

MERP Mansion has taken some major hits on ValueMD due to the postings of a few individuals. Even though the vast majority of postings about us are positive, these negative ones have been the most visible, the most powerful. The worst one, posted on this thread, included extreme close-up photos of individual bugs to imply that the house is infested, even though we have an on-call extermination service to assure that there is not even one bug in the house -- well, as long as a resident isn't foolish enough to leave food out in his room while living in South Florida!

We hope that people are able to read past the dogmatic opinions, exaggerations, misrepresentations, and patent untruths, but let's face it, when you are trying to decide where to stay, sight-unseen, these negative posts are sowing enough doubt to cause a lot of busy people to just look elsewhere. Hopefully, this won't happen with you.

MERP Mansion is a very special residence, in an awesome neighborhood, exclusively for MERP students. Yes, it is not the cheapest rent you can find in south Miami, but we genuinely believe that we have created an incredible value package for MERP students unlike anything else available. Unfortunately, a few negative posts on ValueMD have really hurt our reputation.

If you are a mature and dedicated incoming MERP student, who appreciates that living in an upscale location that is both quiet and very safe, exclusively with MERP students, will be beneficial to both your personal well-being and academic goals, then we invite you to visit our new website:

www.MERPMansion.com

Obviously, MERP Mansion isn't for everyone, but please take an honest look to discover if it is for you.

Thank you so much for your consideration while we try to preserve our good reputation while dealing with the damage caused by the negative postings of a few.