Growing Up and Getting Out: A Guide to Off-Campus Living

That time of year is slowly creeping up again: the end of fall quarter.  With the imminent winter break looming on the horizon, college kids have one more serious decision to begin considering before they check out of everything school-related and spend a month back home with mom and dad: next year’s living arrangements.  I know what you’re thinking:  you’re not living somewhere new until next fall!  But OSU’s off-campus housing is a hot commodity, and trust me, the good places go fast!
 
If you already live off-campus, chances are good that you know what kind of pressure you’re under if you’re looking to upgrade to a swankier place.  Get your landlord on the phone soon and see what options they have available for you.  If you’re spending your first (or second) year of life as a Buckeye in the dorms and know you want to live off campus next year, it’s time to start thinking about it now!  Believe me, you want to get such an important decision out of the way while you still have time to devote to it.  After all, it’s already November—before you know it, exams will be burying you under stress and living arrangements will take a backseat.  By then it might be too late to score some prime real estate!
 
However, beginning the search process isn’t the only thing you need to start thinking about right now.  You need to know what to look for and what questions to ask when you finally do find a potential place that meets all of your criteria.  Take it from someone who dove into this process late last year, totally blind, and completely unaware of the truly important details to consider: let this guide be your friend. With it, you’ll know all of the questions you need to ask before some smooth-talking company convinces you to sign away your life … I mean, your lease.
 


Location matters.  If you have class in Fisher everyday, living south of campus will definitely be miserable for you.  You know where you spend the majority of your time, so choose a location accordingly! 
 
Know your price range.  Talk to your parents and plan out a budget.  You’re on your own now!  That means buying your own food, being responsible for your own bills, and taking care of yourself.  Money has a tendency to just disappear (am I right?!), so plan ahead.  Set a price limit and stick to it; don’t even bother looking outside your budget—or you may fall in love with a place that you could never afford.
 
Talk honestly with your roommates.  Open communication is the key to living happily with these people for the next year.  Know what everyone prefers in terms of location and price range, allocate what everyone needs to bring, discuss amenities that you can and can’t do without, and discuss payment plans.  There are a lot of considerations to bear in mind when you venture out on your own for the first time.
 
Ask your landlord EVERY question you have.  Don’t hold back your concerns because you’re timid or non-confrontational.  You are their client; they are responsible for keeping you satisfied—and informed.  Ask about utilities, parking permits, crime rate, appliances, storage, everything. 
 
Visit your prospective housing.  If you and your roommates find something online that looks appealing, make sure you all visit it!  Don’t just rely on each other’s judgments.  You and your roomies are bound to have different tastes and different questions, so plan a time to tour when you are all available.  You do not want to be stuck somewhere you don’t like because you never saw it—and be blaming your roommates for your unhappiness.
 
Ask the current tenants questions.  They live there.  They know things that you will want to know.  And things that your landlord can’t answer for you.  Ask them how thin the walls are, how noisy the area gets at night, if they feel safe there, if all the doors and windows work properly, if sharing one bathroom is problematic, how much they pay for utilities, how bad the walk to campus is, and if they like the landlord.  Whatever you think of, ask it.
 
Like the place you choose!  There are few things worse than being stuck somewhere for a year that you really don’t want to be.  Don’t just agree on a house or apartment because your roommates like it and you want to be cooperative.  If there is something you don’t like, bring it up to your roomies and keep looking.  You are bound to find the right fit for all of you—especially if you start early enough!
 
Here are some links to OSU realty websites that you should definitely take advantage of (soon)!
 
http://offcampus.osu.edu/
http://buckeyere.com/
http://www.hometeamproperties.net/
http://my1stplace.com/
http://pellaco.com/
http://www.ohiostaterentals.com/
http://www.oxrealty.com/
http://www.varsityrealty.com/
 
Photo: http://buckeyere.com/search.htm