As if college students don’t have enough to worry about with the whole school, work, friends, and significant other thing we now have another wonderful worry to add to our list. And that’s apartment hunting. By now you’ve probably decided if you want to continue living in the dorms next year or if you want to branch out and move off campus. Apartment hunting can be a daunting task, but I’ve compiled a list of five steps that can hopefully help you find that perfect place.
Step 1:Check multiple rental listings. These can include different rental websites, craigslist, and the classifieds of your local newspapers. Another helpful way to check for available apartments is to walk around the neighborhoods you want to live in. Many of the rental agencies post signs on the apartment buildings they’re renting, along with a number you can reach them out. Give them a call.
Step 2:Be persistent. If there is an apartment or house that you are really interested in but the rental agency won’t call you back, what do you do? You keep calling, making sure you leave messages that include your name, number, and the address of the place you’re interested in. Also, if they have an email address, feel free to contact them that way as well.
Step 3:Brainstorm a list of all questions you have before seeing the apartment. Some questions could be what utilities you have to pay and what they usually cost, what kind of people live in the building, or what is the application process is like and if you have to pay any additional fees. Making a list ensures that you won’t forget any important questions and that you’ll be prepared.
Step 4:Ask around about the landlord. Knowing a little background history on the type of landlord they are will go a long way. Yes they seem perfectly nice while showing you the apartment, but that can easily change once you need something fixed. This way there are no surprises and you can factor the information you find into your decision.
Step 5:Don’t be afraid to look for something better. If you truly do not want to live in any of the apartments you look at, keep searching. Remember that you are going to be paying to live there and if you are going to be absolutely miserable while staying there, don’t feel like you have to.