With the holidays just around the corner, it’s one of the most wonderful—and daunting—times of the year. Even though it feels like we’ve just settled in, it’s already time to start the apartment search for next year. Whether you’ve spent the last 3 months in a 4 foot dorm room, or you’re familiar with apartment living, here’s a guide to making the search as simple as possible…and hey, at least you’re not apartment hunting in NYC!
- Decide Who You’re Living With
Knowing who your future roomies are makes the search much easier. Do you want to save money and cram 8 roommates into a 3-bedroom apartment and risk finding 2-month-old half eaten Doba burritos stuffed in the crisping drawer every weekend? Or, would you rather exile yourself to your own Hello Kitty-themed bedroom complete with a mini fridge to satisfy your diet coke addiction? The choice is yours!
- Establish Your Price Range
Before you schedule apartment showings, do research beforehand about what price per month everyone is willing to pay. I’ve definitely fallen in love with some apartments I toured, only to find that they were WAY over the amount my job as a rice scooper at Doba until 4 am could fund.
- Schedule a Showing
A lot of people sign for their next apartment because:
- They had a great time there when they walked into that one really fun highlighter party with the cool basement freshman year.
- Their friends live there.
- It’s in close proximity to Doba.
Regardless of your reason, actually seeing the apartment sober can affect your decision.
- Location, Location, Location
Madison has numerous apartments available, so narrowing your search down to one particular area will make things much easier. There are a few distinct parts to downtown Madison; each has its own advantages.
Langdon Street Area: Is your typical Friday spent wandering up and down Langdon, chips and guac in hand, after whatever Caribbean-themed party the frat of the night was throwing? Then this is the area for you. Whether or not you’re involved in Greek life, the Langdon area has a lot of picturesque apartments situated between the sororities and fraternities or right on the lake.
Bonus: 3rd floor College Library and the Terrace are short walks away.
College Court: Also known as the “sophomore slums”, the College Court area is located farther from the downtown area, but is a closer walk to classes. The area has a variety of houses and apartment complexes to choose from and a whole going out scene of its own…(Don’t worry, the court is big enough to hold all 1500 of your Facebook friends.)
Bonus: McDonalds and Doba are just steps away, for those late night cravings.
University Ave/Gorham & State Street: Do you often find yourself going to pregames in the Embassy, Aberdeen, La Ville, Equinox and 420, without actually making it to bars? This area is a bit farther from classes, but offers more of a city feel, with a variety of newer high-rise apartments.
Bonus: Dominoes, Papa Johns, Ian’s, Pizza Di Roma and Doba are all SO CLOSE.
Camp Randall OR Mifflin/Dayton Area: These locations are on opposite sides of Madison, but have similar advantages. If you want to throw a party with 600 of your closest acquaintances and friends-of-friends, in a big house with a balcony that could potentially cave in at any moment, one of these areas is the place for you. Although both are slightly farther from downtown and classes, it may be worth it for those three months of Badger football or Mifflin weekend.
5. Closing the Deal
Once you’ve found the perfect place for you, the last thing to do is sign…and hope you’ll still like it when you have to move in 9 months later!
If you hate Doba and this article didn’t help, here are some sites to get your search started: