No one can stay in the dorms forever (and with communal bathrooms, who really wants to?) At some point during these four fabulous years, everyone is likely going to be faced with the same question: where am I going to live next year? The planners of the world probably had their living situations figured out back in August, but if you are not quite as on top of the search, here are a few tips to make your last-minute leasing hunt as stress-free as possible.
1. Hit up your friends, your friends’ friends and Google. Even in November, there are still plenty of available apartments just sitting out there, waiting for you to stumble upon them. To do the stumbling, however, you need to put the word out that you’re looking. Google is good for finding studios or whole apartments left open, but if you’re looking to be part of a three/four bedroom it’s time to use your network. See if your friends need an extra roommate or if they know anyone that does. The chances are pretty high that someone you know will have an extra room that needs to be filled. You never know until you ask!
2. Check reviews for leasing companies. Check more than Yelp, too. Sometimes an apartment looks great and falls way under your budget, but then the leasing company will tack on a bunch of extra fees and fines that drive the actual cost way up. A company’s reviews will usually give you a good idea of how they treat their tenants and what kind of responses you can expect once you’ve signed the lease. No place will have a spotless record, but look for trends in the reviews and figure out what you can live with (literally).
3. Make a realistic budget. If you have a part-time job, how much do you usually take home each month? Are your parents going to be chipping in at all? Are they covering the whole thing? What is your backup plan if you don’t come up with enough money in the month? How much will utilities add to the apartment’s sticker price? These are all important questions to consider as you’re comparing potential places to live. After all, how responsible you are with paying rent now will affect your credit score later in life (and your parents’ score if they co-signed the lease with you). It’s much better to know now how much you’ll be able to realistically come up with every month, rather than getting your heart set on an apartment $700 out of your price range.
4. Have a checklist with needs, wants and extras. There’s a difference between needing high ceilings and wanting ceilings. Maybe you need a place that is pet-friendly so you can bring your kitten to campus next year, or you need somewhere that costs less than $650 a month. Wants are things like such as being less than a mile from the quad, central air or new appliances. This is easiest to do if you make a spreadsheet–that way you can make sure each apartment you’re considering meets your criteria.
5. Book an apartment showing ASAP. Never ever try to sign a lease for a place you haven’t seen. More than that, make sure you see the place you’re actually going to be renting and not just the nicest unit in the building. Don’t be afraid to ask a million questions, like which utilities are included and which you’re responsible for setting up, how long maintenance requests take to be filled or what kind of heat is used. Here is a handy checklist that you can print out and bring with you to showings so you don’t miss any important information.
6. Get excited! It’s definitely a stressful process but in the end you’re going to have a place to call home. Even if your apartment comes furnished you’re going to want pots, pans, dishes, lamps, pillows and whatever else will make your new home comfier. This is the fun part! Decorating doesn’t have to be expensive and it gives you the chance for a fresh start. Once the lease is signed, the fun really begins.
Photos courtesy of: Jackpot Records, West Hills