The add/drop deadline is not only a signal for us collegiettes to start buckling down and actually doing our readings, it also marks the beginning of the hunt for the perfect apartment. This process, though it starts mid-January, can last the entire semester. Case in point, my roommates and I only decided on our apartment at the end of March last year. This year, therefore, I enter the Montreal housing jungle with more knowledge on what to look for and what to run away from whilst apartment hunting. I’m no expert, but here are some dos and don’ts that might both help you in your search and help keep house hunting enjoyable, because by no means should your search for a nice place stress you out! (We have midterms for that kind of thing.)
1. DO sit down with your roommates create a list of attributes that your next place would need to have for each of you to live there (distance from McGill, public transport, shopping, privacy, etc.) It’s not worth seeing an apartment if it’s not going to work for everybody! Plus, once you have a list of necessities, it will be easier to compromise in areas that are less essential.
2. DO go see every apartment with ALL your roommates. This would have saved my roommates and myself so much time and effort. Having to go to a house twice just to nix it can be discouraging. Conversely, having to wait for everybody to see an apartment you like can be just as nerve-racking–good places go quickly here in Montreal. Save yourselves the trouble and go together, it might seem inconvenient at first but it will save the hassle later on.
3. DO try and visit your potential future home on a cloudy day (or at night) as well as seeing it in sunshine (or daytime.) Seeing the apartment at different times of the day with different amounts of light can help you discern whether living there will sometimes feel like living in a cave. If that were the case, I would say no to an apartment–unless living in a cave is your sort of thing.
4. DON’T underestimate the convenience of having your hydro included in your rent. This is something I will for sure be looking for in my apartment hunt this semester! Just the thought of not having to pay the Hydro bill every other month makes me smile.
5. DON’T feel pressured by pushy landlords. Yes, “the house is perfect for students,” and yes, “the floors/cabinets/bedrooms have just been redone,” and yes they want you to sign the lease: landlords always make their apartments sound like the alpha and omega of student housing. It’s part of their job; so don’t let it worry you too much, even as they ‘subtly’ remind you how many other keen students are looking at the apartment. If you love the place, go ahead and sign your lease, but remember that an annoying or terrifying landlord comes with the keys to your future home.
6. DON’T forget to factor in furniture! If your parents have an attic filled with old couches, bed frames, side tables, and lamps, feel free to go ahead and look at empty apartments! Montreal is also a great place to find cool and cheap vintage furniture, but furnishing an apartment can quickly become expensive. If you have neither an ample supply of free furniture lying around, nor time to shop around, definitely consider the convenience of a furnished apartment.
7. DO ask a million questions! Emulate the super keener who sits at the front of your 8:30 lecture! Ask about the neighborhood, your potential neighbors, the Internet, the grocery stores and deps nearby, the landlords feelings towards parties, etc. Asking all your questions up front will give you as much information as possible, making your decision on your new home (hopefully) easier.
Images obtained from:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/austliadon/6236362730/in/photolist-av5Znm, http://www.flickr.com/photos/oxfordresidential/4995586357/in/photolist-p…, and http://www.flickr.com/photos/rh_photographic_art/12007951036/in/photolis…