It’s getting around that time of year where people in your residence may be starting to talk about moving off of campus and into a house for next year. Maybe you have roommates lined up, maybe you’ve already started the search – either way, here are a couple things that may help you if you are new to the whole process!
Start looking early.
If you haven’t started looking for housing by now, it would probably be best to start ASAP, even if it doesn’t feel urgent. It takes a lot of stress off of the job and you won’t feel as tempted to jump on the first house you see.
Dress up when you take tours.
First impressions go a long way, so don’t wear your sweats when taking your house tours, regardless of how tempting it might be. Obviously, you don’t have to wear something fancy, but it’s best to look presentable to make a good impression. Landlords want to rent a house to someone reliable, so it’s good to look the part.
Keep an eye on bus routes.
Accessibility to the school plays a HUGE role in my decision making when it comes to renting a house. I saw a house with my roommates this year that was nice, affordable and had a great landlord, but was a kilometer walk from the nearest bus stop – I can barely find the strength to walk around the corner to the bus stop at the place I’m at now, so I have the feeling I would probably skip a lot more class if I were that far from the bus stop.
Make sure you have the right roommates.
These are people that you’re going to be living with for at least the next year, so it’s better to find out if you’re going to be a good fit sooner rather than later. If you’re going to be moving in with friends, great (however, do remember that you’ll be living with them, and even if you love them you may not love their cleaning habits!) and if you’re looking for roommates don’t be afraid to reach out to numerous people until you find ones you mesh well with.
Don’t freak out.
Houses can get put up and taken down fairly quickly, as lots of people are looking for houses around this time. You’re going to find something eventually, so don’t panic if you haven’t found anything after even a couple weeks of searching. Be sure to check different sites such as The Cannon, Places4Students, and even Kijiji!
Looking for a house can be stressful, but it doesn’t exactly have to be. It’s another exciting step towards independence in your life and is just a lot of fun! Try not to settle and find a place you can see yourself in for the next couple years – it’s a lot more convenient than moving to a new place every year!