Making that Move into Your First College Apartment

You may have been living in a dorm; you may be starting your first year of college and leaving your parents’ home. Whichever your case, you have decided that apartment living is the way you want to go. Making this move involves a lot of pre-thinking and decision-making, not to mention an accumulation of home goods and making the actual move.

Let’s unpack all of these mental and physical tasks in an organized way.

Getting that First College Apartment – Pre-Planning

The best piece of advice is to start early. Apartments can become scarce in a college town the closer you get to the fall opening. Finding one you like will be a process:

1. Start your search as the spring semester is winding down. Students graduating or transferring to another school have put in their notices to landlords, and landlords will be looking for new tenants.

2. Determine how much you can really afford to pay. This means you sit down and list all of your other monthly expenses. What is left is what you can afford. This will also determine whether you need to find a roommate or go it alone. If you are not talking this over with your parents, just remember that you must take utilities into account and internet and other costs (security deposit, possibly first and last months’ rent).

3. Drive the neighborhoods where apartments are coming available. Talk to other students in apartments and get their feedback on the neighborhood, landlord, costs, etc. If any of them live in a place or complex you might like, ask them to put in a good word for you with the landlord.

4. Make a list of what you really want in your first college apartment. For example, if you plan to live alone, is a studio with a full kitchen enough for you? Or do you want separate living and bedroom spaces? What do you need in the way of a kitchen? Dishwasher? Garbage disposal? Do you want an in-apartment or in-building laundry? If you don’t make a list, you’ll forget something and regret it later. You can divide your list into “needs” and “wants” before you go touring your options.

5. If there are multiple options as you are looking, tour as many as you can. If you look at several, make sure to write down what each one has that you like, as well as the negatives. You will need to make a solid comparison before you make a final decision and sign that lease. If a roommate is involved, both of you absolutely must go on these tours together.

6. Drive around the complex/neighborhood at different times of the day and night. Do there seem to be enough parking spaces? Does the whole complex seem like one big party house, especially on week nights? While you may be getting academic help from a writing service like TrustMyPaper, those folks cannot study for your tests. You do need some quiet study time during the week.

7. Have you thought about a house instead of an apartment? A lot of grad students spend their undergraduate years in a dorm but turn to a house rental with one or more of their fellow grad students. Usually, this is because they have to be far more serious about their studies now and need the quieter environment a house provides. They are looking not at just more challenging coursework but also preparing to teach if they have a graduate assistantship. Then, of course, there are those theses or dissertations they have to produce. While they may be using researchers and consultants from Supreme Dissertations, in the end, they must submit a major piece that can take up to 18 months to produce.

8. Be sure to consider the downside of a house too. You will be responsible for yard care and shoveling your own snow in the winter.

   Now, About That Application and Lease

   If this is your first college apartment, you may not know all that you must do to get in. Here is what to expect.

   The Application

   Be prepared to provide all sorts of documents, including:

9. Driver’s License
10. Social Security Number
11. Birthdate
12. Previous Addresses
13. Employment and/or proof of income
14. Car make, model, and license plate
15. Personal references

16. And have your deposit in hand – it will need to go in with the application (refundable if you are not approved).

    Landlords will run a background check on you and verify your employment/proof of income. They will also check your credit score/report. If you have any issues here, be honest and up-front about them with a good explanation.

    The Lease

    Landlords do not like apartments sitting empty during the summer months. Many will require a 12-month lease. Here are your options:

17. Sign the lease if you plan to attend school year-round. You’ll probably get a bit of a break on rent the longer your lease is for.
18. Negotiate for a lower rent during those summer months that you will not be there
19. See if the landlord allows you to sub-lease for the summer months. You can probably find one or two students who plan to attend during the summer, and they might like a break from dorm life. Just understand that you will be responsible for any damages, etc. If your landlord does not have a sub-lease agreement, get some legal advice before writing your own.

20. Read the entire lease agreement before you sign it. You need to understand all of the details:

21. If you break your lease, what are the penalties?
22. What are you responsible for in terms of interior/external maintenance and repair?
23. Which utilities are included in the rent and which are not?
24. What are the late fees?
25. Can you add roommates, and do they need to sign the lease too?
26. Can you operate a business from the apartment/home?
27. Is renter’s insurance required? Most landlords will make this a condition of the lease, and you will need to prove you have a policy.

28. This is just a partial list. If there is anything you don’t understand, ask.

    Most leases are read and signed online these days. You may be tempted just to check “I agree” to each provision, but do not until you read the details.

    The Move-In

    It’s moving day! Hopefully, you have thought about your furniture and other needs in advance and have all of that ready to go. If not, here’s a list of things to consider.

    Now, the question is this: Are you going to rent a trailer or truck for a DIY move or hire a reasonable mover to get this done most efficiently? Of course, the choice is yours, but consider the pros and cons of each as you make your plans.

    It’s a Big Event

    Getting your first college apartment involves lots of tasks, planning, challenges, and decisions. If you are new to apartment living, this article should provide a “checklist” of all you need to do. When in doubt of any kind, get some professional services from Billy.com. They can simplify some of your planning and moving tasks.

     

     Author Bio:

    Nicole Garrison is a content strategist, writer, and contributor at a number of platforms for marketing specialists. She is a dedicated and experienced author who pays particular attention to quality research. Moreover, she runs her own blog LiveInspiredMagazine.