It’s about that time again, when strangers are coming into your apartment, or you’re just looking to escape the dorm life. Whatever the case may be, searching for a well-fitting apartment is more tedious than students may think. For those who already have the perfect apartment, you have done the job right, but for those not pleased or soon-to-be on the hunt for a new place to stay, there are a few things to keep an eye out for.
1. I can hear you!
If you have ever lived in a place where the walls are thin, then listening to your friends playlist while you’re in the middle of studying for finals isn’t new to you. A quick fix is to possibly call the room farthest away from everyone.
2. Why is rent so high? Oh that’s right we live a block away from campus.
Depending on where you choose to live, the majority of the time, the closer you are to campus, the more expensive it is to live at that location. Going farther off campus isn’t always a bad choice. Safety is just as important, so be mindful that security won’t always be near every location.
3. What do you have to offer?
The apartment may look beautiful, but is there anything included? Be on the prowl for apartments that have basic necessities such as laundry and dryer, and if cable and WiFi are included, then you’ve just added to the pot of gold.
4. I am not a fan of pets
Yes I said it. I am not a fan of pets. In this situation, I mean rodents and insects. When you’re on the visit, be sure to ask about pest issues. You do not want to be scared with the death of three mice and have to dispose of them after a cooked meal. May their mice souls rest in peace.
With these various tips and pointers, just take into better consideration what you seek in an apartment. A few other things to look out for are: do you get good phone reception; are you located near a block notorious for parties; is the apartment the right size? In addition, be sure to ask questions, not only to those showcasing the apartment, but also to the people actually living there. If you can muster up the courage, get the contact information of those who live in the apartment that you have interest in During the showings, it may be a bit awkward asking current tennents what is wrong with the apartment in front of the person doing the showing. Have fun on this hunt!
Suggested websites:
http://offcampusphilly.com/
This guest blog post was written by PRowl staff member Joshua Ortiz.
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