2008 Woodie Awards
Be wary, wise while apartment hunting
Andrea Arriaga
Issue date: 2/25/08 Section: Life
With the diverse range of age among our student body, it's hard to say who is looking for their first apartment or rental space. Most typical college aged people are getting ready to move out on their own and really are clueless about finding a place. Unless someone has the income to support a mortgage, an apartment is the best option.
When looking for an apartment there are a lot of factors to include into the search, for instance, a pet. Not all apartments allow them, and those that do generally charge a fee.
Financially, one of the most important features is "included utilities." This means the owners have lumped together the cost of water, gas, trash pick-up, and sewage into the cost of rent. Sometimes not all utilities are bundled up. Electricity is almost always not a paid utility.
Laundry facilities are an important amenity to have. Most complexes have a facility on-site. This is convenient, although they are likely coin machines. Some units may have built-in washer/dryers. This is typical in townhouses.
With a first month's rent, a deposit is something that is usually required to be put down. This is just in case the lease is broken, or if there are damages. Some Web sites allow claiming rewards for browsing their site. This could be a deduction on the deposit or first month's rent that the owners have worked out with the Web site for advertising their property.
Unless someone's renting from their grandma, they are most likely going to have to sign a lease. There are variable lease terms that range from three months to a year. Breaking the lease means no deposit money back.
After that, picking an apartment is merely up to one's own preferences whether it's for aesthetics, or specific amenities such as air conditioning, a dishwasher, assigned parking, high speed internet, or if it's close to public transportation.
One of the most important things to consider would be if the space being rented offers emergency maintenance. If the toilet clogs in the middle of the night and starts to overflow, someone should be around to help fix it. Not all managers live in the area they rent out.
When looking for an apartment there are a lot of factors to include into the search, for instance, a pet. Not all apartments allow them, and those that do generally charge a fee.
Financially, one of the most important features is "included utilities." This means the owners have lumped together the cost of water, gas, trash pick-up, and sewage into the cost of rent. Sometimes not all utilities are bundled up. Electricity is almost always not a paid utility.
Laundry facilities are an important amenity to have. Most complexes have a facility on-site. This is convenient, although they are likely coin machines. Some units may have built-in washer/dryers. This is typical in townhouses.
With a first month's rent, a deposit is something that is usually required to be put down. This is just in case the lease is broken, or if there are damages. Some Web sites allow claiming rewards for browsing their site. This could be a deduction on the deposit or first month's rent that the owners have worked out with the Web site for advertising their property.
Unless someone's renting from their grandma, they are most likely going to have to sign a lease. There are variable lease terms that range from three months to a year. Breaking the lease means no deposit money back.
After that, picking an apartment is merely up to one's own preferences whether it's for aesthetics, or specific amenities such as air conditioning, a dishwasher, assigned parking, high speed internet, or if it's close to public transportation.
One of the most important things to consider would be if the space being rented offers emergency maintenance. If the toilet clogs in the middle of the night and starts to overflow, someone should be around to help fix it. Not all managers live in the area they rent out.
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