Finding Off Campus Apartments That Work

Going to college is a great life altering experience that can leave you with lifelong friends and the ability to learn about yourself and all that you're capable of. However living in the college dorms is another story. Dorms can be crowded, loud and not very conducive to studying or privacy. For some students this is a great party atmosphere and a great way to instantly make friends but for other students dorm life is simply too distracting and the purpose of college is lost. Off campus apartments can be a viable solution for a wide cross range of students including older nontraditional students, students with families and students who don't like the communal atmosphere of dorm living.

If you are considering off campus apartments there are a few things you should be on the lookout for to make this endeavor a successful one starting with your budget. If you are on a tight budget, and most college students are, you want to find the area of off campus apartments that are economically priced with students in mind. A good place to start is by checking out the bulletin boards at your school and even just exploring the area within a few mile radiuses by foot or on your bike for rental signs.

Keep in mind if you are within walking or biking distance you may be able to pay more rent because your gas will be reduced. Also if you are able to find a willing roommate you can afford to get into something bigger and more expensive than you can swing on your own.

Once you find off campus apartments that you can afford you also want to make sure that they are secure. Take the time to walk the area around the apartments and look for indicators of possible neighborhood crime or problems. For example if you see a lot of graffiti or tagging that has not been painted over it could indicate the neighborhood has crime problems that are overwhelming the residence. When you do your neighborhood walk through is the area habitable and welcoming? Are the neighboring homes or apartments clean and kept up? Look for indicators or red flags of problems so you can avoid wishing you had paid better attention before you signed the lease.

If everything checks out the next question is your all-important lease. A lease is basically a guarantee that your rent can not go up and the expectations of your landlord can not change while you're under a contract. This is a good way to seal in a price that you can afford but it can also commit you to a long term stay and if you aren't happy down the road you are committed to completing the run on your lease.
So before you sign anything make sure you are prepared to make the commitment and that you have done your homework and research to ensure this is indeed the apartment for you.