For most college students their first house or apartment will be more than just somewhere to lay their head. It's where they will make life-long friends, study their butts off, and branch out to find their inner self. It's a wonderful experience, but it can be scary, too.
Read on, for our 5 amazing tips to ensure that you're first rental experience is a memorable one.... in a good way :)
Wishtan HomeServices' "Top 5 Tips"
1.) Rent from a Highly Rated Company
Reviews don't lie, if you find the house on Zillow, Trulia, Apartments.com or another online source - check out the company that is managing the property. If they've done a bad job, chances are someone has written a review.
They don't need to have a ton of reviews, but they should be mostly good. Check to see if the owner has responded to any negative reviews - if they haven't even bothered, neither should you!
2. Location
Unless you're living alone or with one other roommate in some cities you must live near the university. I know, you're probably questioning why you "must" live near campus.
Some cities have strict property zoning laws, requiring that any house that has two or more unrelated people living together be located in the "multifamily zone." Houses that are rented to multiple people outside of this zone are at risk of being evicted.
Best bet, stick within the zone.
Additionally there are a few more things to keep an eye out for:
1.) Location of bus stops, if needed.
hint* not all bus stops are on the same route, some run at different hours and transit times differ. Check bus schedules here for WIU.
2.) Neighborhoods:
Some locations are, in a nice way, not as pretty as others. Drive down the street of your potential rental house and look at nearby houses. Rundown houses almost always attract problem residents, and in this case, those could be your neighbors. Bonus* drive by at night to really find out what kind of area you are dealing with.
- Parents: if you're helping in the search and can't physically be in the area, try using Google Maps' street view to virtually peruse the neighborhood.
3. Safety
Safety is something that is often overlooked when choosing a house or apartment for rent, but is something that should be looked at with a proactive approach.
1.) Security Cameras:
Statistics show that a properly placed security camera can reduce crime by over 50%. In addition, modern cameras have the ability to stream live feed footage through users smart phones, giving them the ability to check the exterior of the home before answering the door or leaving at night.
- Parents: If you are a co-signer on the lease or have your child's permission, you can have the same live stream access that allows you to check up on the outside of the residence at your discretion.
Some cameras also feature two-way audio, night vision, and auto detection alert capabilities.
2.) Security Lighting:
Security lighting offers the first line of defense for any intruder. Look for properties that have motion-detected lighting installed. Key areas are transition areas from driveways to entrance doors and areas behind the house or apartment.
3.) Door and Window Locks:
The least glamorous of the security measures but arguably the most important. While the other security features could potentially stop an intruder from entering the premises, a dead-bolted door will physically stop them from entering. Check all of the doors entering the property to ensure they are in good working condition and have functioning deadbolt locks. In addition, check to make sure that all of the windows have locking capabilities and that they are functional.
4.) Other Hazards
There are several other important safety concerns to be on the lookout for when viewing the interior of a prospective rental including fire, carbon monoxide, electrical shock, and several other hazards that cannot fit inside this article. For more information about these concerns, check out the Macomb, IL rental inspection list.
4. Best Friends Forever
Sharing an apartment or house with one or several of your best friends could be the highlight of your entire college experience! - or it could not.
It's all in the prep work, setting boundaries, and getting on the same page.
FYI: If you're having trouble finding an extra roommate there are several resources out there for you. Try searching on roommates.com ; Facebook groups; roomiapp.com; ask friends of friends; or post some flyers around campus.
Please take this advice - an ounce of prevention here can save a ton of headache.
Have a Roommate Meeting
In most cases you won't know exactly how clean someone lives or their living habits until you're already moved in together. Sometime during that first week of move-in, after the chaos has settled down, find a time to sit down with your roommates and write down the following plan:
1.) How will the bills be paid?
In most cases all of the roommates will be "jointly and severally liable" for each other. This means that if John doesn't pay his rent - his roommates: Kyle, Jason, and Tim are on the hook for the full balance with the landlord. If the rent must be paid by one person, choose the most responsible person in your group. Settle how everyone will pay this person (cash, an app, check, etc.) and on what day each month. Don't forget to include the same schedule for how the utilities and other housing bills will be split.
Some companies, like Wishtan HomeServices, have property management software through a convenient app that allows tenants to pay all of their bills online separately, allowing each roommate to see the remaining balance.
2.) Create a Chore Schedule
In a perfect world, everyone would clean up their own mess and you would never have to worry about a messy home. This is not a perfect world and you could soon find out that your 4.0 GPA roommate doesn't even know how to operate a vacuum.
Outline on a whiteboard or large calendar who is to do which chores on each day. Place the chore chart in an area that is in plain view, so that it cannot be missed. Having this extra accountability will save you from having any resentment of being the one who always has to clean up house.
3.) Groceries, Toiletries, Furnishings
While some things such as your deodorant, body wash, secret stash of chocolate, and other personal items will be typically purchased alone. Several items such as toilet paper, dish soap, cleaning supplies, and others will be shared across the whole house.
Groceries and Toiletries
There are several approaches you could take here, but ultimately it's what works best for everyone. We suggest keeping receipts of everything for a month that is shared between the whole house. Take the receipts, total them up, and split it between the # of roommates you have.
Furnishings
Furnishings can include the chairs, couches, decorations, appliances (microwave, toaster, etc.), cookware, cleaning supplies (vacuum, mop, etc.), and other items typically needed for the average house. In most cases, it's best for all roommates to decide together on an affordable option and split the price evenly. Don't forget to outline who gets to keep what after the lease is over - this could change how much each person pays towards the item.
- In General: Be fair, respect your roommates, and let them know when something is bothering you before it gets out of hand. You may not need to have formal meetings to adjust certain aspects of your plan, but you should communicate when something doesn't feel right.
5. Soak Up Every Moment
It's easy to get caught up in all of the work of finding the perfect place and become stressed-out. Take a breath, and remember - it will end soon.
Once you've found the perfect place, your expectations are set, and you're all settled in - let the FUN begin, don't wait - the moments will fly by.
Express yourself with wild art, host social gatherings, sleep in and stay up all night, go on crazy road-trips... experience everything and don't be afraid to step outside your comfort zone - it's the only way you'll truly find yourself.
Last Note*
Please respect the place that you live. Some companies are trying very hard to ensure that students have a wonderful place to call home while studying. If you respect their house, they'll respect your privacy and the whole transaction will work seamlessly. Some companies even offer incentives such as free gift cards and cupcakes :)
For more information about renting while attending college, check out the web page for Wishtan HomeServices