Photo via Naypong / Freedigitalphotos.net
One of the biggest steps toward becoming an independent and self-sufficient adult is living on your own. For many people, that begins when they choose to live off-campus during college. There are definitely many benefits to living in an apartment throughout your college years. With an apartment, you can enjoy more privacy, and you have the freedom to choose your own roommates. But like choosing your roommates, choosing an apartment is not a decision to take lightly.
Before the apartment search even begins, determining a budget is a must. Surviving College Life suggests sitting down with perspective roommates to talk about funds and determine how much can be put towards rent and utilities each month. Then, you can start talking about how many bedrooms and bathrooms you’ll need.
Next, discuss the types of features and amenities you’d like to have in your college home away from home. Do you want to live within walking distance of your college? How far of a daily commute would you be willing to make? Will you need a washer and dryer in your apartment? Is a dishwasher a necessity? Writing these items down and then ranking them in order of importance will help you narrow down the properties you want to visit later. Just keep in mind this piece of advice: “Be willing to make compromises . . . You only have to find an apartment that will serve your needs as a student.”
Now it’s time to start looking at the options available that meet your criteria. It’s important to look at multiple locations and to take tours of the ones you are really interested in. While you’re touring the properties, be sure to ask lots of questions. For example, ask if the rent is all inclusive, or if there are separate fees for water, internet, cable, etc. What is the price of the security deposit? How much will you have to pay upfront? Without this information, you could wind up facing unexpected expenses, or you could find yourself locked in a lease that was not right for you.
After you’ve explored some properties and collected information on the ones you are most interested in, it’s time to compare the options you’ve narrowed your search down to and choose the best one. But before you sign a lease, Campus Explorer suggests that you read the lease all the way through so that you are “aware of everything the management company must provide you with as a paying tenant of their property.”
Are you ready to find your college home for the 2013-2014 school year? You’re already at a great place to start! TriBridge Residential has several properties that are very close to colleges and universities throughout the South. Additionally, some of our properties offer “lease-by-the-bed” options, which means that you only have to worry about your share of rent.
If you’re interested in attending school in Orlando, such as the University of Central Florida (UCF) or Valencia College, then our Orion On Orpington community could be perfect for you!
TriBridge’s Orion on Orpington is one of our properties offering “lease by the bed” options.
Or if you’re interested in attending school in Raleigh, North Carolina, our Campus Edge community, which has one, two, and three bedroom floor plans is near North Carolina State University and Meredith College.
Whether you’re in school or not, TriBridge has options for all stages of life. Visit our website to check out all of our properties!
