Online College Resources

From the staff of The Real College Guide

Sometimes, getting the job is only half the battle. After all, perfecting your resume and nailing a job interview is nothing compared to finding a place to live in a strange city. Unless you plan to crash in a sleeping bag under your desk, you’ll need alternative plans. So, we turn to Sandy Chan, a representative of New York University’s Off-campus Housing Office, for advice:

Summer Housing Tip No. 1: Be clear about budget and location. Chan implores students to begin by defining a clear budget for housing accommodations. Determining how much you’re able to spend in total (including rent, utilities, groceries, etc.) will make it easier to narrow down the perfect apartment (see “Sneaky Costs of Apartment Living ”). “One of the biggest mistakes students make,” explains Chan, “is not getting a sense of how far the commute will be.” Decide how far away you are willing to live from your work so you can start the search.

Summer Housing Tip No. 2: Reach out to acquaintances. Chan encourages anyone looking for a place to live to ask around among acquaintances first: “Post it as your status on Facebook or Twitter, saying that you’ll be moving to that area. Just keep asking around, and hopefully you’ll get in touch with someone connected to the area.” Usually, even a friend of a friend is more reliable than a random landlord or roommate. You might be quite surprised by how willing people are to help.

Summer Housing Tip No. 3: Solicit help from local colleges or universities. In conjunction with summer classes, most higher learning institutions also provide students with housing for these sessions. Yet, unlike the strict student-only housing policy of the regular school year, many institutions open up residence halls to anyone interested. NYU, for example, has housing available for anyone looking for a place to live. UCLA has living arrangements for folks with qualified internships in Los Angeles.

Summer Housing Tip No. 4: Visit the apartment before agreeing to rent it. “It would be best to designate at least a week to visit the city,” says Chan, “so you can physically see the apartments and get a feel for the neighborhoods.” Don’t let pictures of apartments be your only guide to renting one. If you can’t make it, then ask a friend or relative who lives near the area to check out the apartment and report back to you. Without somehow seeing an apartment first, there is no way to tell what it is really like.

Summer Housing Tip No. 5: Handle money transactions in person. Don’t wire money to a renter in advance, especially when it’s the first transfer of money. You should do it in person, and get a receipt. “A couple ‘vacationing’ in England tried getting me to wire over $100 for them to send me my keys and paperwork,” says NYU senior Lindsay Smith, “but I didn’t do it. It turns out that couple was trying to scam one of my other friends with the same line.” Sending money out to someone without any type of accountability can leave you broke. (And homeless.)

Summer Housing Tip No. 6: Find a responsible roommate. Getting a roommate to fork up half the rent can greatly reduce the financial burden. Just make sure both of your names are on the lease, since a co-tenant relationship makes both parties responsible for the apartment. If only your name is on the lease, there is no one else to hold accountable when your roommate doesn’t pay his share of the rent or when a giant hole appears in the wall next to the stove.

Summer Housing Tip No. 7: Go with your gut instinct. If the apartment seems too good to be true, then maybe it is. Unless you’re dealing with friends or family members, few people want to get you a “deal.” If you don’t like the way the renter treats you or if you just get a bad vibe, then walk away from the deal. There will always be other apartments, so there’s no need to jump into a situation that makes you feel uncomfortable. If, on the other hand, it feels right … well, make yourself at home!

Similar Posts:

• Housing Hunt: Fenway
• Housing Hunt: Fenway
• Governor Quinn proclaims September as Campus Fire Safety Month in Illinois – Focus on fire safety in college housing and 5th anniversary of the‘Look Up!’ smoke-alarm awareness program launched by mom of fire victim
• Alamo Colleges’ registration process fails some students
• Networking & Happy Hour in DC