The Housing Hunt
My roommate and I have been on the housing hunt for several months now. It is more difficult than I originally thought. There are various decisions that need to be made. One was the location that we wanted. Kristin and I decided that being near campus would be beneficial. Therefore, we looked for places within walking distance to campus. However, these plays are generally more expensive and contain less (from furniture to amenities).
The location was important because we wanted to still feel a part of the campus. There are many options that include all furniture, cable/internet, washer/dryer, dishwasher and are new, but many of these places are not close to campus at all. Driving is fine (because we will probably have to anyway), but I like the option of riding a bike or walking to campus on a nice day. East campus has a lot of houses converted into apartments, and so far we have been driving around looking, writing down numbers and viewing various locations. Some property management companies charge an application fee to be turned in before a showing of the particular location. This is unfortunate, but many of those houses are owned through property management such as REMI, Callaghan and Galloway or 443 Stop and it is a necessary step if you want to go through a company.
Disappointment is part of the process. We fell in love with two different properties that fell through for one reason or another. I advise to like a place, but not to put so much energy and thought into living there until you sign the lease. We are still searching and may end up living on campus again next year. To avoid the hassle of searching, living on campus is easier. Food is provided and everything is within walking distance. This is especially valuable for first year students considering how many people you meet throughout the year. I know I have been very fortunate to live in the dorms this year.