One part of growing up in college is trying to find off-campus housing. Whether you're an upperclassman who finally is allowed out of the dorms or someone who is commuting to college in their early years, beginning the search for off-campus housing can be long and tedious. It's especially difficult if it's something you don't have a lot of experience in or if you aren't really sure who to live with. You don't really know what a good deal is, or if you want an apartment versus a house, and more. It's all a difficult process so here's some help.
1. Decide if you know who you're with
It's a lot easier to have others who can help you through the process. Sometimes they have certain requirements that you may not have thought of, like they want the utilities to be included in the overall rent instead of having to pay for it separately. Knowing what other people want can narrow down the search, but it also makes it a lot less overwhelming and can help you decide what you're looking for as well. Plus, knowing the number of roommates you'll have will help you look for a house with that many bedrooms accordingly and take the overall stress off your shoulders to find roommates.
2. Check out local realtors
In college towns there are a lot of real estate companies that have plenty of listings available for college students.
3. Check out Facebook pages
There's always Class Of pages on Facebook for your specific university where people are searching for new roommates or a place to live themselves. Typically they already have the place to stay, but need someone to fill the lease spot, so that makes it even easier on you. However, if you just want to know what apartment complexes exist, there could be some hints there as well to get you started by looking at what others have.
4. Google
Honestly google is your best friend. For example, google "apartment complexes in Athens, Ohio" or "rental housing in Athens, Ohio".
- Overall, just try to talk with friends and family to find housing off-campus. As long as you're looking in the right places you will have no issues finding properties. You will probably find a lot more than you bargained for and will need to narrow the search down. Once you know all of your preferences it'll be much easier to find what you want. Consider the commute to campus, utilities, rent prices, all accommodations included, and more. These places are probably your best options for finding good housing to get you through the year.
