Are you looking for a place to live off-campus, but have no idea where to begin? You’re excited to be more on your own, but also dreading the whole process because you’ve never done it before. You might have help from parents, grandparents or friends, but could also be doing it alone, which is great! We agree that it can be scary and daunting, that’s why we at Comb’s Properties compiled a list that we recommend you check out while looking for a place to live.

 

Safety

Choosing a place to live that is safe is of the utmost importance when searching for a place you’re going to live for at least a year. Talk to students who are older than you to see where they live. The office of student life at your University should have information for you also. Last but not least do research on the Internet. CrimeReports is a great resource for you to figure out which places are safe and which aren’t. This tool helps residents or potential residents see where crime is happening in their neighborhood.

 

Signing a Lease

Be careful when signing a lease. This is not something to take lightly. Many students simply sign a lease without looking the document over or asking questions about it. If you aren’t sure about something get your parents, a lawyer, someone you trusts’ opinion and if everything looks good, then sign it. A lot of landlords can take advantage of you because you are young and have not done this before.

 

Roommates

Roommates are great because they enable you to live cheaper and if you are living with friends that could be a lot of fun. However it’s important to have open communication between everyone or things could get a little rough. For instance taking about cleaning, paying rent, and sharing central living spaces beforehand could help you out in the long run. Coming up with a set of house rules and enforcing them would be the best way to go about this.

 

This is a very short list of items to consider when looking for a place to live off campus and there is obviously a lot to think about. We do this every day and have a lot of experience with it. If you have any questions, reach out to us! We are happy to help and we might have a property that you just might be interested in.