Ah, fall – the best time of the year. Back to school time. Spooky season. You name it. But most importantly, it’s time to snag your apartment for next year. Most Cornellians rent an apartment off-campus after sophomore year due to lack of guaranteed housing options provided by the school. And if you’re like me, it can be pretty scary renting your first apartment. Why wouldn’t it be? It’s a major adulting task. Despite this, there is hope and I’ve learned many key things from my own (not-so) great rental experience in Collegetown:
1Decide how far you want your commute to be:
This is extremely important!!!!! I cannot stress this enough as your first step when you go apartment hunting. More often than not, really really cheap apartments are far from campus. If you don’t mind waking up early in order to live in an affordable place, you do you, but I need a place that is around 10 minutes walking distance which is why I chose to rent in Collegetown.
2Know the average rental prices:
Some college towns vary in price in terms of off-campus living. Ithaca rentals average up to $1100+. Knowing rental prices is crucial because it saves time beforehand when touring places. Also, it’s good knowing the average price because it allows you to create a budget of how much you will be able to spend on other living costs such as groceries and recreation.
3Talk to older friends:
The greatest help I had in my apartment search was probably speaking to my older friends about the process because they really guided me to great leasers and gave me peace of mind. For instance, I was scared that I was being robbed because the prices in Collegetown are extremely high but they told me this was the norm. They also spoke of their positive experiences with their landlords who I ultimately rented from.
4Tour, tour, and tour again:
I spent way too much time looking at apartments, often the same ones three or four times. You’re going to be living here for a year, make sure you like the space. And don’t forget to look into utilities! You want to be positive that you will be getting the biggest bang for your buck.
5TRUST YOUR GUT:
I fell in love with an apartment at first sight and it was listed at a great price, but the leaser felt like a fraud to me. This leaser also had very, very poor ratings on Google. I was going to go through with it anyways until I decided to tour another place. Now, I’m renting a bigger apartment in a better location for around the same price.
6Noise level:
Collegetown is annex central and if you can’t sleep with noise, look at apartments in this area that are off the beaten path and less crowded by parties. You can still live in Collegetown while making sure you get your beauty sleep. For instance, side streets off of College Ave and Stewart have apartments that are far enough from the party scene noise-wise, but close enough to enjoy Collegetown’s restaurants and recreation.
7APARTMENTS WILL GO FAST:
Some places rent out easily. You may feel heartbroken over it but don’t be dismayed. It just wasn’t meant to be. And remember, if you don’t want to rush, don’t, it’s a serious decision. An apartment I was considering leased quickly and it made me frustrated because I felt that my options were running out. However, I learned that was far from the truth.
Wherever you decide to live, enjoy it. The place you call home during your college years should be one you can truly rest in. Don’t rush through this either. You will find an apartment – no matter what.
