subject: 3 Must Have Qualities In Good University Apartment [print this page] When you look for your first university apartment to live in while you spend months and years studying may be a bit overwhelming, but after deciding exactly what you're looking for in an apartment, the entire process becomes a lot easier.
Here are three points that every great apartment for students will have in common.
1. Walking Distance
After retiring, you want a residence that's peaceful and quiet. If you win the lottery, you want a beachside cottage. However, when you're a student, you want a home you don't have to spend a lot of money and one that's close to school so you don't spend money on gas. Getting a home on campus is great, but if that's not a realistic option, the question is whether you can walk or bike to the university in 15 minutes or less. Any longer than that and going to class and coming back is going to be a tremendous hassle and it's going to interfere with your life, always nagging at you on those mornings when you're wondering if you should just sleep in today.
2. Affordability
Trying to live independently as a student is difficult. As expensive as college is already, you've probably borrowed more money from parents or taken out more financial aid loans than you're happy with which means having an affordable apartment is extremely important. It really is better to have a comfortable studio or one room that you can afford than it is to have a lush, luxurious two room that has you borrowing money to make rent. That said, a bigger apartment can actually be much cheaper in the long run if you bring in a roommate. Keep in mind the same criteria you use to find that great apartment is going to be important for any roommates you find as well.
3. A Decent Neighborhood
Living in a cheap university apartment in a bad neighborhood isn't worth the money you save by doing so. A criminal breaking into your home and stealing your laptop or items in or on your vehicle is ultimately going to cost you more money than you were able to keep in your pocket by renting such a cheap place. Luckily, it's not difficult at all to find renters who offer great deals for students attending college.
Any other qualifications you're looking for are generally a little more flexible. These three points are for anyone looking for great apartment for students. You might want an apartment downtown or you might want to prioritize being able to rent your own apartment without bringing in roommates, but without affordable rent, and a good neighborhood that's close to your school, you're not going to like your new place as much as you could.
