Got Housing?

[mr.annoying]

hey everybody,

I was just wondering how many of you already have your housing situations settled. I'm definitely going to be moving in late July, but I've called a couple apartment complexes and they told me to call back in a couple weeks because it's supposedly too early to ask! I thought the earlier the better, but I guess not! How many of you are in my situation as well? Is it getting late or is it too early still?

I'm in a weird situation because I can't visit the place ahead of time, and just want to make arrangements via telephone and hopefully come there, check out the place and move in! Are any of you in similar situations? Please give me any advice you guys can! Thanks!

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[none]

On campus housing all the way! It's cheaper and closer with sweet ethernet connections.

 

[UCMonkey]

I'm in the same boat, but I've got a plan. I'm planning on moving in early August, and I'm taking a trip with my parents in mid-July to visit family in the area and find a place. I'm waiting until the end of June to start calling places, though, since the school will send out the list of people looking for roommates sometime in mid-June.

 

[Hoo\/er]

Instead of renting, I decided to purchase a townhome. You might want to look into this as my payments (with taxes and insurance) are cheaper than my rent was going to be! As a bonus, you can always rent your townhome after you get out of school and let it pay for itself.

Hoovah

 

[lake show]

except if something goes wrong in the house, water main leak, termites, clogged toilets, it's all up to you to fix it and pay for it. as a renter, you have the luxury of dumping it all on the landlord. obviously buying a place, if you can afford it, is a good way to go. just be sure to put in the time and energy to take care of it. that way, when you sell it, you won't be losing money on it...

 

[brickmanli]

I'll be going abroad next week and coming back during the end of July. Orientation starts August 14 at Dartmouth. Will I be in a pretty precarious position if I look for housing then?

 

[Ceez]

I'm in the same situation if I go to BU. I can't really go out to Boston midsummer looking at housing so I'm going to do everything by phone and then hopefully sign a lease when I move out.

 

[Angel_Eyes]

Does anyone know anything about married housing? Do they have that option at most medical schools for on-campus living? Can you live there if only one of you is attending??

 

[none]

Most schools that have on campus housing, have married on campus housing and almost always, just one of you needs to be a student. I'm surprised more people aren't utilizing on-campus housing...

 

[Ceez]

•••quote:•••Originally posted by none:
•Most schools that have on campus housing, have married on campus housing. I'm surprised more people aren't utilizing on-campus housing...•••••at BU it's expensive and very limited. i believe the situation is similar at other schools

 

[paean]

Housing really depends on the market of the area you are moving. Obviously, the longer you have to look, the better chance you have at getting a great, affordable, right next to campus place. But that said, there are places where you can find a decent, not too expensive, close enough place in a week or less (renter's markets, where there is a 5+% vacancy rate), and others (San Francisco, New York, Boston, DC, etc) where you will be lucky to find one in a month. Be wary about making a commitment over the phone. If you can, go, if not, try finding a roommate who is able to go check places out for the both of you. I am not taking my own advice, but waiting until the last minute (mid-July) to move, because I'm hoping on waitlists still, and don't want to move twice.

 

[UCMonkey]

•••quote:•••Originally posted by none:
•Most schools that have on campus housing, have married on campus housing and almost always, just one of you needs to be a student. I'm surprised more people aren't utilizing on-campus housing...•••••I've already got an entire apartment's worth of furniture. Besides, I don't think there's much in the way of on campus housing where I'm going.

 

[mr.annoying]

Lots of useful advice, thanks! I'm going to Wake Forest, and there's no on-campus housing... only a few apartments run by the school usually given to upper-classmen. I've spoken to a student there and he recommended the apt complex he lived in, which is relatively close to the school, very affordable, and has so far been the best looking place I've found over the internet... so I'll probably be giving them a call next week. Good luck to you all!

 

[Doctora Foxy]

So is it possible to secure housing over the phone? I know the exact apartment complex I want to live in (right next to the school), but is it weird to move in to an apartment you have never checked out before? I stayed in one during my interview...do you think I'll be ok just doing it over the phone? I can't really afford to get on a plane just to look for housing....and school starts in a little over a month!

Any ideas?

 

[paean]

I think that if you've seen the building, and are willing to run the risk that you move into an apartment that smells like:
1. mold
2. napthalene (moth balls, very toxic, takes years to air out)
3. cigarettes
then doing it over the phone is okay. If it's a newer building, you are mostly safe. I would either ask the person you stayed with if they would be willing to smell the place for you, or get a cancel clause in the lease you sign if the apartment is not as it was represented. Most management companies are good about visual problems (paint, floors) but smells can really be ignored in their haste to rent the place. Always better to see the place. you could call and ask if they have a place that will become vacant the week you plan to move, and put a holding deposit (usually 100-300, applied to the deposit if you move in, forfeit if you don't) which gives you the right to hold the apartment until the date you specify, so you can come look, and unless it's horrible, you got your apartment reserved. If it's really bad, better to forfeit the holding deposit than be stuck there.

 

[The Fly]

•••quote:•••Originally posted by paean:
• holding deposit (usually 100-300, applied to the deposit if you move in, forfeit if you don't) which gives you the right to hold the apartment until the date you specify•••••Depending on the city, it can be MUCH higher.

The deposit on my current boston apt. was a month's rent, $1425. When I moved in I had to pay $5700!!!!!!!!!! Security deposit, reality fee, and first/last months rent. Can you believe that???

If I would advice against renting a place without seeing it (and I do) I would STRONGLY advice AGAINST buying a place in a city you've never lived in. . . If the place isn't what you want or for some reason isn't convienent to school, you're screwed.

For some reason, people here seem to believe that buying a place is a really efficable solution when in reality it's a HUGE deal that a TON of thought should go into. And you should definitely have lived in that city for at least a year (if not more) before looking for a place to buy.

 

[Doctora Foxy]

*Bump*

I like this thread

 

[Assassin]

•••quote:•••Originally posted by brickmanli:
•I'll be going abroad next week and coming back during the end of July. Orientation starts August 14 at Dartmouth. Will I be in a pretty precarious position if I look for housing then?•••••this is funny, i only checked this thread cause i felt like complaining about just that: DMS housing <img border="0" alt="[Laughy]" title="" src="graemlins/laughy.gif" />
the number of available apartments in the upper valley is surprisingly small (there is a housing shortage of sorts and i was told that some people start looking in february to rent a place in june), the prices are shockingly high (in hanover itself they're downright unaffordable, so don't even think about living right next to the school), the condition of many places is atrocious (i only saw one apartment that didn't smell <img border="0" alt="[Laughy]" title="" src="graemlins/laughy.gif" /> ).
anyway, I wish you lots of luck and hope you have a better experience than me

 

[Ceez]

i'd start looking for housing if only i knew where i'm going to med school in the fall

 

[mr.annoying]

I called the apartment complex that I'm interested in (due to recommendations, location and pricing) and they just sent me an application via fax and I'll be sending it in along with other required items a week before I go out there. I'm just gonna stay in a motel for a night or so and check out the place first, then decide if I want to stay there. I think that sending in the application the week before will save time since they said it takes a business day to process, and I can also check out the place first before really deciding to move in. I called and they ensured me that they will have available apartments when I arrive. I'm not sure if this is a possible way of doing things in other cities, but I think it'll work fine for me. I agree with others that doing EVERYTHING over the phone may be risky, but doing some things over the phone or ahead of time without actually visiting may help.

 

[altaskier]

I too will be in a lot of hurt, just like brickmanli. And it seems (as Assassin says) that housing is very difficult near and around Dartmouth. I'm planning on flying out to Hanover the weekend after the 4th of July to look around.

 

[Trek]

Phew!!! Realtor just called and I just got a PHAT PHAT PHAT condo just south of my school!!! I'm off to the unclaimed furniture joint to get some ****!! --Trek

 

[paean]

•••quote:•••Originally posted by The Fly:
• •••quote:•••Originally posted by paean:
• holding deposit (usually 100-300, applied to the deposit if you move in, forfeit if you don't) which gives you the right to hold the apartment until the date you specify•••••Depending on the city, it can be MUCH higher.

The deposit on my current boston apt. was a month's rent, $1425. When I moved in I had to pay $5700!!!!!!!!!! Security deposit, reality fee, and first/last months rent. Can you believe that??? •••••A holding deposit is not the same as the deposit you pay when you move in. Similar name, but totally different purpose. Holding deposits are common in the Bay Area with the tight housing market, and often equal a few days rent. They allow you to hold the apartment for a day or two (sometimes three or four, but usually not) while you continue to look at other places, or your budget. That way you get first dibs on the apartment you saw and thought you liked, but needed a day or so to make sure was right for you, and the landlord gets paid for the extra day(s) it sits empty while you decide. Mostly they are an option with larger management companies.

 

[Doctora Foxy]

I'm getting housing

Sending in over $1,000 tomorrow to secure my apartment at CMS....here's to losing money and waitlist movement! Cheers! :wink:

No more optimism here!