Renting Apartments without touring in person

[zNoodlez]

Hi guys

As you guys know, the pandemic is affecting all of us newly accepted medical students in one way or another. I am currently looking at apartments and most of them are offering virtual/facetime tour instead of in person. I will be an OOS student so it is very tempting to just sign the lease without having to fly there and look at it in person. Do you guys think it would be a good idea to do so?

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[deleted1005514]

I did...looked at pictures and did virtual tour online, used Facebook class group to ask a million questions about the area...this was last year, we lived too far away to make a trip just to apartment hunt. It worked out fine.

 

[Retro.viridae]

How are you guys doing this? I've talked to 3 apartments today. All 3 of them told me I can't use my financial aid as proof of income because that isn't disbursed until August. Classes start in July and I'm moving with my family in June. My school gave me a letter detailing the income I'll have but the apartments don't care. How are you guys qualifying for out of state apartments?

 

[Mimosas]

I looked at pictures online and did a virtual tour via Facetime. I found Facetime to be super helpful. I also looked up reviews on apartments if there were any. As for proof of income, I was never asked about this. The landlords told me they love med students so I had no problem.

 

[zNoodlez]

How are you guys doing this? I've talked to 3 apartments today. All 3 of them told me I can't use my financial aid as proof of income because that isn't disbursed until August. Classes start in July and I'm moving with my family in June. My school gave me a letter detailing the income I'll have but the apartments don't care. How are you guys qualifying for out of state apartments?

I told some of the landlords that I will be using student loans and a few asked for a co-signer, which I have no problem with.

 

[Retro.viridae]

I looked at pictures online and did a virtual tour via Facetime. I found Facetime to be super helpful. I also looked up reviews on apartments if there were any. As for proof of income, I was never asked about this. The landlords told me they love med students so I had no problem.

I told some of the landlords that I will be using student loans and a few asked for a co-signer, which I have no problem with.

Thanks for responding to me! Yeah I got a co-signer as well but quite a few of the apartments I've spoken to have said they don't allow co-signers. I don't know if that's just a Denver thing or I'm just having bad luck haha. C'est la vie.

 

[deleted1005514]

Thanks for responding to me! Yeah I got a co-signer as well but quite a few of the apartments I've spoken to have said they don't allow co-signers. I don't know if that's just a Denver thing or I'm just having bad luck haha. C'est la vie.

Have you asked on your med school class facebook page, or called the school and asked about housing arrangements? I'm sure someone has a list somewhere of housing where lots of medical students live, and those apartments probably have policies in place to deal with student loan income. I'm married so we used my husband's income, so I'm not much help in that department.

 

[Retro.viridae]

Have you asked on your med school class facebook page, or called the school and asked about housing arrangements? I'm sure someone has a list somewhere of housing where lots of medical students live, and those apartments probably have policies in place to deal with student loan income. I'm married so we used my husband's income, so I'm not much help in that department.

I actually thought of this after I posted here haha. That's been helpful!

 

[dial1010usa]

If you say school name here then lot of current students can help you or go on specific school thread in forum and ask there.

 

[deleted947265]

It's really depends, I would just schedule a bunch of tours on one day because you're going to be spending the next 4 years there. Moving is a pain and I wouldn't want to suffer through a bad lease in med school. If it were me I would take the day or two off of work to go down to look. If you find you don't like an apartment that were gonna go for, the expense of flying there pays for itself. The big issue is you can't feel things. If it's furnished stuff can be really cheap and unreliable but you can't tell unless you have really high quality pictures or are a furniture expert. The floors can be not solid so you will hear your upstairs neighbors. The doors can be flimsy. You get where I'm going.

I wouldn't sign unless you're buying the nicest apartment in town and there's literally no way it could go south, otherwise you really should just go. Also make it clear you're flying in to tour and are going to sign day of or next day.

 

[Belphegor]

It's really depends, I would just schedule a bunch of tours on one day because you're going to be spending the next 4 years there. Moving is a pain and I wouldn't want to suffer through a bad lease in med school. If it were me I would take the day or two off of work to go down to look. If you find you don't like an apartment that were gonna go for, the expense of flying there pays for itself. The big issue is you can't feel things. If it's furnished stuff can be really cheap and unreliable but you can't tell unless you have really high quality pictures or are a furniture expert. The floors can be not solid so you will hear your upstairs neighbors. The doors can be flimsy. You get where I'm going.

I wouldn't sign unless you're buying the nicest apartment in town and there's literally no way it could go south, otherwise you really should just go. Also make it clear you're flying in to tour and are going to sign day of or next day.

A lot of the places I am looking at have canceled all in-person tours and some even have their office closed to non-tenants. I actually don't think I saw one offering in-person tours at the moment, but most are offering facetime tours.

 

[deleted994889]

All virtual tours from what I've seen. I'm planning on at least checking out the outside of the house and surrounding area in person, though I am within driving distance.

 

[zNoodlez]

All virtual tours from what I've seen. I'm planning on at least checking out the outside of the house and surrounding area in person, though I am within driving distance.

It's times like this when I am eternally grateful for google map street view.

 

[openstage]

This is one of the advantages if you had stayed with a student host when interviewing. If it's on campus housing they are typically very similar from one apartment to the next.

 

[Gos81238ia]

Hi guys

As you guys know, the pandemic is affecting all of us newly accepted medical students in one way or another. I am currently looking at apartments and most of them are offering virtual/facetime tour instead of in person. I will be an OOS student so it is very tempting to just sign the lease without having to fly there and look at it in person. Do you guys think it would be a good idea to do so?

I have had 3 apartments that I signed for without ever seeing them in person outside of pandemic times due to moving between cities/countries. The first was terrible and I was fortunately able to get out of it and learn from the mistake - the mistake was I signed for it based on a few old pictures that absolutely did not reflect the current state of the apartment. The other two worked out great.

Definitely insist on a live, current video tour over any pictures or old videos. Make sure its the SAME unit you are moving into and not a "model unit". Make sure they show you every closet, corner, floor and ceiling. I find it helpful to see the place with furniture. If there's no furniture in the live video tour, maybe see if they have some old pictures with furniture so you can get a better idea of what size furniture will fit and if you're happy with that. Honestly in med school/residency location is almost the most important factor, so do your research on that. Often med students and residents tend to congregate and rent in the same buildings year after year so ask around and see where prior med students have lived because you'll know the place was OK. Finally, often departing 4th years may be looking to handover or get rid of their leases and may even have a facebook group or something set up. See if you can get in touch with a graduating student to see of someone can transfer over their lease to you.

If all else fails, plan to rent an air bnb for 2 weeks when you move in the fall and find an apartment late in the game. I have also done that strategy. Some schools even have dorms they can put you up in for cheap for a week or two if needed while looking for an apartment.

 

[Allosteopath]

I'm personally a bit hesitant on finding an apartment, with the concern that coursework might end up being online, and that the pandemic may interfere with many students who may be moving across the country.

I really don't know if what I'm thinking is a realistic concern or not, or if any medical schools have already moved the M1 curriculum online or not, but its one of my current worries.

 

[deleted1005514]

I'm personally a bit hesitant on finding an apartment, with the concern that coursework might end up being online, and that the pandemic may interfere with many students who may be moving across the country.

I really don't know if what I'm thinking is a realistic concern or not, or if any medical schools have already moved the M1 curriculum online or not, but its one of my current worries.

Even if coursework starts online, do you want to risk having to quickly pack, move and try to find living arrangements if everything opens back up suddenly during the fall semester, and they decide to resume in person labs, testing, PBLs, and other mandatory events? Never underestimate a school's ability to throw a kink in your plans and make you scramble to catch up.

 

[zNoodlez]

I'm personally a bit hesitant on finding an apartment, with the concern that coursework might end up being online, and that the pandemic may interfere with many students who may be moving across the country.

I really don't know if what I'm thinking is a realistic concern or not, or if any medical schools have already moved the M1 curriculum online or not, but its one of my current worries.

Definitely get on a lease, you never know if the dean just woke up one day and decided “I want to see all of my beloved students in person today”.