The Apartment Search
Presenter: Kim Araya
•
Assignment
• Expenses
• Questions to ask before renting
• Frequently asked questions regarding off-campus
housing
• Frequently asked questions regarding Internet
access on and off campus
The
process of finding an apartment takes time, and students should approach
it as they would an important exam. They should do their homework
in advance, study all the information they can find, and be prepared
for some difficult questions. The following assignment is good preparation
for you to work through with your student.
Assignment
- First identify your
priorities regarding housing. Decide
how much you want to spend, whether you want to share, how close
to campus you want to live, and what type of unit you would like.
What's important to you? What could you live with or without?
How many people can you comfortably live with?
- Become familiar with
landlord-tenant rights and responsibilities. Landlord-tenant
laws vary by state and market. Learn the basics that apply to
Minneapolis and St. Paul. The information can be accessed from
the off-campus
housing Web site or at www.ag.state.mn.us.
- Review listings from
landlords who have vacancies and from students who need to sublet
or find roommates. The Off-Campus Housing
Web site is a great way to find out what's available around the
university. There is also a list of some of the larger management
companies in the area that may have openings. The Web site is
updated every day, and listings expire after two weeks unless
the owner/manager calls us to renew. The Web site also lists student
roommates and sublets. Check it out at www.umn.edu/housing/offcampus/.
- If you have specific
questions or concerns related to your housing search, call
the
Housing and Residential Life office at 612-624-2994 or e-mail
at rentals@umn.edu.
You can also visit the off-campus housing Web site.
We are here to help you!
- The next step is to
phone or visit landlords, property owners, or students who are
advertising units of potential interest to you. Ask
lots of questions, and if the unit still sounds as though it might
meet your needs, arrange a visit. Typically the landlord/manager
will meet you there at a mutually convenient time, or may invite
you to tour yourself. Look at rentals WITH your future roommate(s).
A basement apartment might be agreeable for you but not your roommates(s).
Depending upon your interest level and the landlord's
policy, you may be offered an application for tenancy at this point.
Before you complete and return it make certain you understand what
obligations the document places on you and on the landlord. And before
you submit a deposit and/or application fee, find out what might happen
to it if: the landlord doesn't accept you as a tenant; you decided
not to take the unit; or you do ultimately sign a lease for it.
Portions used with permission from the
University of Michigan
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Expenses
The cost of living
chart provides an estimate of off-campus housing expenses.
Also provided is a comparison chart
noting expenses for both university-managed apartments and non-university
housing. Other expenses related to living off-campus
in non-university housing:
Security deposit is required
Fees may be charged for a background and/or
credit check
In order to be eligible student may need to
meet income and reference requirements
Parents may need to co-sign lease
Most leases are 9 or 12 months; very little
opportunity to break lease if necessary Questions
to Ask Before Renting
Rent—How much?
When is it due? What is the starting date?
Deposit—How much? How will it be used?
How and when is it refunded?
Damages—Who pays for breakage or other
damages over and above normal wear and tear? Is it an individual
responsibility or shared by all occupants?
Subletting—Is it permitted? What is the
procedure?
Roommates—Do all roommates sign the lease?
Are roommates responsible for only a portion of the rent? If someone
moves out, must the remaining roommates make up the difference?
Alterations—May the unit be altered, such
as by painting? Can you hang pictures on the wall? If so, what methods
are acceptable?
Laundry facilities—Are they available,
and are there any restrictions?
Noise restrictions—For musical instruments,
stereo, TV, or social events?
Inspection by landlord—When may the landlord
enter your unit? How much notice must be given?
Parking—Is it available? Is it included
in the rent, or is it an added charge?
Pets—Are pets allowed? Is there an added
charge for having a pet?
Utilities—What utilities are included
in the rent? How much is the installation fee for those not included?
What are the billing and payment procedures?
Back to the top
Frequently Asked Questions
Regarding Off-Campus Housing
How long will it take to find housing?
Generally a week of concentrated searching is
needed when selection is limited. We suggest starting in mid-June
to find housing for September. You may even want to start earlier
as more landlords are requiring 90-120 days notice.
What's a safe area around campus?
Minneapolis and St. Paul experience slightly
less crime than would be statistically expected for cities of their
size. The crimes that occur are generally evenly spread throughout
the city. In that regard, the safety of particular neighborhoods
is not a helpful consideration in deciding where to live.
All students are encouraged to take advantage of
the free Escort
Service
that the University of Minnesota's Police Department provides.
The phone number is 612-624-WALK (9255). Escorts are available
24
hours a day, 7 days a week.
What should I expect for move-in expenses?
Landlords may legally collect the first month's
rent in advance, and, in addition, a security deposit equal to or
less than one month's rent when the lease is signed. Some landlords
also charge a non-refundable cleaning fee, usually $50-$150 depending
on the size of the unit. In addition, students may need to pay a
deposit on utilities.
During the first month or so in an apartment, students
discover a lot of unanticipated needs. Furnishing an apartment,
making adjustments based on the layout of the rooms, and identifying
all those missing items results in higher than anticipated costs.
Allow extra miscellaneous expenses during the first month.
Should I get renter's insurance?
We strongly recommend purchasing renter's insurance.
Landlord's property insurance does not cover a tenant's personal property.
If you cannot afford to replace belongings that are damaged, lost,
or stolen, renter's insurance is a must.
The least expensive policies are those that
can be added to a car insurance policy or that can be added to parents'
insurance. If these alternatives are not available, personal property
insurance is available from many insurance agencies. Consult the yellow
pages of the phone book or the World Wide Web for insurance agents.
What will food cost?
Grocery shopping and cooking are definitely the
least expensive way to go. Many students find roommates with similar
tastes in food and enjoy preparing and sharing meals. Overall, a good
estimate for monthly food costs per person if you plan and shop carefully
is $275. Again, though, the first month is the most expensive as cupboards
need to be stocked with all the basic ingredients.
What to discuss with roommates
In any living situation, it helps to talk about
problems before they arise. When students are establishing a financial
arrangement in addition to a living arrangement, it's even more important.
Students need to have discussions about the following:
For some utilities, a single name may be required
as the responsible party. Whose name will go on the bill, and how
will bills be paid?
Will there be more than one phone line? How will phone/computer
priorities be set?
Often bedrooms are not the same size or closet space
may vary from room to room. Who will get which room? If three people
are living in a two-bedroom apartment, will roommates exchange rooms
at some point during the year?
In many cases, only one parking space is provided
for each apartment. If more than one roommate has a car, who will
get the space?
If only one roommate has a car, what responsibilities
will he or she have for transporting roommates? For trips to the
store? Will other roommates have access to the car?
Will roommates share groceries and other household
goods? How will they determine who pays for what?
How will household chores be divided? Who will cook,
do dishes, take out the trash, clean the bathroom? Will chores change
from week to week? Will someone refuse to do particular chores?
Back to the top
Frequently Asked Questions
Regarding Internet Access On and Off Campus
When students order a phone, do
they usually decide to get two lines, one for phone and one for computer?
This depends on how many students are in the house,
how much time will be spent on the Internet, and how important it
is to have an open phone line. Many students will have one phone line
in their apartment for internet access and use a cell phone as a second
line.
In that case, what
should students think about/ask about regarding computer hookups in
an apartment?
Students should think
about how much time they will spend on the Internet, what type of
work they will do on the Internet, and how many people will be in
the apartment sharing a connection or phone line. These factors will
help decide if they should get a second phone line or if they should
consider DSL or cable service. Generally, if there are more than three
people in an apartment or house, and each person wants to have Internet
access with their personal computer, the phone line will be tied up
quite often. With DSL service, you can set up a small LAN (local area
network) and share a single connection between several computers.
Also, if many large files are downloaded or uploaded, then a faster
direct connection is very helpful.
Are
students signing up for the cable computer access?
Some
students are.
Does Academic
and Distributed Computing Services (ADCS) have an agreement with Qwest
and the cable company for U of M discounts?
Check http://techmart.umn.edu/HTML/connection/index.html.
This web site discusses the basics of the direct connection services,
such as the various types of connections available, who should get
it, costs, etc.
Do any
apartment buildings around the U offer ethernet hookups?
The large apartment complexes (U Village-West,
Dinnaken, Argyle Houses, Melrose, Jefferson Commons, Grand Marc,
and others) near the University have rooms with direct connections.
Qwest,
Golden
Gate, and AT&T offer direct connections at a discounted rate
through Techmart (see link above). Students who contract through
these companies
would be using one of these companies as their Internet Service Provider
instead of the University, but they would still be able to access
their University e-mail accounts and other University online resources.
In addition, Internet Kiosks are located in many buildings around
the campus. These kiosks provide Internet access as well as a jack
that laptop computers can plug into.
Students
do get free Internet access through the University, right? Who do
they contact for that? How do they go about it?
Students
who pay tuition receive 50 hours of modem-pool access every month
at no extra charge. For assistance setting up their computers for
modem dial-up service, they can call the Internet Helpline at 612-301-4357 or
stop by one of the Helpline Labs in 93 Blegen (West bank), 50 Coffey
(St. Paul), or 152 Shepherd Labs (East bank), or visit www.umn.edu/adcs/info/helpline.html.
Are there Web sites that address
other computer hookup questions?
Start
with www.umn.edu/adcs.
You'll find a searchable knowledge base, as well as some direct links
to information about setting up your computer for dial-in service,
setting up e-mail programs, etc. Back
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