During this busy rental season in Pullman, we have created a three-part guide to inform students on off-campus rentals as they exit dorm or Greek life and move into their own home. What an exciting time! We are here to assist you along the way, starting with forming an idea of what you are looking for before you begin making phone calls.
What kind of housing situation is ideal for you?
Living Alone
There is nothing like coming home to your own, quiet, personal space at the end of the day. Living alone offers complete control over your living situation—the décor, chores, and decisions are all on you. If the unit is pet-friendly and you want a pet, you don’t have to ask a roommate’s permission. You also don’t have to worry about roomies being late on bills—but the bills are entirely yours to pay. You will not have anyone to split them with. You will have to come up with your deposit and rent on your own, so if living alone is the life for you, make sure to budget and be prepared for this reality.
Living With Roommates
When renting off-campus for the first time, many tenants choose to live with roommates. It is an opportunity to make many fun memories together and to ease your adjustment to a more independent lifestyle. It also offers an easier transition into having bills and needing groceries—you can split the rent, utility, internet, and grocery costs.
When determining who you will live with, it is crucial that you come to agreements before looking for rentals together. Make sure you are compatible with one another. Of course, you can always compromise and come up with ways to make tricky situations work, but make sure everyone is willing to do so.
Some things to check on for
compatibility
with your potential roomies:
-Will you
respect
each others’ boundaries?
-Do you have similar
expectations
for cleanliness and chores?
-Are your
social lives and habits going to be in conflict while living together? (e.g., smoking, drinking, hosting parties, studying, work schedules, etc.)
-Most importantly, will your roommates be
responsible? If you are splitting bills and someone is often late, or if a roommate or their pet damage the unit, all housemates could be held responsible. Your power or internet could be shut off. Someone might repeatedly not pay their share of groceries. A bad rental reference could affect your chances of renting elsewhere for a long time, so make sure your roommates are committed to being responsible and considerate.
Pets
Is any of a group of roommates bringing a pet with them? If they are, all roommates need to be on board as pets do increase rental costs and sometimes can cause you to lose part of your deposit if the animal causes any damage.
Other things that need to be taken into consideration are allergies, other animals that may already be living there, and how the animal will be taken care of. Where will kitty’s litter box go? Is everyone going to have to take turns letting the dog out?
-Unauthorized pets can result in pet fines, bad rental references, and other penalties.
-Many property management companies charge fees for pets. Be prepared to pay
fees or additional deposits for your animal.
Before the Search
Make sure your needs and preferences are agreed upon (if you have roommates) before looking for housing.
-What
type of housing do you need? Duplex, house, apartment?
-How many rooms do you need?
-What is your rent budget?
-What date
do you need to move in?
-What amenities and other features are preferred? This would include:
-washer and dryer, hookups, coin-op laundry, AC, dishwasher, etc.
-pets allowed
-yard
-type of parking
-location
-more than one bathroom
Now that you have all the details down, you are ready to start your search!
Click here
for info on what to do next.