Aside from the actual stress of studying, dividing your time between having a social life and your academic studies, one of the other most significant challenges that you might come across as a student is hunting and securing a suitable apartment, especially if you are someone who is planning to study in a popular university city where housing might seem difficult to come by, or it appears as though all the apartments are always booked up.
It seems like an impossibly daunting task when you start hunting for apartments, whether it be your first time or you want a change from your current accommodation, and it can be tempting just to give up and leave it till the last minute hoping for the best. But, apartments for rent near USC can be more manageable than you think if you just make sure you begin with an appropriate amount of time at hand.
To read more about how to secure an apartment in popular university cities, no matter your needs or requirements, keep reading below!
Leave yourself enough time
As we mentioned earlier, one of the most essential things about apartment hunting is ensuring you leave enough time to do so. That goes for anything in life, but it is a massive advantage if you have time.
As much of an expert as you might be when it comes to looking for your ideal apartment, it is still a lengthy and time-consuming process, and choosing where you want to live for the next year, or perhaps even longer, is not one that we suggest you make on a whim!
Instead, start as early as possible. This is even more important for university cities, as there will already be a high demand for apartments, and there might even be a waiting list.
To ensure that you get your priority apartment on the top of your list, you need to get in there early to ensure that you are one of the first candidates that meet the needs and requirements of living there.
We recommend looking at least three to four months in advance, increasing your chances of finding the perfect apartment.
Sort your requirements
Like starting early, another great tip when planning for an apartment is making sure you have created a list of your personal preferences and requirements. This could include whether you want to live independently, co-share an apartment with a few other students, or only want one other house/flatmate.
You should also consider factors such as how far you are willing to commute to university. For some, a pleasant 20-minute walk in the morning might be just the thing needed to wake them up for their first lecture.
For others, that 9 am start might mean that rolling out of bed at 8:50 am and dashing off to campus is more important, so figure out which category you fall into!
There might also be specific amenities that you require or, on the other hand, don’t need at all! It is also worth listing those, as it will make the apartment hunting process. You will be able to sift through the apartments much quicker if you know exactly what you want or need and what sort of things you would be willing to compromise on.
Adapt when needed
While you may have specific requirements you cannot compromise on, it is crucial to consider that no apartment will have precisely what you want, so it is essential to be flexible and evaluate your options. That’s why sorting through your requirements beforehand is so necessary – at a glance, you can see exactly what is a deal-breaker and what you can compromise on.
You might be surprised to find that the things you end up compromising lead you to enjoy your time at a particular apartment even more, and on the other hand, listing the amenities you require is also a huge time-saver.
Are roommates so bad?
One of the things you may have in mind when hunting for apartments is wanting to live alone. It certainly has its perks, and the freedom and flexibility that comes with it is certainly a luxury.
But, we would also recommend that you consider sharing an apartment with a flatmate or maybe even a roommate, as those come with their own sets of advantages, and you can have someone to share the chores with, and it’s nice to go back home to someone who you can talk to your day about, both good and bad.
One of the things we would suggest you consider when looking for someone to live with, if it is not your friend or someone you already know, is to try and find people who you share similar lifestyles with or you both have schedules that both of you can work around with one another.
And there you have it – albeit daunting, apartment hunting does not have to be stressful if you follow the suggested guidelines. Leaving plenty of time, and being sure of what is an absolute requirement for you and what you can afford to compromise on will help you sift through potential apartments much smoother and streamlined manner. Before you know it, you’ll have found your ideal apartment!
