Every student has to face the ordeal of moving at some point in time. Some merely move from one residence hall to another. Others may transfer schools, and some students may decide it is time to venture off campus. Those who are considering moving off of Duck turf should keep in mind that in order to claim your own establishment, there are some things every renter needs to know.
“Different properties have different criteria,” said Tim Breen, a representative of Jennings & Co. Property Management. Property value is the main reason rental unit standards differ. Homes or apartments in good condition with good locations come with heavier screening. There are, however, standards that go with renting even the most dingy dwellings.
Proving that you can afford your new living space is the first test every beginning renter must pass. “We either need X amount of income or a co-signer,” said Breen. The function of a co-signer is to establish credit. “It’s just like establishing credit for anything else — you have to have a co-signer.”
What is the quickest way for your application to be turned down? “If you’ve ever been evicted before,” Breen said. Getting evicted impacts your future rental history significantly. Rental agencies shy away from problematic tenants, so it is best to keep a clean history.
Once a student has proved they can rent responsibly, there are still more hoops to jump through. Credit checks are also a standard part of screening any rental application. Paying your bills on time makes a difference to rental agencies.
Fortunately for students seeking off-campus living, rental agencies are used to dealing with first-time renters.
“Typically, what we see is your average student who’s been in the dorms for a year with no rental history,” Breen said. After a student has rented their first apartment, the “next time they move, they’ll have some history.”
So what lures students from the University nest? For senior Sheila Vineyard, who has lived off campus since her freshman year, it was the need for change.
“I felt like the dorms were an extension of high school,” she said.
Student Christoff Jefferis left the cozy nook of residence hall life for a different reason. “You have a lot of kids who are under 21, and by that point I was over 21,” said Jefferis.
Although unsatisfied with campus living, Jefferis is quick to point out that living off campus has problems besides just getting your application approved.
“If you want to live next to campus, you have to pay for crappy apartments,” said Jefferis.
For whatever reasons you become swayed to live in the hustle and bustle of the outside world rather than among the student population, be sure you’re prepared to meet the requirements.
Renters beware — screening standards apply
Daily Emerald
May 3, 2001
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