It’s open season for apartment and house-hunting next year, but before you turn in your applications, there are a few things to watch out for:
Length of lease: A 12-month lease may mean that you’ll be in Eugene during summer or you’ll need to find someone to sub-let it for you. It is important to make note of any consequential fees for moving out early.
Individual leases: Most places allow for individual leases now, which can help you avoid awkward money-lending situations between friends. With your own lease, you are not liable if your roomies decide to hit the road or take up welding in their room.
Location: The farther from campus you are, the cheaper rent is going to be. However, knowing winter and spring in Oregon, you could get pretty drenched riding your bike 10 miles a day.
Public Transportation: LTD does a pretty good job sticking to time schedules and covering most of the main city of Eugene, but if you don’t have a car, you may want to make sure you are near where a bus stops more than once a day.
Parking: If you do prefer to cruise around town in your favorite automobile, make sure you have a place to park it near your abode. Car theft can be pretty prominent in Eugene, so be careful about where you keep it at night. Some places have garages, but renting a space for a year can get expensive.
Noise: Do some detective work when you pick up your application. Do you see empty beer cans in neighboring residences? Perhaps an old keg? You may be moving into party central and not even know it. This may sound like fun at first, but when you’re trying to finish a 12-page paper at 4 a.m., your new neighbors can be your worst enemies. Busy roads and the Amtrak line can also hinder your slumber every night.
Smoking: Non-smokers know that smoke can get into clothes, drapes, couches and even carpets. Check to see if smoking is allowed before moving in. Then take a wiff around for any residual smells.
Damages: Look around for any holes, dents or other damages done to walls, doors and any other furniture that came with your new home. Note all and turn them into the rental office before you move in to avoid unnecessary costs.
Cost: Not only do you have to watch for regular rental costs, but make sure you ask about utilities as well. Water, electricity and gas are important, but in this century, it’s also necessary to have cable and high-speed Internet.
Size and bathrooms: One shower for five people who all want to be bathed before a 9 a.m. class can be stressful. Even if you’re living with your best friend, you can get on each others’ nerves very quickly when your kitchen/living room is the size of a closet.
Laundry: If you don’t want to lug dirty clothes to the nearest laundromat, make sure your house or apartment complex has a laundry room. Almost all are coin-operated, but having machines conveniently close keeps laundry from being a day-long ordeal.
Floor: The bottom floors are easier to move in and out of and to go home to after a long day. On the other hand, there are people living and walking around right above you, which can get noisy.
Yard: If you get a house, you’ll probably have some sort of yard attached. If you can’t even remember to hang up your clothes, you might want to avoid something that needs to be mowed and/or weeded once a week in the springtime.
Pets: Many places allow pets for a simple fee, but before you bring Fido to town, be prepared to pay for food and vet bills as well as cleaning up after him.