Do’s and don’ts of signing a lease
You know you’ve found the one when you picture living there and a smile comes to your face.
Do start looking early
It’s good to get a jump on things when signing season comes around. Think of it like a pizza party. If you show up when it starts you get your pick of hot and delicious cheese, pepperoni, sausage, veggie or even pineapple. However, if you show up late, all the pizza is gone except for a cold, half-eaten slice of anchovy that probably has a couple flies buzzing around it. It’s way more fun to be able to try a slice of every kind of pizza then go back for seconds of the most tasty option. Similarly, if you chose to start house hunting early, you can browse many different locations and still have time to go back and sign at your favorite.
Don’t let people pressure you into making a hasty decision
Even if the first place you look at seems like the perfect fit, continue to look around or at least sleep on it. The people showing you apartments and houses are just trying to make money, they don’t care if you have looked at two places or twenty places, they just want your signature. It’s important not to get caught up in the moment and take the time to make a rational and responsible decision.
Do go with your gut
If you have a feeling a place isn’t for you, or you get a weird vibe from the landlord, or the neighborhood is sketchy, don’t sign there. Chances are if you don’t like it when you are looking, you won’t like it when you live there. Likewise, when you find your ideal place, take time to think it over, but don’t second guess it. You know you’ve found the one when you picture living there and a smile comes to your face.
Photo taken by Emilie Enke
Don’t Settle
You deserve to live somewhere you are happy to call home. Somewhere you are comfortable, because it fits your personality and lifestyle. Everyone has to go through the crappy dorm experience their freshman year, but in the following years that doesn’t have to be the case. Make a wish list of things you want in your new home. Sometimes you may have to compromise, but never settle. If you do, you will spend a year wishing you would have chosen something else.
Do live with your best friends
Some people believe living with close friends can ruin relationships. Honestly, that’s stupid. There is no other time in your life than your college years when you are going to get to live with all of your friends under the same roof. As one of my roomies likes to put it, “Remember when our parents wouldn’t let us have sleepovers on school nights? Now we do every night!”