Beyond Freshman Year: Housing
We try to offer practical tips and guidance here, and we try to avoid identifying a big issue and then come up short on the practical stuff. Unfortunately, the issue of housing shakes out that way. The reason we can’t get too specific is because on-campus and off-campus housing situations are different everywhere. We can give you a list of things to start thinking about though . . . and here they are . . . .
Focus on this sooner than you are ready to. If your student is at a school where second-years / sophomores are required to live on campus, congratulations! You get another year before you have to fret about this. But if your student will be looking for scarce on-campus or off-campus housing next year, it’s best to start figuring out the landscape about halfway through freshman year. Some things to consider include:
Roommates. Does your student have potential roommates? Are they communicating and coordinating?
On-Campus or Off-Campus? If your student is planning to apply for on-campus housing, they should double check the deadlines and make sure they are being proactive. They should also have a good understanding of the availability of on-campus housing for non-freshmen and figure out a Plan B if necessary.
The search. If your student is applying for on-campus housing, the application should be straightforward. If your student is looking for off-campus housing, they will need to figure out the lay of the land and you may need to reach some agreements. This includes considerations such as:
How do students at their school typically find off-campus housing? In some school communities, graduating seniors “find” their successor tenants, so students need to talk to upperclassmen to find out housing that might be coming available.
What is the typical lease term in the community? It is often 12 months, but sometimes can be 2 years, 9 months, or something else.
If your student is looking at apartments, they should visit the leasing office and ask questions about the leasing process and timing.
What is your family’s budget for housing?
Do you and your student want their housing to be within a certain distance from campus?
Do you expect that your student will need transportation from their off-campus housing to campus on a daily basis? If so, is that transportation in place?
The details. The housing market is tight almost everywhere, and things move fast. If your student has a group of roommates, setting up a communication channel for the students and their parents. Remember, most landlords will require that a parent co-sign or guarantee a lease unless a student has well-established credit history (which is very rare).
Thinking ahead. It is easy for students to get excited about the next stage and minimize the importance of some of the details. For example, does the lease allow for subleasing? If a student is considering studying abroad this is an important consideration. If some of the roommates are older, does the lease allow for replacing a tenant? It is a good idea to have someone carefully review the lease and try to identify potential gray areas or challenges.
Parent Facebook groups can be a wealth of information when it comes to off-campus housing – we have even seen offshoot groups dedicated to this issue. Take advantage of these resources and advice, especially if you are unfamiliar with your student’s school community.