Prioritize Your Priorities
The most important aspect of searching for an off-campus house is to leave yourself enough time to find the right one, and therefore, to ask yourself exactly what you want in an off-campus home.
The following are some things to consider when making your off-campus house wish list:Logistics
- Apartment or house
- Character of neighborhood
- Furnished or unfurnished
- Rental Parking or Street Parking
- Carpeting
- Access to washer/dryer
- Policy regarding pets
- Trash removal
- Snow and ice removal
- Policy regarding decorations
Finances
- Security deposit
- Rent
- Cost of utilities
- Additional costs
- Bethlehem City parking permit (zoned areas)
Management
- Reputation of landlord
- Condition of unit
- Is the property licensed and inspected? The property should be licensed/inspected annually.
- Ask to see a copy of the official Certificate of Occupancy
- What current tenants say
Questions
It is important to ask questions about your landlord before signing your lease. Some questions to ask previous tenants:- What they have liked and not liked? Why?
- What types of problems have occurred, if any?
- Does the landlord provide service in a timely manner?
- Does the landlord live in the area? If not, was a name of a manager in the area provided?
- How are maintenance repairs done? Are maintenance concerns addressed in a timely manner?