Finding a place to live in college can be difficult, especially if you have never had to look for off-campus housing before. Luckily, I have compiled a list of dos & don’ts of things I wish I had known when I was a first time renter, and to help make this process a little bit easier.

DO Give Yourself Plenty of Time

Nothing is worse than having to scramble at the last minute to find a place to live for the next year. Start your housing search early and give yourself ample time to look at every option available to you before it is too late and most housing is unavailable. 

DON’T Have Unrealistic Expectations

This is college housing. It is not going to be, nor is it intending to be, your dream home. Do not enter in your search expecting to find units that have state of the art kitchens filled with brand-new stainless steel appliances, because that is not going to happen. There are places to live in Statesboro that are very nice, but don’t have overly high expectations. 

DO Meet Up With Potential Roommates

If you do not already know who you are going to live with, try and meet up with people you potentially might be living with ahead of signing a lease together. By meeting up beforehand, you can see how well you vibe with each other and whether or not you would make good roommates. 

DON’T Go Off Just The Pictures

Pictures can be deceiving. When looking for a place to live, it’s important to see about touring the place or talking to someone who currently lives there. The website may show a luxury, upscale apartment, but in reality there might be mold in the carpet or a horrible stench in the air. Take a look at the place yourself, don’t just rely on the company’s staged photos to tell you whether or not you want to live there.

DO Have A Budget

Renting a place to live can be expensive. You’ll find that there is a wide price range for off-campus housing, and being the most expensive doesn’t necessarily mean it is the best place to live. Other factors such as utilities and furnishings need to be taken into consideration when picking a place to live, as they may or may not be included in the rent.