The CP guide to finding a good pad
It’s January. That means new classes and new resolutions (though by the third week of the month, most of us have trouble remembering them). But perhaps most nagging of all is the search for a first college home out of the dorms.
How to Snag that Perfect Crib- Guidelines for rent, roommates and location.
1) Remember your budget
Freshmen, ever miss that movie because you just couldn’t throw down that $10 bill? Well, that’s only going to get worse. Dorm life forced two deadlines for huge chunks of cash – the beginning of each semester. But after the aneurism those two bills caused you, you are pretty much clear from any money-related heart attacks. Life off campus, however, could mean anywhere from slight to significant pain at least every month. The first of the month is a quick punch in the stomach that really blindsides you.
Not only do you have to come up with the dough for rent, but also food is no longer a short walk and buffet-type assembly line away. There are weekly trips to the grocery store, and nothing in life can prepare you for the confusion that first trip alone brings.
After rent and food, there are utilities, cable, Internet, all the way down to the lousy five bucks for your share of beer in the fridge. Bottom line? That killer, 5,000 square foot, three-bedroom house across the street from beautiful Chautauqua Park may scream “rent me!” but it’s definitely whispering “budget’s worst nightmare; prepare for debt.”
My advice: that big, new and perfectly upholstered house comes later in life with a mortgage and a career. Find the house that says poor college student. Besides saved pocket change is sure to bring good memories.
2) Roommates last as long as the lease
So you’ve met a cool kid in one of your classes, and, being January, you figure asking this person to live with you is a darn good idea. Sure, there are a few little things that are slightly annoying, like when you get together at your place now, you seem to lose food but definitely gain some clean up time. It’s no biggy, right? What are a few extra bucks to replace that frozen pizza and 10 minutes spent doing those dishes? You two have fun together. But these little twinges of annoyance are only going to multiply when you two move in.
Picking a roommate is hard. Going with a person you’ve known since preschool is tricky as well. Alan Davis, a sophomore political science major, shares a house with someone he’s known since the beginning of high school.
“The “hardest part [is] thinking you know who he was in high school, but when you live with him, things are completely different. [There are] emotional problems [that] in high school [aren’t] notic[able]-little things that get on your nerves, like who cleans,” he said.
Davis also says that talking behind the person’s back can become an unforeseen problem.
Bottom line? Dig for the three characteristics that matter:
1) Type of student: does the person party nightly, or crash at 10 p.m. after six hours of physics? Where on the line do you fall? Find a roommate who is the most like you as a student.
2) Cleanliness: are you slightly over compulsive when it comes to keeping things neat? Better not find a person who leaves a trail of their belongings as he or she walks by. And a whole year of piling dishes, trash and dust isn’t fun.
3) Bedtime: you know those kids who call it a night at 6 a.m.? Are you one of them? If not, don’t be roommates with these nocturnal animals. It most likely won’t work, and neither of you will ever get any sleep.
Following these three rules won’t ensure peace and tranquility in your new home, but it will make the transition a little easier. After all, leases are usually 6 to 12 months long, and even though subletting is always an option, it just requires more work. Make sure you can handle your roommate for the duration of the lease.
3) Location
Do you have to be in walking distance to campus, Pearl Street bars, Jimmy John’s or the bus? Count of paying the price for this luxury. You may be able to score with Jimmy John’s and Campus, but keep guideline number one in mind. Houses on the Hill do not come cheap. In fact, they do not even come expensive. The Hill is a kick-you-while-you’re-down rent nightmare, with prices ranging anywhere from $600 (a great deal that was probably rented out in October) to $1000 per person. Is getting up five minutes before class, throwing on those sneakers and strolling leisurely across the street worth it? Sometimes, yes, but what if it is not daddy’s money? Then there is some compromising.
South Boulder offers some pretty spacious houses, with rent hovering between $400-$500. Doable, right? But now you have got to worry about transportation to and from campus. Parking passes are $275 dollars yearly. The bus is free with your RTD pass, but it requires about a half hour coming from just south of the Table Mesa area.
Are you 21 and feel it is time for that half a block walk to the bars on Pearl Street? Well, half a block probably is not going to cut it, but the west end of Pearl offers beautiful views of the foothills and Flatirons, with rent ranging from $500- $700.
In the end finding the perfect location is all about the compromise. You have to juggle rent, time for transportation and proximity to the necessities, such as the grocery store, Starbuck’s, for some, the bars and decide what fits.
Snagging that crib doesn’t have to be stressful, painful or your worst nightmare. It’s just all about keeping the basics in mind. Remember your budget. Can you afford the $600+ a month on the Hill and still have enough cash left over to eat? Remember your roommate. Even though it’s only one year, for that year, your roommate is for life. Can you comfortably live with that person? And remember the location. Lower rent= bus, higher rent= Jimmy John’s.
Renter’s Info:
Housing Helpers
www.housinghelpers.com
2865 Baseline Rd
Boulder, CO 80303
(303) 545-6000
Craig’s List
http://denver.craigslist.org/hhh/
Daily Camera Classifieds
Section C- located at any newspaper distribution box in the Boulder area
The Drive By
Your basic flyer hunting. A little more work, but the plus side is being able to look, at least at the outside, of your potential house or apartment.
