Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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Apartment finder guid Look for co when hunt By GORDON MANTLER Copy Desk Chief After landing your first job, a wonderful feeling of relief will probably overpower you. And you might think there's nothing more to worry about. Unfortunately, getting a job is just the first step in making the transition from college to the "real world." Many other decisions will demand vnur attention as you prepare to move to a new city or even if you're staying in Columbia. The most important of these is deciding where to live, and for most of us just graduating, that means apartment hunting. The first step of this necessary, but in many ways fun, process, is to make a list of what you're generally looking for in an apartment. This will help narrow your search so little time is wasted. The list sho'4^ include the maximum amount of money you want to shell out for monthly rent and utilities, the numi i i mi 1 uci ui ucuruuiiis yuu 11 nccu and if you want a roommate. You might also want to consider amenities you feel are essential in a new apartment, including convenient laundry facilities, a swimming pool, tennis courts, 24hour emergency maintenance, pet allowances, and/or patios/balconies. Convenience to vour nlace _ J I of work might also be considered, narrowing your search to certain areas. After completing your list, you're ready to start looking. There are three main avenues to find the right apartment: through an apart 111V.111 1IIIUC1 lUAgd^lllC U1 book, through a realtor, or leads from friends, co-workers or family. For just a dollar, Apartment Finder Magazine can be an apartment hunter's best friend. The magazine is full of one-page advertisements of apartment complexes, providing prices, amenities and even the local les can help invenience, ing for an a school districts. A compre- t U j r ?. 1 . uciiaivc map ui uic area pius c a quick chart of prices and ? amenities make it easy to i compare and contrast the i various apartments in the i area. . Most of the information you need is all in one book. t However, prices tend to be a little low in these books ( because they were probably j printed a year ago, and rent j totals do change. Also, not all apartments in the area are in the magazine, but using this is a good start. In South Carolina, there are three different ones: Greenville/Spartanburg, Columbia and Charleston. Cities across the country 1 have similar publications. I ( know there's one in 1 Washington, D.C., which is ^ free. 1 A realtor is another route 1 one can take in finding an apartment. They can answer many of your questions right on the spot, and they also < have personal experiences they can share. A magazine 1 can't do that. However, i many realtors work with onlv certain management companies, which ultimately i narrows your choices. And j you might miss a good deal , because of it. , The last method is good because a friend might share experiences and advice a ( realtor or magazine probably ( won't give. Friends might also know of someone looking for a roommate, which many times is a financial necessity. These three ways all have their advantages and disad- ; vantages, but all are pretty reliable. However, the best way to narrow your choices ic hv ucina o mmKimtinn nf At? J MUUlg U VV/111U11 iUUV/I t v/t two or three of these meth- 1 ods. Usually, one source : doesn't know everything. After narrowing the choic- 1 es, then visiting the apart- ' ments themselves is the next ] step. This part is fun, but beware of the sales pitch you'll hear. Make sure you ask anything that's on your mind. By the time you leave 1 amenities partment he place, you'll want these questions answered: Are utilities included in the ent? Water normally is ncluded and a few apartnents also include electric ind/or cable. If power is not included in be rent, do you have to pay i deposit before the power :ompany will turn it on? VIost companies require this, 3ut it can be waived if a current customer of the compa ny is willing to cosign with fou. Otherwise, if you pay four bills on time, you'll get four deposit back after a fear. What is the average resident like? If you're a recent zollege graduate, you might not want to live in a complex full of senior citizens, even though this usually means the place is safe, and the management is pretty trustworthy. But you might not want to live in a party place either. Or maybe you do. Whatever the case, find out first before you put down a deposit. Is there security? Most places have courtesy officers or off-duty police officers living there. Realtors or friends can also steer you clear from crime-ridden areas before you even visit. Is your apartment insulated? Does it have storm windows? This might sound odd, but if insulation is sparse, you'll be paying one gargantuan electric bill. There are many other questions you could ask and should ask. Just be prepared when you actually go and visit. It's also good to visit more than one complex. Even if one seems to be perfect, visit mother one just to make Hirp If anvthino this will ^ M A W M.M. O ' ****** TV*** make you feel better when pou sign on with the first place you visited. Well, remember to be smart when you're doing it md ask questions, but it can ilso be a lot of fun. Good luck apartment hunting. t..t n Tammy B. Johnso We are so very pro you in the future. < Love, Mom, Dad, Jacquelyn M. Cur Thank you for this Class of '94 Graduz years from "TOT" t Love always, Mom w T r\i I nttvcrsfty^ I | Carolina Ugfe Randy Levine The best son and brothe made us all so proud. and dreams for the futui We Love You, Mom, D Br ' Wm *- I ~ mm r >* n ud. The best to Congratulations! & Trey I 1 ? * 1 I tin "TOT," the USC ite, and all the :o "DEGREE." i & Dad ^KL .J >r anywhere! You've fe hope all your goals re will come true, ad, Andrea & Laurie