The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, April 16, 1996, the apartment guide, Page 9, Image 19
The seai
RYAN W1S0N Managing Editor
As the end of another school year
quickly approaches, thousands of
USC students must begin making
decisions that will affect them in the
upcoming year. One of the most
important decisions the average student
will make is where he or she is
going to live.
Considering that the majority of
USC students live off campus, this
time of year becomes key for those
looking for a place to call home next
year. Columbia offers a wide variety
of affordable apartments that should
suit everyone's needs.
t *i r t in
L?iKe many 01 my peers, i win
graduate from USC without ever living
in a dorm on campus. In my collegiate
career, I have run the gamut of
possible living arrangements, from
living at home to living in a apartment
complex to finally living in a
duplex.
Spring has always marked the
time when most students begin apart
ment minting, ana my expenences
have been no different. I have picked
up many hints and unwritten rules in
the quest for the perfect apartment,
and I think most of them are very
helpful for any student looking for a
place to call home.
If you know that you are going to
need a place for the summer, I suggest
starting to looking at the apartment
listings now, so you can get the
feel for what areas in Columbia have
a faster turnover rate. Then, if an
apartment comes up that you might
be interested in, you will know about
how long it will last on the market.
A il 1 1 . 1 1 * _ A il
Anotner Denent 10 loosing at tne
listings early is you can see which
apartments are not being grabbed. If
How ca:
STAFF REPORTS
A good student tenent is "C
pays the rent on time ? alway
University Commons Property h
Diane Taylor. Taylor has bet
University Commons since th
Columbia apartments opened in 19!
University Commons in C
"ch for aj
apartment hunti
Proximity to campus
Proximity to railroad trac
Be aware of low rent ap
Conduct your own searc
area. Renting from priv<
? Be aware ttet many bor
I Be aware of policies reg
Consider the apartment
I apartment
an apartment has been listed consistently
for a more than a month, then
there is probably a good reason why
nobody has grabbed it.
When looking at the listings, there
are three major characteristics to look
for when on the apartment hunt:
affordability, location and quality.
Affordability should be the first
thing to think about. I understand
most students looking for apartments
rln an in nnira nnrl mnat annrtment.a
are of the two-bedroom variety. This
makes figuring costs easy by going
50/50 on all the bills (excluding long
distance bills, because I shouldn't
have to pay for your calls to some girl
from Raleigh you met once two years
ago).
With that in mind, you' re ready to
start thinking about rent. You can
find a good two-bedroom apartment
within a reasonable distance to campus
for about $450 to $550 a month.
Using the roommate rule, you should
look to spend about $250 a month for
your part of the rent.
There are four other monthly bills
that also need to be assessed: electric,
phone, water and cable television. (Of
course, cable is an option, but most
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n renter
is one of 15 similar apai
3ne that which span across the U
s!" said College Station, Tx., (
lanager Athens, Ga., (UGA). Th
>n with P*ex has 144 units and 1
e West kail and volleyball courts
94. recreational games. If s
olumbia their rent within 30 days
j~l [~l a special publication of
|? jQ0 the gamecock
)artments:
NG HINTS 1WMM -
'ks tow
artments in prime locations. this
;h by driving through an S 3 rue
ate owners has its benefits,
nes around USC are older. ]
arding repairs. loc
complex vs. a single
. . . ?1 vei
ren
the $30 a month than miss "Singed to t
Out" on MTV.) Your monthly total for '
these bills should run about $150, g I
depending on how thrifty you can be y0u
with the lights and the phone. cer
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tion should not be the most important ren
feature when apartment hunting, but me:
it is the one that will most likely ma
affect your decision. Location will usv
affect the cost of your apartment more feci
than anything else, so don't be too set vat
on wanting to live in a certain area
because you might never find a place
that suits you. ity
Here are some other hints and api
warnings that you should consider Ult
when looking for an apartment in a me
certain location: you
Close to campus. This can be seen exj
in three out of five apartment listings, ap?
but I have never found a consistent tio
definition of what "close to campus" inc]
actually is. If the listing does not have are
a street address, call to find out exactly
where it is located. This also holds tha
true to the "short drive to USC" can
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Remember, drive time is relative, and Sac
some people consider Irmo a short wai
drive to USC.
c hprnmp
"tment complexes magistratre allows lai
nited States from over.
Texas A&M) to
ie Columbia com- Rtvwfand manager J
las tennis, baket- "A good tern
, a pool and other enjoys having a goo
tudents don't pay enjoy the communil
j, Taylor calls the infringing on the right
J
a howHie
train factor. Be aware raild
tracks can be found near many
onortmonla riAttrn.
utut ui i&iitC'U a|jai im&ino uunir
ti. If you are a light sleeper, take
3 into account or be prepared for a
le awakening.
Inexpensive apartment, good
ation. Be weary of inexpensive
irtments in supposedly good locans.
There are some real dumps
y close to campus, so always
lember: If the price looks too good
>e true, it prooaDiy is.
hive around neighborhoods. If
i have your heart set on living in a
tain area, the best thing to do is
ve around the area and look for
tal signs. Some of the best apartnts
are privately owned and never
ke the newspaper listing. This is
tally the best way to find that pert
apartment. Renting from a prie
individual has its advantages.
The third thing to consider is qual.
Always look at the perspective
irtment before signing anything,
imately, the quality of the apart
nt should make the decision tor
u
Most students put unrealistic
lectations when looking for an
irtment near campus. My definin
of "near campus" is the area
luding Shandon, Olympia and the
a in-between.
You must take into consideration
t most ot tne rental units around
ipus are fairly old and lack many
iforts we grew up with back home,
rifices are going to be made if you
it to be close to campus.
Here are some hints and warnings
good t
n enforcement to take Peacht
Proparl
udy Fallaw tenent's
ent is someone who ment
d time but can still neighbc
;y as whole without the nois
ts of others."
.
-
o
to guide
you should look for when looking at
aualitv:
1 J
Old home syndrome. Expect
hardwood floors, window AC units
and central furnaces. Window units
get a bad rap, but they can be very
effective if you are cutting power
costs. Most of the homes are so drafty,
n rpntral unit wrmM hp rnnnincr
around the clock anyway.
Repairs. Make sure you know
what can be done if repairs are needed.
Most rental agencies will state
that all repair work be handled
through them. This will better benefit
the less mechanically inclined.
Complex vs. single. Living in an
apartment complex has its advantages,
such as on-site round-the-clock
repairmen and watchmen. Another
benefit to living in a complex is the
communal effect.
A major disadvantage to living in
a complex is if you didn't like making
two trips carrying those groceries up
j.1 m _i_i._ f i _
mree mgnis 01 siairs, men cnances
are you are going to despise doing it
eight months from now.
I hope I made your apartment
search easier. The key to a successful
search is to make sure you use common
sense and check all options.
Last time I was in the hunt, I
didn't find a place until a week before
my lease for my previous apartment
ran out, so don't worry? the perfect
apartment is out there to be found. All
it takes is a little planning and good
timing.
enants?
MS PtaCA R?dOMi
ty Manager Mary Gregory
"We would certainly appericiate
3 honoring items in the lease agreeSuch
items include respecting their
>r's right to live in peace by keeping
3e level down.
i