Prepare before move-in

Most students who choose to live off campus are not prepared for what they will encounter on move-in day. "It's important to inspect the property before move-in and walk through the residence, putting the condition into writing," said Off-Campus Living Assistant Director Mihaela Farcas. Farcas explained that the documentation for the house or apartment's condition is important because most tenants cannot show where damage comes from, therefore forfeiting their security deposit when they move out. "Any repairs or cleaning problems need to be clearly recorded to ensure the protection of the security deposit," Farcas added. Off-campus students should look into setting up utilities well in advance of their expected move-in date, Farcas said. It may take a while to set up an account and many companies take a few days to set up their services completely. "I was fortunate that my plan includes all utilities," said College junior Shira Sokal, a resident of Hamilton Court. "Everything during my move-in went fine, since I didn't have the extra trouble of hooking up services." Students should check their leases carefully since the utilities included in the rent vary. According to an Off-Campus Living fact sheet, heat is usually part of the rent, and water is most often not the tenants' responsibility, unless they are renting a house. Students must also consider how and when they are going to move their belongings. Most students prefer to move themselves, using services such as U-Haul or Ryder Move-It-Yourself. Some students hire a moving company, which may alleviate some moving-day stress, yet could be more expensive, according to the fact sheet. "Students should definitely try to move-in as early as possible to avoid the rush, especially on narrow streets where there isn't much parking," College senior Greg Adelman said. According to information provided by Off-Campus Living, students should consider financial planning as their first priority. Students need to assess housing costs and estimate how much money is needed for necessities such as apartment hunting, rental and utility deposits, moving expenses, initial repairs and decorating costs, according to Off-Campus Living's guide to financial planning. The first two months of off-campus living may be more expensive due to security deposits, moving expenses and decorating costs.