Many cities also have a youth hostel or dormitories. Hostels
are a good place to stay for a few days while you look for a permanent place
to live. They provide dormitory style accommodations, sometimes with bunk
beds in large rooms. There's usually a curfew, and lock-out hours during
the day. The cost runs from $5 to $25 a night. You will be able to stay
at the youth hostel at low cost if you are a member of the International
Youth Hostel Federation. The US branch is called Hostelling International
- American Youth Hostels (HI-AYH). A one year membership is $25 ($10 if
you are under age 18). For more information, call 1-202-783-6161, fax 1-202-783-6171,
or send email to hiayhserv@hiayh.org.
Finally, you can always stay in a hotel or motel. This
is the most expensive option, and you will need to make a reservation with
a credit card to guarantee a room. Parking is expensive at hotels, and there
is often a large surcharge on long distance telephone calls placed from
your room.
Permanent Accommodations
Most ESL schools have information available for their students who are looking
for a room to rent, either in a host family or in an apartment or house.
While the prices are similar, host families provide that
extra benefit of a family-zone where you can find instant contact and helpful
information that only a family environment can provide. Host families usually
prepare two meals per day for the students and include students in their
weekend excursions.
Rooms for rent in apartments or houses provide a more independent
living arrangement. It is common for the landlord to ask for a security
deposit that will be returned to you when you move out and your room is
in the condition you found it when you first rented it. You may have to
pay your share of utilities, internet access, parking, etc. Usually you
will have full kitchen access to prepare you own meals, as well as laundry
and pool, etc. privileges.
Renting a house is usually a viable option only if you
will be sharing it with several roommates. You will certainly get more for
your money if you rent a house. But most communities have limits on the
number of unrelated people who can live together, with most cities having
a limit ranging from 3 to 5. These laws are intended to prevent overcrowding
for health and safety reasons. In any event, the process for renting a house
is similar to renting an apartment.
The cost of renting an apartment varies considerably depending
on the part of the country and the local supply and demand. A one bedroom
apartment in can cost between $800 and $1,200 or more. The school's housing
office or financial aid office can provide you with an estimate of the annual
cost of renting an off-campus apartment.
Finding an Apartment
You should do a few things before you begin your search
for an apartment:
- Ask the housing office and current students which neighborhoods
are safe and which should be avoided.
- Decide whether you want to cut costs by sharing an apartment
with a roommate or two.
- Get a detailed street map for the neighborhoods you are
considering.
- Spend a few hours walking around the neighborhood to
familiarize yourself with the area. Note the location of grocery stores
and restaurants, since your most frequent trips will be to school and to
buy food. Also note the location of bus stops and other public transportation.
It takes 15 to 20 minutes to walk a mile and 5 minutes by bike.
- When looking for an apartment, ask friends and fellow
students if they know of a good apartment. Sometimes they will know someone
who is moving out of a good apartment or may be moving themselves. Such
desirable apartments are rarely advertised because they are rented very
quickly.
- The school may have a bulletin board with apartment listings.
- The local newspaper will also have apartment listings.
Buy a copy of the Sunday newspaper.
- The best time to start looking for an apartment is the
first Sunday of the month.
In the US, house numbers tend to be even on one side of
the street and odd on the other. Other than that, there is usually no rhyme
or reason to the addressing scheme.
Understanding Apartment Listings
Apartments for rent are often described using cryptic language
and abbreviations. You will need to learn to decode apartment listings in
order to find a place that meets your needs.
- Sleeping Room. A sleeping room is a single room, usually
furnished, located in a private home, with a shared bedroom and kitchen.
This is the least expensive option, but provides little privacy.
- Efficiency. An efficiency is a single room with a private
bathroom. The room will include a small alcove that serves as a kitchen
and should provide a stove, refrigerator, sink, and cabinet space.
- Studio. A studio is somewhat larger than an efficiency,
and has a separate kitchen and eating area.
- One, Two, or Three Bedroom. Regular apartments include
a separate kitchen, bathroom, living room and/or dining room, and the number
of bedrooms advertised. Students from Asian countries, especially Japan,
may find apartments in the US to be a bit too spacious. So if the first
two apartments you visit are too big, look at the next smaller type of
apartment.
The next important consideration is what is included in
the rent and what isn't.
- Utilities. If the advertisement says that utilities are
included, that usually means electricity, heat/gas, and water/sewage, but
not telephone or cable TV. If the advertisement doesn't specify any utilities,
assume that you will be responsible for paying for them. Heat will cost
you an extra $500 to $1,000 a year in the snow belt and electricity a similar
amount. If heat is included, this sometimes means that the landlord controls
the temperature, not you. Water and sewage fees are usually paid by the
landlord, except if you are renting a house.
- Furnished or Unfurnished. A furnished apartment will
include a bed, chest of drawers or dresser, a couch or sofa, and a dining
room table and chairs. A furnished apartment will also include a stove
and refrigerator. An unfurnished apartment will include a stove and refrigerator
but nothing else. A furnished apartment will cost you an extra $50 a month.
You are probably better off renting an unfurnished apartment and buying
used furniture. Graduating students often sell their furniture to incoming
students. Most apartments are rented unfurnished.
- Parking. If you intend to own a car, an apartment that
includes a garage or off-street parking is better than one that doesn't.
It is sometimes difficult to find a parking space on the street, especially
if many students with cars live nearby.
You should also ask whether there are any laundry facilities. In apartment
buildings there is usually a coin operated washer and dryer, but not always.
Common abbreviations include: incl (included), elec (electricity),
1 1/2 baths (one full bathroom and one with just a toilet and sink), a/c
(air conditioning), w/w (wall to wall carpeting), h/w (hardwood floors),
dw (dishwasher), furn (furnished), cpt (carpeted), gar (garage for a car),
yard (includes a backyard), eff (efficiency), immed (available immediately),
fp or frplc (includes a wood-burning or gas fireplace). A security building
has a locked front door in addition to locks for each apartment.
Expect the rent to increase by about 5% per year.
Leases
A lease is a written contract between the tenant (you)
and a landlord which allows you to use a dwelling for a designated period
of time in exchange for monthly rent payments. The lease outlines the restrictions
on the use of the dwelling and the responsibilities of tenant and landlord.
A lease is a legal document and should be read carefully before signing.
The lease should specify at least the following:
- The amount of the monthly rent and when it should be
paid. The lease might mention how the rent will increase in subsequent
years.
- Whether utilities are included in the rent, and if so
which ones. Heat and electricity are the most important.
- The time period covered by the lease, usually one year.
- Restrictions on the number of unrelated people who may
occupy the dwelling.
- The amount of the security deposit, which must be paid
in addition to the first month's rent when you sign the lease. The security
deposit can be as much as twice the monthly rent. If you have a pet, there
may be a separate security deposit for the pet if the landlord allows pets.
The deposit will be refunded at the end of the lease if the apartment is
left in good and clean condition. If not, the landlord will use the security
deposit to cover the cost of cleaning and repairing the apartment. Accordingly,
if there are any problems with the apartment they should be noted on the
lease, so that you will not be held responsible for them when you move
out of the apartment.
- Restrictions on pets, children, and noise. Many landlords
do not permit pets because of the potential for damage and noise. The lease
may also contain a provision prohibiting noise from musical instruments,
stereo systems, loud parties, and other sources.
- Landlord responsibilities, such as repairs to heating
and plumbing facilities and fire or water damage that wasn't caused by
the tenant.
- A clause about terminating the lease. This clause will
describe the penalties to the tenant for breaking the lease. Such penalties
can range from forfeiting the security deposit to being responsible for
the remaining rent.
- A clause about subletting. This clause will either allow
or forbid the tenant from subletting the apartment to another person during
the term of the lease. It is best to have a lease that permits subletting.
If you decide to move to a different apartment before the end of your lease,
subletting allows you to rent the apartment to someone else. Otherwise
you will be responsible for the rent for the remainder of the lease.
- A clause about eviction proceedings. This clause describes
the rights of tenant and landlord should the landlord want to force the
tenant out of the property during the term of the lease. The most common
reasons for an eviction include failure to pay the rent when due or causing
significant damage to the property.
If the lease includes a wear and tear clause, this allows the landlord
to charge you for repainting the apartment at the end of the lease.
Moving In
- Utilities. If the rent does not include utilities, you
will have to get the utilities turned on when you move in.
- Telephone Service. When you arrange for telephone service,
you will have to choose a long distance carrier. The major carriers are
AT&T, MCI, and Sprint
- Internet Service. The telephone company or any of a large
number of Internet Service Providers (ISPs) can provide unlimited Internet
access at modem speeds for fees of about $20 a month.
- Renter's Insurance. Many students obtain renter's insurance
to insure their possessions against fire or theft.
- Home Safety and Security. If your apartment doesn't have
a smoke detector, buy one and install it. If you have gas heat, you may
want to buy a carbon monoxide detector as well. Change the locks after
moving in, since you don't know who may have kept a copy of the old keys.
You will need to give a copy of the key to the landlord.
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