Whether you’re a parent looking for a place for your child or a college student looking for a nice place to crash, choosing the perfect accommodation can be hard. Finding student accommodation in your home city is hard enough, let alone finding a place in an unfamiliar city. To help ease your stress about finding the perfect student accommodation, we have compiled a few tips that you should consider when looking for your place.
One more possible solution to finding the accommodation can be placed having options like Iglu Student Accommodation who can be of great help to the newbies. It’s your choice if you want to live alone or not, but having flat-mates or roommates is great as they make it easier for you to settle down.
1) Conduct Your research
Now that you’ve received your confirmation letter from your university, it is time to start looking for a place. If your university is located within your city, you might be aware of all the neighbourhoods and locations, which makes the process easier. However, doing proper research will give you more insights.
If you’re planning to move to another country, it might be difficult as you’re probably clueless about it, so research will be mandatory. Gather as much information as you can on the nature of accommodations there. You can also get in touch with the accommodation office at your new university and gather information about the rent expectations to avoid scams.
2) Establish Your budget
It doesn’t matter if you’re going to a local university or abroad, your budget will determine where you end up living. As students, you’re already on a tight budget, so you probably want to find a good place within your intended budget. You can refer to locals in the area, ask around on social media forums or visit real estate websites to figure out the average rent of different areas. Then you should figure out how much you’ll be able to spend on rent monthly. This will help narrow down your accommodation choices.
3) Location
Location is one of the most important factors to consider. Sure, an economical room far from your university might seem like a great idea at the time – but you’ll realize your mistake when you have to take an hour-long commute every day! Also, ensure that the neighbourhood your place is located in is safe and secure. You don’t want to compromise on your safety to save a few bucks.
4) Facilities
When looking for a place, make sure to check all the facilities and amenities available – Is there a study area? Will you have to share a bathroom? Is there a cleaning service and maintenance service? Also, check if your potential home allows you to fulfil your needs and hobbies.
5) Rent
You may hit the jackpot when you find a great place at a low rent price, but be careful, as sometimes, you might have to pay hundreds of bucks for bills. If you’re living in halls, this isn’t something to be concerned about as the bills are included in the rent. However, when opting for private accommodation make sure to check out what is included in the rent.
6) Roommates
Since many accommodations encourage sharing, you’ll probably be living with strangers rather than your friends. So just make sure who you’re living with. If you’re a female and more comfortable with other females, then look for something accordingly.
7) Be Cautious
Whether you’re moving locally or going abroad, you need to be very careful as you can be scammed anywhere. If you find a nice place at a suspiciously cheap rate, don’t instantly pay them off— ask around and post on a few groups to ensure you’re not being scammed.
There are multiple platforms, especially on social media such as Facebook groups or a university accommodation forum, where you can ask for reviews. They are very helpful as you might even find like-minded individuals who are up for sharing a place together.
