Housing: Finding the Right Fit

• How to figure out who you’re living with – think about:
  • community?
  • new city?
  • tryna meet non-BMC people?
  • Use your resources: alumnae networks! Events, facebook, word of mouth

• Finding the apartment
  • Budget – ⅓ of income (factor in tax! fed withholding?)
  • How to find a place?
    • Apartment search sites: Craigslist, Trulia, Zillow, Padmapper, StreetEasy (NYC only), Naked Apartment (NYC only)
  •  Think about the details :
    • Location (proximity to groceries, drugstores, public transportation)
    • Safety (neighborhood and building)
    • Amenities (dishwasher? laundry in building? WiFi? Cable? Parking?)
    • Commute
    • Use Walk Score to compare locations/safety
    • Management? (individual, realty company, etc. Google your company if you have one!)
• Nawar Naseer ’14 created a great spreadsheet that we’ve adapted for you to use – check it out here!
• Have an apartment hunting buddy! (If you can, someone who’s done this before in case it’s shady/so you know what to ask)
• Factors to consider – location re public transit, groceries, etc, safety.

• You found a place!
  • Read your lease. But actually.
  • Landlord politics/Know your rights in case of:
    • Breaking lease
    • Building maintenance problems (minor–small repairs)
    • Building maintenance and safety problems (major issues like gas leaks)
    • Noise policies
    • Insect extermination policies (know who pays and what the terms are if you get bed bugs).
    • Once you find it – furniture, utilities.

Extra Resources

• Splitwise: for budgeting between roommates
• Questions to Ask Before You Sign a Lease
• Rentals 101
• Guides to moving, renting, finding a roommate