Apartment Hunting

[Tiller]

My fiancé and I will be heading up to Columbia, SC this Saturday to look at apartments near where I'll go to law school. This will be a first time thing for the both of us and we have no idea what we should be looking for. We've gotten some good advice, but I'm sure there's more out there. Here's some things that may be relevant.

• It's in a college town. I've been instructed NOT to live anywhere near undergrads.

• I'll go to school downtown. I'd like to live downtown so I can bike to school and not worry about paying high parking fees and gas. However the closer you get to downtown the smaller and more expensive apartments become. 20 minutes outside the city, rent is cheaper and spaces are bigger. We could get a 2 bedroom in town, or a 4 bedroom out of town. How much space is really necessary?

If you have any other suggestions, things to watch out for, etc., please impart any and all wisdom you have about apartment living to this lowly student

 

[sm4him]

Check out the transit system; if it's even reasonably decent, it might be worth looking a little further out from downtown, but close to a bus line. Also check whether the buses have bike racks. Many systems (including the one I work for) have bike racks on ALL buses, so it's easy to take the bike with you. The bus gets you from where you live to downtown, then you bike around campus.

And that's my little plug for public transit for the day.

 

[The_Traveler]

Add the cost of driving, parking and increased maintenanace to the suburban rent.
Add the convenience of being near the law school for library access. (my daughter went to Georgetown Law and moved after first semester to be closer.)

 

[runnah]

We adapt quickly to out surroundings so even a small space will seem large in a month.

 

[The_Traveler]

We adapt quickly to out surroundings so even a small space will seem large in a month.

Of course, Runnah's honeymoon cottage was a cell. :smileys:

 

[Tiller]

Add the cost of driving, parking and increased maintenanace to the suburban rent. Add the convenience of being near the law school for library access. (my daughter went to Georgetown Law and moved after first semester to be closer.)

Yeah that's what I'm worried about. I have to drive 30 minutes to school now and although my college has an awesome library, I've been to it maybe 4 or 5 times in my four years there.

 

[runnah]

We adapt quickly to out surroundings so even a small space will seem large in a month.

Of course, Runnah's honeymoon cottage was a cell. :smileys:

But no less romantic.

 

[Designer]

I don't know why you would want a 4-bedroom. If relatives come for a visit, they can put themselves up in a motel. I'd go for close, and you can put up with a smaller place for a short time. I'd be very observant about the neighborhood. Try to avoid trouble spots. And undergrads. Be very observant when doing the walk-through with the landlord. Get everything in writing.

 

[kathyt]

I would rather be closer to school than anything. It is so convenient to be able to run to the library quickly or whatever. Craigslist is a great resource if you haven't been looking at that yet.

 

[runnah]

I get anxiety attacks thinking about going back to school.

 

[Tiller]

I would rather be closer to school than anything. It is so convenient to be able to run to the library quickly or whatever. Craigslist is a great resource if you haven't been looking at that yet.

For looking at apartments? I've never heard of that. Thanks I'll check it out.

 

[runnah]

I would rather be closer to school than anything. It is so convenient to be able to run to the library quickly or whatever. Craigslist is a great resource if you haven't been looking at that yet.

For looking at apartments? I've never heard of that. Thanks I'll check it out.

Yeah I found a few places to live that way, also a few casual sex partners and a fuel pump for a chevy nova.

 

[manicmike]

I would rather be closer to school than anything. It is so convenient to be able to run to the library quickly or whatever. Craigslist is a great resource if you haven't been looking at that yet.

For looking at apartments? I've never heard of that. Thanks I'll check it out.

Yeah I found a few places to live that way, also a few casual sex partners and a fuel pump for a chevy nova.

Hopefully not at the same time.

 

[Tiller]

So I just looked on Craigslist, and WOW!

We had just been looking at apartments, but there's a lot of sweet houses for rent too.

Thanks Kathy!

 

[bribrius]

live in a box. summer is coming. take a shower in the y or bring a bar of soap into the local public fountain. you can sleep in the school if you can find a place in the basement or attic somewhere they wont look. Then you'll have no commute just wake up and you are there.