Finding a new place to stay can be a very tedious and stressful time. Especially if you’re a college student and you have a professional, personal and much important matters to attend to.
I’m positive that the last thing you want to add to your checklist is to make sure the website you’re searching for your new place called: home; is safe and legit and reliable and most importantly, secure.
So, to save you a peace of mind, here are some of the general websites that are “trust-worthy” and massively helpful in finding your new place:
General Open Websites
- Apartments.com: This massive platform offers a comprehensive filter system to narrow down your search by budget, location, amenities, and more. Apartments.com is also unique in itself because of it’s partnerships with a lot of universities. As such, you are also given the flexibility to find student-specific listings and roommates finder features from your same university which are also available!
- Rent.com: Similar to Apartments.com, Rent.com boasts a vast variety of listings and allows you to compare rentals side-by-side. Plus, it offers virtual tours and 3D floor plans for some listings. Trouble getting to see the unit in-person? Now, no worries!
- Zillow: This popular real estate platform features both rental listings and buying options. One of the best bonus is its “Zillow Premier Agent” program ensures verified and experienced agents for college areas.
Secret Bonus Options
You might get really angsty when trying to find tens or even hundreds of open listings in these 3 websites, but there are some other places than the general open websites listed above where you also look for.
- University Housing Websites: Many universities maintain their own off-campus housing listings or partner with trusted rental agencies. Check your school’s housing department website for resources and recommendations.
- Local Facebook Groups: Based of my personal experience, this is a great place to start off your apartment hunting! Because of the neutral and casual platform, you can easily match with roomies who share your same interests, hobbies and even major or same university! Joining university-specific Facebook groups can connect you with students offering subleases or looking for roommates.
- Referrals: Ask your network if anyone knows of available apartments near your desired location. They might have personal experiences or recommendations for specific buildings or landlords! Don’t even be shy to ask other than friends and family such as alumnis or faculty members and even current residents!
Take Home Lesson
Remember, trust your gut and conduct thorough research before signing any lease agreements! Godspeed!