As the spring 2024 semester approaches and we inch closer to the end of another academic year at Northeastern, one of the big questions on the minds of returning students is housing. Student housing is perhaps one of the biggest non-academic challenges of being in college. Where you live is important and affects your mental and physical health, well-being and overall quality of life.
For the 2023-24 school year at Northeastern, the average semester cost for a standard apartment style double bedroom is $5,895. The average cost for a single in the same standard apartment style is $6,975. That comes out to roughly $1,473 per month for a double and $1,743 for a single. Now, you’re not just paying for an apartment. You’re also paying for utilities like water, heat and electricity; proctor stations for safety (unless you live in a leased apartment); residential assistants; NUPD just minutes away; and a building full of other students.
On the other hand, living off-campus provides an opportunity to pay cheaper rent, have increased convenience and amenities, more room and ultimately more independence. Living off-campus may be the best choice for you, but just because it’s the best choice, doesn’t mean it’s not a daunting experience. Here is your guide to the off-campus apartment search.
- Start Early, Plan Early and Be Prepared
If you’re searching for an apartment for September, you should start thinking about where you want to live and who you want to live with as soon as possible. I started speaking with my roommates in November to confirm we all wanted to live off-campus together; we started scheduling tours for early January after we returned from winter break. Some of my friends started touring in early December and even signed their leases in late December. If you don’t start as early as January, it’s not going to be the end of the world, but the earlier you start, the better off you’ll be.
Northeastern also starts their housing process for the next academic year relatively early. I would suggest signing up for on-campus housing just in case you don’t find the right off-campus apartment for you. You don’t need to put down a deposit until later in the year so filling out the preliminary forms won’t hurt. It’s a lot more difficult to sign up for the list before the deadline has passed than afterward.
- Set a Budget and Stick to It
Boston is one of the most expensive cities to rent an apartment in the United States. On top of the cost of rent, you also need to pay for utilities each month, which may include water, gas, electricity and Wi-Fi. During the warmer and cooler months, these can get fairly expensive.
It can be easy to tour a beautiful apartment and decide that $100 more in rent per month is worth it, which it may be in the short term, but in the long term it can get costly. Particularly with roommates, you need to have a long and thoughtful conversation on how much each of you are willing to spend and set strict limits. If you don’t agree on how much you want to spend, then it might be best to find roommates that are more aligned.
You can get around this by finding apartments that have various bedroom sizes. You can then split rent proportionally by those sizes and get around one person willing to pay more for more space or a nicer personal area. You may have to make compromises on certain features you may have really wanted. For example, my roommates and I really wanted in-unit laundry, but we quickly found out that that is very rare in Boston and also very expensive, so we compromised on in-building laundry.
- Use Your Resources
As a renter you have so many resources available to you. As a Northeastern student you have even more. Before starting your apartment search I recommend checking out Northeastern’s off campus housing website. It has a number of resources on how to get started, which includes information on finances; legal and financial paperwork; realtors, brokers and property owners; and protection for rental scams. Once you get approved for an apartment you can even schedule meetings off-campus support staff to go over your lease.
You can also use a number of apartment search websites and get in touch with multiple brokers at different real estate firms. I suggest talking to upperclassmen or friends who have already gone through the apartment search process. Get advice and get leads on potential brokers or apartment buildings. Speaking with other renters in the city is always beneficial because you want to have as much knowledge as possible.
If you’re touring an apartment you can also use the current residents as a resource. If they happen to be there while you’re touring, don’t be afraid to ask questions. How communicative is management and do they respond to maintenance requests quickly? How much do utilities typically cost? Are there any rodent or pest issues? They’ll most likely be honest and give you the best information.
- Don’t Give Up
The apartment search process is often long and arduous. It’s stressful to not have fully confirmed housing for the next year. It’s weeks full of hundreds of texts, emails, tours and big decisions. You get disappointed about apartments that are out of your budget, too far away or ones that get snatched up before you can even get an application in. It’s easy to fill out an application and tour but you should be intentional about where you are putting your time and energy in the process.
My roommates and I toured over 15 apartments before we found one that we loved, applied and signed a lease for. Now, we love where we live because it’s in a great location, has an updated kitchen area, good bedroom sizes and high ceilings.
The off-campus apartment search is a long and stressful process. It’s certainly trying, especially when you may already be busy working a full time co-op and taking courses on top of other jobs, activities and commitments. Ultimately, it’s worth it to find your perfect apartment. Trust the process.