Housing fair comes to Union on Wednesday, offers options

After two-and-a-half years in Rather Hall, Elizabeth Lyons is ready for a change of scenery.

The biomedical engineering junior said she plans to move off campus next year, but still is researching apartments and property management groups.

The Department of Student Life will host its annual Fall Housing Fair on Wednesday to give students such as Lyons an opportunity to meet property management group representatives and ask student volunteers about their experiences living in apartments, residence halls, sororities, co-ops and houses.

The housing fair will run from noon to 4 p.m. on the second floor of the Union.

“I would probably go for the property management part,” Lyons said.

“The leasing part … is not as horrible as people think it is.”

Reg Motley, a higher adult and lifelong education doctoral student and housing fair coordinator, said the fair will feature representatives from educational and service organizations who will explain the leasing process and discuss how to budget money.

Motley estimated about 35 local property management groups, about three Campus Living Services representatives and about five educational and service organizations will set up booths at this year’s event.

“This is one of those things where students have an opportunity to see what’s out there (for housing options),” Motley said.

“There will be a person for financial aid to go over a typical student budget and just to see what types of things would matter for students in this housing situation.”

Matt Hagan, an agent with Hagan Reality Inc., said the property management group plans to attend the housing fair this year after a prolonged absence.

“You reach maybe a little bit different group of people,” Hagan said.

“You reach some of the younger underclassmen who you might not possibly get to otherwise because they’re more on campus.

You get potential clients for the future for maybe not just this year, but the future.”

Motely, who completed his undergraduate education at MSU, regrets never attending a housing fair.

“I didn’t go to a housing fair, but I would have learned a lot more about leases if I had gone,” Motley said.

Last year, Motley said about 3,000 students attended the event and he expects similar numbers for this year’s housing fair.