Figure out what you want

If you’re going to hate waiting for the bus every day and don’t have a car at your disposal, then The Landings at Chandler Crossings might not be a good fit. If you need eight hours of sleep every night and hate noisy neighbors, Cedar Village wouldn’t be a wise choice either.

The point is, you’re going to have to decide what you want when choosing an apartment. Figure out what’s still available for lease, then ask yourself a few simple questions such as how many people will be living with you, how close you want to be to campus and what you can afford.

Researching the general reputation and reviews of an apartment also is a wise choice. Web sites such as allmsu.com offer reviews on most apartments on campus, but taking a tour of where you might end up living for nine months is a must.

Imagine signing a lease because of the great reviews you read, then showing up in August to find your dream apartment a run-down hole in the wall. Not the best situation.

Keep an open mind

Although you might not always be able to meet all of your requirements, try to weigh the good with the bad. The apartment you choose may be far from campus, yet it also could come with most utilities paid for and be $200 cheaper a month than places much closer and with no utilities included.

The Landings at Chandler Crossings may be too far away for your taste, but those apartments offer a pool, free bus pass, furniture and washers and dryers in every apartment. The rent also starts at much less than what you’d expect.

Even if the only apartments left are far away from your classes, they may be closer to other places you’ll find useful. Apartments down Grand River Avenue past Park Lake Road are close to Meijer, Meridian Mall Shopping Center and much more, despite their distance to campus.

Look for deals

Most realty companies catering to students will lower their prices after the peak of lease-signing season. By choosing an apartment during spring semester instead of fall, you may miss out on the best locations, but usually can find the best deals.

Companies such as DTN Management Co., or Community Resource Management Co., usually will cut down their rent by a small percentage in order to fill their buildings. You also can take advantage of student ads on the Internet or the kind taped to the back of a bathroom stall door.

Students who have signed a lease but have to leave to study abroad usually will pay part of the rent in order to entice someone to fill their empty spot.

Be prepared

Before you sign the lease, you need to collect some information to present to landlords or leasing agents. For students, this may include information such as who will be paying the rent, references, a driver’s licence and Social Security card.

Also, be prepared to sign the lease and pay the security deposit at the meeting if you don’t want to lose the apartment to someone else. The security deposit usually is one and a half month’s rent, so make sure you have enough in your bank account.

By following these rules and staying optimistic, finding a last-minute apartment might not be as stressful as you think. Just make sure you’re happy with your decision and you’ll have one less thing to worry about next semester.