The fall comes with a lot of great traditions - college football, the sound of crunching leaves, the sight of pumpkins on porches, and the unique taste of a Pumpkin Spice Latte…
However, some fall traditions aren’t always as welcome, or necessary. The scramble to find housing off-campus as quickly as possible can create different issues down the line. Before you sign that lease for next year’s housing, there are a few important things to remember:
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Use the university’s dedicated housing search website - offcampushousing.umich.edu - this will allow you to search using a range of criteria, including size, type, cost, and location.
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There is no shortage of student housing in Ann Arbor. Even if you waited until spring or summer, you would still be able to find a place to live.
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Think about who you want to live with, and how you pick your roommates. If you’ve only known them for a couple of weeks, you may want to take a bit more time to get to know them better before signing a lease together.
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Make a budget, and stick to it. Be realistic about your housing and living costs, and make sure you know whether bills and utilities are included in the rent.
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A lease is a legally-binding contract. Make sure you read it carefully before signing; amending or cancelling a lease after signing is very difficult.
In short, Take Time Before You Sign. We're launching a campaign that provides more information about the best way to find off-campus housing. Take a look at the first video, and more which will be following soon!
If you have any questions about house-hunting, please contact the Beyond The Diag Team at [email protected] or visit our website.