Toledo Housing Guide

TOLEDO HOUSING GUIDE

Spring 2015

A SPECIAL ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT TO

GET A $240 GIFT CARD OR NEW LOW RATES + ONLY $10 TO APPLY Rates & fees subject to change. Limited time only.

2 | The Independent Collegian | Spring 2015

ADVERTISER DIRECTORY Campus View Apartments

1700 Secor Road (419) 535-6667 info@campusviewapts.com www.campusviewapts.com Units available: 1-bedroom or 2-bedroom apartments.

Description: Campus View offers spacious one- and two-bedroom apartments with private balcony or patio, ample storage, full kitchen, mini-blinds and carpeting. Beautifully landscaped grounds and well maintained buildings house an on-site office staffed with professional, tenant-friendly management. Laundry facilities, 24-hour emergency maintenance, and lighted offstreet parking are also provided.

technology integrated into a modern style apartment and contemporary community.

Located just steps off of the University of Toledo campus at the corner of North Westwood and Dorr Street, Edge 1120 makes off-campus living easier than ever.

Forest Creek Townhouses and University Properties

1133 N. Byrne Road 419-531-4663 universitypropertiestoledo.com facebook.com/universitypropertiestoledo Units available: 3- to 7-bedroom houses.

Description: All appliances included.

Individual bedrooms. Washer and dryer in each unit. On-site management. Offstreet parking. Houses, not apartments.

Edge 1120

2540 Dorr Street 419-214-6999 www.Edge1120.com Units available: Studio, 1- to 3-bedroom apartments and townhomes.

Description: Edge 1120 is Toledo’s most contemporary student housing community. Designed with the 2015 student in mind, Edge 1120 offers state-of-the-art

Gardenview Homes at Swan Creek

1258 Rockcress Drive 419-389-0096 www.wallickCommunities.com Units available: 3- and 4-bedroom single family homes.

Description: A/C, cable-ready, private patio,

attached garage, all appliances included, dishwasher, located on bus line, windowcoverings.

Honors Academic Village

2801 W. Bancroft Street 419-530-5925 www.honorsacademicvillage.com facebook.com/HonorsAcademicVillage Units available: Studio, 2-bedroom 1-bathroom double semi-suite, 2-bedroom 1-bathroom semi-suite, 4-bedroom 2-bathroom.

Description: Honors Academic Village is the newest on-campus housing option featuring modern living with on-campus convenience. Amenities include a 24hour fitness center, business center, study lounges, iPad bar, a recreation center featuring billiards, foosball and Golden Tee arcade game. With furnished apartments and wi-fi throughout, HAV is the place to be!

Lofts at Gateway

1450 Secor Road 419-530-1330 www.loftsatgateway.com www.facebook.com/loftsatgateway Units available: 2- or 4-bedroom apartments.

Description: Think like a student, Live like a Boss. The greatest student living available for UT students. Just a few steps outside your door and you are on campus! Not to mention our entire first floor has everything you need, including restaurants, shopping and a baking center for ultimate convenience.

Olde Towne University Square Apartments

1744 N. Westwood 419-530-5900 www.toledostudenthousing.com facebook.com/OldeTowneApartments Description: Olde Towne offers fully furnished student apartments in a variety of floor plans to choose from, individual liability leases, cable, internet and water are included. Each unit comes with a washer and dryer and every resident has their own private bathroom.

Our clubhouse has on-site managers and maintenance throughout the week and 24-hour maintenance. Other amenities include 24-hour computer lab with free printing, 24-hour fitness center, game room, movie theater, pool and basketball court.

PLANNING

A list of essential move-in items

By Samantha Rhodes Managing Editor

You’re all ready to move in — except you feel like you’re forgetting something.

Creating a must-have item list will help you remember what you need before you realize you need it. Below is a list of essential items to help make your new place feel like home.

For the kitchen: • A can opener and bottle opener • Measuring spoons and cups • An oven mitt

For the living room: • Blankets • Coasters • Small lamps • Coffee table • Wall décor • TV cabinet

For the laundry room: • Laundry basket • Detergent • Bleach • Dryer sheets • Ironing board

For the bedroom: • Full length mirror • Hangers

For the bathroom: • Plunger • Bath mat • Towel set

For cleaning purposes: • An all-purpose cleaner • A toilet brush and cleaner • Broom and dust pan • Paper towels

For around the house: • Duct tape • Flashlight and batteries • Fire extinguisher • First aid kit • Basic tool set

Spring 2015 | The Independent Collegian |

now leaSing for fall 2015!

SpotS are filling up! contact uS today! community amenitieS

comforting community atmoSphere

• • • • •

• Professional on-site management & Leasing office • Indoor & Outdoor gas fire place • Game room fully equipped with a ping pong table, table top shuffle board, original arcade games, & much more!

• Monster bar including group community kitchen with event dinner table & coffee bar • Relaxing swimming pool • Outdoor kitchen with bar style seating and seating areas • Covered pavilion with outdoor grill area, bar style seating, & outdoor TVs • Beautiful mounded landscape areas & amphitheater seating area • Volleyball Court

Ample Bike Storage Across the street from campus Exterior bus stop waiting area FREE On-Site Stand up Tanning booth Complimentary coffee service

State of the art technology • • • • •

Super-fast WiFi 50-inch flat screen TV’s throughout the clubhouse Dedicated gaming area Dedicated computer area Conference room with projection capability

deSigned to help you • • • • •

Group study areas with White Boards Private study nooks & lounges FITNESS ON DEMAND Custom group fitness classroom Fitness area w/ Flat screen TV’s

419-214-6999 or Stop in 2540 dorr St. toledo, oh

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4 | The Independent Collegian | Spring 2015

Spring 2015 | The Independent Collegian |

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HOUSING

Signing your first lease?

Tips to remember before you make it official

By Samantha Rhodes Managing Editor

You toured the place, asked all the right questions and decided you want to be a renter. But first, you have to finalize the agreement with your landlord. Signing a lease can be an intimidating process, but doesn’t need to be.

To help answer some common student questions, we’ve interviewed Charlon Dewberry, managing attorney at the University of Toledo’s Student Legal Services.

In legal terms, what is a lease?

“A lease is a legally binding contract which sets forth the rights and obligations agreed to by the property owner (landlord) and the person renting the property (tenant),” Dewberry said. “If either party does not perform their obligations under the lease, then they can be sued for breach of contract.”

What types of leases will students see?

Contrary to popular belief, Dewberry points out there is no such thing as a “standard lease that fits all situations.” Some landlords may give the tenant a one-page document while others will present a longer one with multiple pages.

“Some leases are on a monthto-month basis, other leases are for a short term – such as 6 months – while other leases are for a longer term, such as one year or two years,” Dewberry said.

Why is it important to read the entire lease?

According to Dewberry, the landlord-tenant relationship is governed by Chapter 53 of the Ohio Revised Code, which explains the tasks and responsibilities that the tent and landlord

should each perform.

“However, one party in a lease can agree to assume some of the tasks and responsibilities that the other party was to perform,” Dewberry said.

Dewberry urges students to make sure the landlord isn’t “trying to transfer some of their statutory obligations to the tenant,” or forcing the tenant to assume responsibility for things the landlord is normally under obligation to do.

For example, if the tenant signs a lease which says he or she is responsible for paying the cost of repairs to appliances provided in the rental, then the tenant is then responsible for those costs. The lease can also require the tenant to pay a “non-refundable” appliance fee, according to Dewberry.

Dewberry said the lease should, at the very least, include provisions concerning the amount of rent to be paid, the date rent is due, identification of the property or premises to be rented, the contact information for the landlord, any fees for late or missed payments, default provisions, how long the lease will last and any responsibilities that the tenant has to pay, such as utilities.

“Take the time to ask questions, to ask for modifications to the printed lease and to investigate multiple properties before making a decision.”

CHARLON DEWBERRY Managing Attorney at UT Student Legal Services

Leases should also explain how much advance notice the tenant must give the landlord if he or she does not plan to renew the lease.

the rent, utilities, etc.

These agreement forms are available at Student Legal Services in Rocket Hall Room 1610.

What are some red flags to look for?

“Unfortunately, a lot of people assume that they only have to give 30 days advance notice … then they get hit with a bill for another month’s rent or more because they moved without either giving notice or they gave insufficient notice,” Dewberry said. “We have also seen leases automatically renew for an additional year.”

Dewberry reminds students that a lease is a binding contract and if signed, the court will assume all of it has been read.

What if you aren’t 100 percent sure?

First and foremost, don’t allow yourself to be pressured into signing a lease you don’t understand or agree with. According to Dewberry, tenants have the right to speak up and ask to have terms they don’t like or agree with changed or removed from the lease.

“There is a lot of rental property around the university and so tenants should not give in to the hard sale and the pressure tactics that some landlords will engage in to get you to sign the lease as soon as possible,” Dewberry said. “Take the time to ask questions, to ask for modifications to the printed lease and to investigate multiple properties before making a decision.”

What about roommates?

According to Dewberry, finding well-matched roommates to live with should be a priority.

“Before you sign the lease and definitely before you move in together, have a serious conversation with anyone you plan to move in with,” Dewberry said. “Discuss your study habits, your housekeeping preferences, your socializing preferences … Keep in mind that living with someone is different from hanging out with someone.”

According to Dewberry, most leases are “joint and several,” meaning that everyone who signs the lease is jointly and individually responsible for all of the obligations under the lease.

“Your liability under your lease does not go away just because your roommate moved out or you are no longer getting along with that person,” Dewberry said.

Consequently, it’s crucial to ask yourself the question: “If my roommates move out or never move in, can I afford to rent this place on my own?”

Dewberry advises students to fill out a roommate agreement, or a written contract between all roommates that acknowledges their liability to each other for paying their respective share of

According to Dewberry, the following are warning signs: 1. The prospective landlord refuses to give you a written lease – while Ohio law recognizes oral leases, you are running the risk that a dispute is going to arise at some point about what was promised.

2. The prospective landlord won’t let you take a copy of the lease to have someone review it with you. Ask yourself – what are they trying to hide?

3. The property management or ownership keeps changing.

4. You are asked to sign a lease that has blank spaces on it, and your landlord refuses to give you a copy of what you are signing.

Need more help?

Student Legal Services and Commuter Services will host a Landlord/Tenant Walk-In Lease Review Clinic on Feb. 27 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Student Union Commuter Lounge. Students need to bring their leases, photo identification, and any emails, photos, or correspondence with their landlords.

Dewberry urges students who do not understand their leases to consult with an attorney at Student Legal Services before signing, where proposes leases can be reviewed by a licensed attorney.

“We would be happy to review your lease with you and explain to you in plain English what the lease says and how those terms will impact your rights and obligations,” Dewberry said.

For more information, contact Student Legal Services at 419-530-7230.

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Spring 2015 | The Independent Collegian |

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8 | The Independent Collegian | Spring 2015 RENTING

How to assess a potential apartment

By Samantha Rhodes Managing Editor

Considering which apartment complex will best suit your needs as a tenant can be a long and tedious process.

However, before you sign a lease, here are some tips that will help you quickly separate the quality apartments from the subpar ones.

5 warning signs: Evidence of pests Shine a flashlight in the nooks and crannies of cabinets in the kitchen and bathroom. Other common hiding places for pests include under the refrigerator and laundry room appliances.

If you see bug droppings, which look like black pepper, or mice droppings, which resemble maggotshaped black pellets, then it’s time to start looking elsewhere.

Warping and stains Leaks in the ceiling or under a sink can potentially turn into mold problems, so take a close look at ceilings for blotches of discoloration.

Signs of warped wood or linoleum under bathroom and kitchen cabinets, black specks along baseboards or damp-feeling carpet are all sure signs that the landlord

isn’t fixing these mold and mildew related problems.

Obvious odors or drafts If a room smells musty, moist, smoky or like bug spray, these strange odors mean there’s an underlying problem the landlord doesn’t want to tell you about.

A lack of working smoke detectors If the landlord doesn’t care enough to install or replace a smoke detector’s batteries, he or she doesn’t value the tenants’ safety.

A burglary bulletin board in the office If the complex office has a burglary bulletin board that’s covered, chances are your area has a high crime rate. Be sure to check out the surrounding houses near the apartment, not just the complex itself.

5 good signs: Good lighting and availability in the parking lot If the parking lot seems to have spaces available during all times of day, there’s a good chance you’ll be able to snag a spot without waiting. The guest

parking policy is also important to ask about if you plan on having people visit.

Good lighting and visibility at night means the landlord cares about your safety.

Positive reviews from the neighbors Knock on doors and talk directly to the neighbors within the complex about how responsive the landlord is. Does he or she respond quickly to maintenance requests and act professional?

These people will give you honest reviews based on firsthand experience.

A new-looking water heater and other appliances Having hot water is vital — the newer the water heater looks, the less chance you’ll be stuck taking cold showers. Other appliances will also work more effectively the newer they are.

A phone number for a maintenance person Good apartments have a phone number tenants can call for a maintenance person — even after hours. Inquire about how many maintenance people work on the property, how to get in touch with them, and when they are available.

Soundproof walls and insulation Some apartments have a concrete sheet between the walls and under the floors to minimize outdoor sounds, such as street traffic.

Ask the landlord about details such as insulation that you can’t see with the naked eye.

Spring 2015 | The Independent Collegian |

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10 | The Independent Collegian | Spring 2015

Spring 2015 | The Independent Collegian |

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12 | The Independent Collegian | Spring 2015

SIGN A LEASE & GET A

$240

GIFT CARD

OR

NEW LOW RATES

ON SELECT FLOOR PLANS

GREAT LOCATION—WALK TO CLASS + ON SHUTTLE BUS ROUTE + PRIVATE BEDROOMS & BATHROOMS FULLY FURNISHED + 24-HR FITNESS CENTER + EXTENDED CABLE & INTERNET INCLUDED

APPLY ONLINE TODAY @ TOLEDOSTUDENTHOUSING.COM 4 1 9. 5 3 0. 5 9 0 0 | 1 74 4 N . W E S T WO O D AV E Rates, fees, amenities & utilities included are subject to change. See office for details. Limited time only.