Apartment Hunting

Renting and buying tips for college students

Many students start the search for off-campus housing after living in residence halls their first year. In order to make the process as smooth as possible, students should give themselves time to research and save money for the essentials.

Payton Morris, senior elementary education major at Missouri State University, said it can be difficult to find an apartment in Springfield. She and her roommate looked at four different apartments to find one that fit their budget and needs.

Morris said she wishes she’d known about the apartment-hunting process before actually looking for her own.

Once they found an apartment they liked, Morris and her roommate applied for housing in February 2019 and were notified of their approval in April 2019.

“It was kind of nerve-racking,” Morris said.

The stress doesn’t end at getting approved.

Renters are required to sign a lease, which is a legal agreement between a tenant and a landlord. Morris said it is important to read the entire lease carefully before signing to be aware of the renter’s and landlord’s rights.

Tenants are expected to pay a security deposit for first and last month’s rent. Morris said she had to save for months in order to pay the deposit for the apartment and her pet.

“Once we were approved, we had to fork over a $900 deposit and had to start making payments on a $500 pet deposit,” Morris said.

“I sometimes miss the convenience of living on campus, but having my own space with my pup is so much better than living in a cramped dorm.”

-Payton Morris

Morris said she has lived in the same apartment for two years and made a one-time deposit for her dog, which she will get back when she moves out if there are no damages caused by her dog.

Despite all the time and effort it takes to move off campus, Morris said she doesn’t regret it.

“I love not living on campus,” Morris said. “I sometimes miss the convenience of living on cam-

Illustration by Madison Harper Follow Madison on Instagram @madiharpart

pus, but having my own space with my pup is so much better than living in a cramped dorm. I appreciate the privacy and comfortableness more since I lived in the dorm for two years and didn’t have much of either.”

Renting apartments aren’t the only student options for housing in Springfield.

Sabrina Wright, senior exercise and movement science and Spanish major, lived in Woods House and Hutchens House her first year at MSU. After coming back from a semester in Spain, Wright decided to put a 20% down payment on a two-tothree-bedroom house to rent out since she planned on attending graduate school in Springfield. By renting the extra bedrooms, Wright said she offset the monthly costs of the house and treats the house as an investment.

“I was lucky enough to get enough scholarships to be able to use my college fund as the down payment,” Wright said.

According to Wright, Springfield is a relatively cheap place to live compared to California, where she previously lived, so it is a lot more realistic for students to buy a place to live.

Morris said she used apartments.com to find the apartment she currently lives in. Users enter their desired location along with their preferred number of bedrooms, bathrooms and cost, and the site will generate a list of apartments that fit the criteria.

Facebook Marketplace and Zillow may also have property listings for potential renters or buyers. Wright said she had a real estate agent help her shop for houses on Zillow.

FALL 2021

THE NEW RESIDENCE HALL

E Madison Ave

S Holland Ave features:

∙ 2-Person Room Styles ∙ First-Year and Upper-Class Facility ∙ Single-User Private Bathrooms ∙ Open During Breaks ∙ Reserved Garage Parking ∙ Dining Center and Retail ∙ At The Corner of Holland and Madison