My Experience Apartment Hunting

Guess who has an apartment in Denver? Me!

I've never had to hunt for an apartment while not living in the same city as where it is. While in undergrad, I lived in the dorms my freshman and sophomore years, and then spent my final two years in the same apartment. However, I was living in Iowa City while I was searching for an apartment, so I was able to be the one doing walk-throughs of all the different places my roommate and I were considering.

Because I was unable to be in Denver during my apartment hunt due to working five or six days each week at home in Chicago, my roommate and I had to depend on websites, reviews, and phone calls to get a good idea of the different places we were interested in.

One of the biggest things that I used to find an apartment were the reviews. People love to share their opinions on the Internet, so I find reading them, especially from those who may be disgruntled about something, is very beneficial. No matter how great the photos look or how cheap the rent may be, it's always best to know what you're getting yourself into if you choose to proceed with that apartment.

Something I definitely needed in my apartment was that it is within walking distance of campus and the law building. When you start looking into apartments, create a list of what you need in your ideal apartment, as well as a list of what would be a perk, but isn't a necessity. That way, you have a checklist for each apartment you look at, and you can compare it with any roommates you may have to find the best apartment for everyone.

I'm lucky enough that the University of Denver has an off-campus housing website where you can connect with other students to be roommates and search for apartments. I found my roommate, another incoming law student, on DU's website, and I highly recommend figuring out if your school has a similar website. I used one like it for my undergrad apartment, and, like I mentioned above, I lived there for two years.

Create a list of questions you have for landlords, and keep them handy if you begin to correspond with any of them, whether that be over the phone or via email. It's the worst feeling when you hang up the phone and suddenly remember two or three questions you meant to ask. Keeping track of the answers is super important, too.

Apartment hunting is stressful in and of itself, so it's in your best interest to make the process as simple as possible for your sanity's sake.

Do you have any tips I didn't mention for apartment hunting?

xoxo,

Rachel