Finding quality but affordable student accommodation in a bustling city such as Los Angeles can be quite tricky. If you’re like most students, house hunting is one of those initial independent decisions you’re making, and it plays a big role in your college experience.
If you missed the window to secure accommodation on campus or just want to stay somewhere else, this post is for you. There are many options you can choose from – you just have to know where to look.
For example, you can search on social media, use student accommodation forums, or reach out to a furnished apartment provider like Blueground for student-friendly accommodation that comes fully-furnished and can be booked online.
Overall, the house-hunting process requires a lot of patience and a keen eye for details. Remember, you’ll be spending a long time in your new place, so it’s important to make a sound decision right from the beginning.
The following are four simple guidelines to follow when looking for quality student accommodation in LA.
Define Your Housing Priorities
What do you need in an accommodation facility to be comfortable and productive? As a student, your living conditions will significantly influence your performance in college.
Before anything else, write down a list of must-haves and the things you can do without. Are you looking for accommodation with gym facilities?
Do you enjoy preparing your meals and thus require your own kitchen? Are you a pet’s person? These kinds of questions will help you determine the type of accommodation you need.
Establish a Budget
Once you’ve determined what you need in a home, it’s time to create a budget for your rent and living expenses. As a student, you probably want to keep your rent and living expenses low. But if that isn’t something to worry you, even better.
Different LA neighborhoods have varying costs of living, and this will impact your budget and, ultimately, the housing option you opt for. Will you cook your meals, eat out, or do you prefer a catered living situation? What forms of transportation are you most comfortable with?
Having a budget will help you to further narrow down the housing options you can rent. You will have to decide which expenses are worth incurring and whether or not they will enhance your college experience.
Location
A house is only as good as its location. It could come with all sorts of amazing perks, but an unsuitable location will negate any perceived benefits. Most Los Angeles natives would advise you to live where you work, or in your case, study.
Although LA is home to one of the country’s best public transport systems, the city is also notorious for its jam-packed highways during rush hours.
Ideally, you should pick a house that’s close to your school to save on both time and money. If you choose to stay farther away from school, you should probably be ready to put up with longer commute times and higher transport costs.
Don’t forget to research about the safety of your chosen neighborhood. This is particularly vital if you own expensive equipment like laptops or cameras, which are likely to make you an easy target of petty thieves.
Narrow Down Your Search
Now that you’ve defined your ideal accommodation and set aside a budget, it’s time to start your search. A few excellent places to start are rental agencies, room rental websites, or student accommodation forums.
If you have a particular neighborhood in mind, you can walk around and keep an eye out for “For Rent” signs.
Your specific parameters will help you filter out housing options that don’t meet your needs. Once you’ve narrowed down your list to one or two homes, you should ideally visit them in person.
Given social distancing measures, an increasing number of open houses are being replaced by virtual tours and YouTube video tours.
Confirm whether they look the same as the pictures you saw online. Most importantly, find out if they have all the key amenities you were looking for to guarantee a comfortable stay.
If you’re satisfied with what you see and the surrounding environment, pay the rent and move in.
Conclusion
Good student-friendly facilities are hard to find in LA. But if you can implement the tips we just shared in this post, your house-hunting process can be a lot easier.
A rule of thumb, though is never to sign any rental agreement before reading through it thoroughly. Usually, this document contains the landlord’s terms of occupancy, and it’s crucial to ensure they align with your needs before putting that pen to paper.
Which other tips do you use when looking for quality accommodation in LA? We’d love to hear in the comments.
