Housing Options at WMU: Off-campus 

Although it is very convenient to stay in one of the on-campus residence halls, some students prefer to live off campus. If living on campus is not for you, the city of Kalamazoo has an array of off-campus living options available. These vary according to preference, taste, distance, size, and arrangement required by the tenants. WMU's Office of Community Living (OCL) has a website that provides a lot of information on certified renters and procedures to follow when renting an apartment. It is a very good resource for researching landlords, rates, regulations, facilities and more.

Searching for and finding the perfect apartment can be time-consuming, but students who choose to live off-campus say that the benefits of increased privacy and more flexible budgets are a huge pay-off for the hassle involved. Indeed, for the more mature or non-traditional student, living off campus might be a better option. However, for an international student moving to a new city, it might be a great leap from the comfort and familiarity of home. As such, we will offer some pointers and tips that may help you understand life in the United States and help you adjust.

Locating Apartments: In addition to the OCL website, there are other websites that can help you in your search for the right apartment. Some offer pictures, floor plans and even past resident ratings. Such websites can be found by doing a Google search. Some renters advertise in newspapers and these can be useful as well.

Types of Apartments: An apartment, (also known as a flat) is a complete living unit that may be occupied by one or more persons. Apartment types vary with size and available facilities:

Utilities: The weather in Kalamazoo stays at extremes during the two major seasons. Kalamazoo gets beautiful, white, but very cold winters and sunny, bright, but very hot summers. As a result, apartment owners have to pay for gas to heat their apartments in the winter months, and also for extra electricity to run an air-conditioner in the summer months. Such expenses are called utility bills in the United States. Other utilities include cable television, internet access, water, garbage disposal, snow removal, phone service, and maintenance. Some apartments waive certian utilities and some make tenants pay for almost all of them. Look out for a landlord's policy on utilities, bacause, this is a good way to save on apartment costs. Be sure to factor in the utility costs when weighing apartment costs to end up with the true final cost of renting.

Signing the Lease Agreement: Possibly the worst mistakea student could make while renting is getting over-excited about being approved for an apartment or getting a 'special' rate and signing the lease agreement without reading it over fully and understanding the terms and conditions. Like other signed agreements, a lease a binding contract between the landlord and the tenant, stating all the rights and responsibilities of the tenant, the monthly rent, and the specific dates of the lease. The agreement also lists any limitations to the contract. These includes exceptions and provisos, such as rules with pets, rules with subletting and possible reasons for eviction. The landlord may evict you if you break any of the rules stated in the contract and under the law, you would still be responsible for paying rent. Be sure to go over the lease agreement long and hard before signing it and it may save you a lot down the road.

Rental Insurance: A good piece of advice for any renter is getting the property in the apartment insured. The landlord does not cover your belongings in case of fire or theft. Fires are unforseeable disasters and while they can be guarded against and prevented, they are not completely inevitable. Also, while most apartment complexes have patrols and sporadic guards certain isolated incidents of theft may occur. The best way to protect against such losses is to secure rental insurance for your belongings.

Additional Tips: Even when you feel you have found the perfect mix of size, price and location, be sure to confirm any claims of the landlord. Check the interior of the apartment and note anything that is broken or needs repair before you move in. request that the landlord fix them as soon as possible or you may be held responsible for the repair costs. Familiarize yourself with locations of the nearest bus-stop, grocery store and hospital and ensure that you are able to cope with the distance if need be. Possibly the most useful resource you can rely on is the word of otehr people who have lived in the apartment complex and have a first-hand account of what its like to live there. Seek such recommendations and weigh them into your final decision.

Terms:
Rent: amount paid to the landlord per month to take over an apartment
Landlord: the owner or person in charge of the apartment and to whom rent is paid.
Tenant/Renter: person who pays to live in an apartment.
Utilities: extra services rendered by the landlord or an outside agency.
Lease: legally binding contract for a specific period of time stating the landlord and tenant and apartment unit and rules and regulation associated with the rental of an apartment.
Evict: cause a tenant to vacate an apartment due to a violation of a stated clause within the lease agreement.
Furnished: apartment having bedroom and living-room furniture.
Unfurnished: apartment not having bedroom and living-room furniture