What to Look for When Choosing the Right Property as a Student

If you've decided to ignore campus housing and find your own accommodation away from your school or college's site, you might have made the right choice. More and more people are choosing to do this, and it's still a great way to go to university or while taking postgraduate courses. 

However, there are a few things you need to consider when choosing off-campus accommodation. Thankfully, you're in the right place. In this article, we're going to look at a number of different factors that could make a difference when deciding where to live while at the university.

How far is it to the university?

One of the biggest reasons people decide to stay on campus is because it's so close to the relevant university or college. It might not be the best accommodation available, or the most affordable - but you can't normally beat location when looking to be close to where you study.

So that's why it's also important that your off-campus housing be close enough to school that it won't make things difficult for you.

What bills are included?

Many on-campus dorms include bills or offer a flat rate fee for everything. This isn't always the case with off-campus housing, especially if you decide to go with a private property and rent independently. So you need to make sure you know what's going to be included.

And if bills aren't included, you should do some rough estimates to know exactly what you'll be spending. While off-campus housing can often be cheaper than staying in the most popular on-campus units, you'll need to factor in bills and other expenses (like transport) into the equation.

Is it more affordable?

One reason many people decide to opt for off campus housing is that it's simply cheaper. If you can't quite afford those on campus dorms, you might want to think about living further away.

Is it in a safe area?

While your university campus is normally reasonably safe, the same can't be said for where your off-campus housing might be. Often, these units are located in cheaper parts of your area—so make sure it's safe enough for you.

What will your social life be like?

If you don't live on campus, you might miss out on a lot of the social benefits from being with loads of other students. That being said, you could also find some great off-campus options that you're happy with.

Does it allow students?

If you're deciding to rent privately instead of staying with official student housing, you could find a lot of advantages. But you'll need to make sure the landlord allows students, as some don't.

What are the communication options?

Many campus dorms have high-speed internet and other modern communication options. off-campus locations might not, so you'll need to check if this is important to you.

Is the transport system good?

If you live further from the campus, you'll need to make sure public transport is quick enough to get you there in good time. You might also want to factor in the cost of this transport into your overall expenses.