Because finding an apartment is more involved than signing a name to a lease, people moving off-campus for the first time have many things to consider and important questions to ask.

One of the most important issues when moving off-campus is that of the roommate or roommates. “You can lose a lot of good opportunities in your education by having roommate problems,” Jeff Price, president and owner of Price -Williams Realty, said.

Be sure when choosing your roommates that everyone is solid financially and will pay their part. Do not take the roommate situation lightly. Katy Cavendish, a sophomore at RU, added, “Always look for a place together so you can make sure it’s a place you can all agree on. Also, make sure that your soon-to-be roommates are dependable and people you can stand to be around day in and day out.”

A professional student-housing firm with a good reputation is the place a student should go to start the process. Price said, “Make sure you are dealing with a professional because I think in the end when your refrigerator is broken or when your heat is out or you have a water leak, I think you’ll be a lot happier dealing with somebody like that that has good service than if you’re dealing with a mom and a pop that have a house and they’re inaccessible and won’t fix your property.”

Go to a Realtor that offers emergency maintenance and lights for safety on the property. Price recommends looking for the curb appeal of the property and making sure the property is maintained on the outside as well as the inside.

When visiting the Realtor, be sure to ask many questions. Some questions to ask are the following: What are the amenities? Which utilities are provided? What does the landlord pay for versus what you pay? Ask to see many places and read over the lease before signing. Most likely the Realtor will have a policies and procedures manual, which will explain how that place does business and what to expect. Understand as much as possible before making the final decision.

After choosing the apartment, get the Realtor’s check-in sheet prior to moving in. It is important to use this sheet to record all damages made previously. This ensures that, when the lease is up, one will not get stuck paying for damages that he or she did not cause. Price also stresses that a good landlord-tenant relationship is important. “You don’t own the property, you need to respect it.” “If the landlord is to do his due diligence, which means to take care of you, than you have to do yours.” Read over the contract with the landlord and follow it to prevent having any future problems.

Moving off-campus for the first time can be a lot more complicated than it seems. Get out there early and do some shopping. The earlier one starts, the more options are available.