It's that time of the year again. Once again, get ready to decide whether to stick with the dorms or hunt for a prime rental location, either downtown or farther from campus.

And it's not an easy task.

To ease the process of finding and securing an apartment for the Fall Semester, the Office of Off-Campus Living offers several tips to students, including what to look for on a lease, how to manage a budget and how to create a roommate agreement contract.

While the office does not recommend apartments to people, it does help students research apartments and realtors.

Jean Welling, staff assistant of the Office of Off-Campus Living, said smart renters would explore all their options before making a final decision.

The office keeps a complaint file from students who have problems with various apartments. Though the chart can be helpful for students who cannot decide which apartment to live in, Welling offered other advice for the adventurous apartment-seeker.

Location, location, location

"If they're here to seriously party and only have a good time, then Beaver Canyon is the place for them. If they are looking for a more quiet location, they should look at a place a couple blocks away from campus," Welling said.

Renters need to realize that the location of their apartment can have a big effect on their studies and social life, Welling said. They need to decide what is important to them.

Additionally, if students have a part-time job, Welling said: "Find a place near where you work or half-way between campus."

Students should also consider parking as they look for a location, Welling said.

"Find out if you can have a car where you live. Look at the costs of parking," she advised.

Additionally, she said students should find out if bus service is available at their location and if a bus pass is included.

Reading between the lines

When looking for an apartment, many students make the mistake of signing an application to the complex, Welling said.

"Signing an application is binding. Signing in several apartments can bind you to different leases. Don't even sign an application until you are sure that's where you want to live," she said.

Welling said several students have gotten themselves into trouble just because they filled out an application.

Students who rent apartments in private homes are more likely to be able to sign a semester- or 9-month-long lease instead of a yearlong lease, she added.

Welling also highly recommended all renters sign an individual lease — if available — instead of signing a lease with other people.

"Then you're only responsible for yourself," she said. That way, when one roommate fails to pay his or her rent, the renter who signed an individual lease is not affected.

She also advised students to read the lease carefully to see what obligations exist when it comes time to move out.

"Look to see if you have to have the whole apartment professionally cleaned or just have the rugs cleaned," she said. Some apartments only require a quick cleaning, she added.

Also, read to see whether the apartment owners allow their renters to sublet the apartment, she said. Some do not, so students who go home for the summer wind up paying for an empty apartment.

Kris Holzwarth, property manager at Associated Realty Property Management, 456 E. Beaver Ave., said, "We use a plain English contract. They should definitely read the lease before signing it.

"It is a legal contract, and they are responsible for reading it carefully," she said.

The leases usually include information about consequences to breaking rules and regulations and information on policies about pets and parties, Holzwarth said.

Samples leases and sample damage checklists are available in the Office of Off-Campus Living, located at 209 HUB-Robeson Center. While Welling is happy to tell people what to look for in an apartment and a lease, she suggested questions about a lease be directed to Jose Texidor, student body attorney.

"I don't read leases. That's strictly a legal thing," she said.

Students should also think about purchasing renters insurance, Welling said.

"They should check with their parents to find out if their homeowners insurance would cover the apartment or if they have to get their own renters insurance."

Dave Wasson of Wasson Insurance Agency Inc., 418 W. College Ave., said most policies provide property coverage and general liability for someone injured or for property loss.

He said most students will have coverage under their parents' policy, depending on the situation, if they are under age 23 and still use their parents' address.

"It is a good idea to have it. If not, check with your parents or insurance agency," Wasson said.

Friends or enemies?

One of the most important questions when making living arrangements is to decide whom you will room with, Welling said.

"Ask yourself, can you live with that person for a year?"

She suggested filling out a roommate agreement form as soon as renters move in. The forms, which are also available in the office, helps roommates divide up the bills.

For example, one person could pay for the cable, another could pay for electric and another could pay for the phone.

"Put it in writing, fill it out and have it notarized," Welling said. That way, renters have proof of what expenses their roommates agreed to pay for.

Taking inventory

After renters have found an apartment and signed a lease, Welling said, they should make a careful damage checklist as they move in.

A simple suggestion: "Take pictures."

That way, she explained, if there's a loose tile in the bathroom that causes water to drip into and damage the apartment below, the renter will not be held responsible.

"You can say, 'No, it wasn't like that,' and have the proof," she said.

That costs how much?

Welling encourages students to create a budget, looking at the rent and the other costs involved.

"Does the rent include utilities? A lot include some, but not all utilities," she said.

Be aware of the cost of long-distance telephone calls, Welling warned. Those calls to, for example, a significant other in another state can quickly add up.

Also, find out the average cost for utilities per month in that apartment. Renters should find an apartment where the cost fits into their budget.

Meals are a large part of a student's budget. Welling recommends getting an off-campus meal plan, so students aren't living off macaroni and cheese and pizza.

"It's good, but it's not a balanced diet." This way, she said, students can eat a balanced diet for lunch, and it won't hurt them as much to come home and eat a bag of popcorn for dinner.