“Upgrades!”

“New appliances!”

“Great location!”

Apartment leasing companies offer many perks of living with them. Many of them are indeed true.

However, what must you have when searching for your new apartment?

We’ve developed a list of what you need to keep an eye out for when you’re picking out your next place.

Check out our current promotions to see what perks you get when you sign with First Site

Heating & Air Conditioning

If you’ve grown up in Illinois, or the Midwest in general, you probably know this.

However, if you’re new to central Illinois, you may soon learn how our unpredictable weather patterns can be.

Climate control in the form of heating and air conditioning is essential for your apartment.

Air temperatures can swing so wildly that you may even use both your heater and your air conditioner in the same week!

Some leasing agencies may charge additional utilities, so keep an eye out for whether your heating and air conditioning is covered under your rental agreement.

Check to see whether utilities are taken care of by your landlord when you’re searching for an apartment near ISU.

Fast Wi-Fi

You’ll need a lot of bandwidth to get through college.

Think about it. You’ll be:

• Researching.
• Studying.
• Turning in assignments or retrieving resources through an online portal.
• Streaming your favorite shows.
• Playing video games.

That’s why your apartment should have the fastest Wi-Fi available.

If your landlord doesn’t have speedy Internet service, cross them off the list and move on to the next one.

Bonus! In addition to fast Wi-Fi, see whether the landlord has upgraded their apartments to include giant flat-screen TVs or common areas for doing group work. These will help facilitate doing homework or watching the big game with your friends.

Parking

In addition to what’s inside your apartment—your heating and cooling, appliances, and the like—you should also consider what other amenities come with your apartment.

Find a landlord with ample parking spaces available.

After all, even though you’re likely in a great location, you’ll need to be guaranteed a space as you shuttle between classes, an internship, practices, or any other activities you’re involved with.  

Ask your landlord if they allow for stack parking—allowing multiple vehicles to park in one space—or require extra parking fees. The best ones don’t.

Security

The final amenity you should look for in your new apartment is security.

Not only should you feel safe inside your college residence, but your family should sleep well knowing their child is in a safe building and neighborhood.

Ask whether your landlord has gated communities and complexes, and what the security controls are on both the building and the individual units inside.

As you explore apartments for the coming school year, keep in mind these four must-haves when hunting for your new apartment.