Off-Campus Housing lends a hand

If you're moving out next May, you'll want to get better acquainted with Wolman. The Off-Campus Housing Office, located on the first floor, room 102, is designed to help students find housing and familiarize themselves with the legal and financial responsibilities involved.

The Office's website (http://www.jhu.edu/hds/offcampus) also provides many links and information on the initial steps of the housing scramble.

When visiting, students can begin their search for row houses or apartment buildings on the office's database.

Their housing list can be sorted by rent, amenities, parking, location, even rules on pet ownership. Students are given access to a list of landlords and can contact them from phones and e-mail provided in the office.

Apartment availability changes so frequently, with deals often being struck between current tenants and future renters, that finding listings can be a rather ineffectual chore. But thanks to a staff of students, commercial area listings are frequently updated. Increased contact with local landlords leads to a fairly up to date listing of local openings.

The majority of listings are in the local Charles Village area, but for the select few willing to commute to campus, the Housing Office also has listings of houses as far away as Fells Point and Canton.

The best way to find openings, though, comes from perseverance and early action. Students are recommended to talk to graduating seniors or to talk personally with landlords of commercial buildings to persistently check on openings.

Walks through Charles Village, spotting for sale or rent signs, are perhaps the best way to determine openings for rowhouses and guestrooms.

Once students meet the daunting task of finding a place to live off-campus, the Office helps guide them through the complicated process of signing a lease. Students can look at a model lease or boarding agreement, giving them some idea of common provisions they'll face in their own contracts.

Information is also available on the financial obligations students will suddenly face. New costs like renter's insurance or utilities force students to effectively budget their money.

Moving off-campus may even affect a student's financial aid package. Students can pick up pamphlets on budgeting and get some idea of the average expenses off-campus living requires.

The Office also provides legal information for students curious about their new rights as tenants. Tips on avoiding disputes between landlords, tenants and neighbors are a necessity for students moving into neighborhoods not used to college-aged tenants.

While the information and process of moving off-campus may seem overwhelming, the Office hopes to make the shift a bit more comfortable for students. However, acting early is the best way students can ensure a more desirable destination next year. If students wait too long, chances are no office can help them.