U Weekly. Serving The Ohio State University in Columbus Ohio

Late to lease, out of luck?

And other ways to combat housing crises

By Adam Konvalinka

Four freshmen who began the hunt last week for next year's housing just got a harsh reality check.

"A lot of our really good properties are already gone. It's slim pickings," said Mike Brinker, a realtor for Hometeam Properties Management, LLC., after taking those freshmen on an apartment tour. "I guess they learned to start looking earlier next year."

Hometeam has been leasing for the 2010-2011 academic year since December. Now, Brinker said, nearly 75 percent of their properties have been claimed for next year.

Deadlines for students wishing to remain in the residence halls are also soon approaching. E-mails were sent Jan. 27 as a reminder to renew the housing contract for the 2010-2011 school year. According to the Ohio State University Housing Department, the students have until Feb. 10 to decide if they wish to stay in the dorm.

Benefits of living on campus, according to OSU Housing, include living in a clean, safe environment, with an academic community close to classrooms. Additional perks for upperclassmen entail dorms with private bathrooms and air conditioning.

Regardless of whether students wish to stay in the residence halls or go off campus, the most desirable properties go off the market quickly.

"It's definitely getting earlier and earlier every year," said Michael Linsker, of North Steppe Realty, of students' search for housing.

North Steppe started renting in late November and has since leased about half their properties for the 2010-2011 academic year, according to Linsker. Some students were even knocking on doors last fall - looking for graduating students who would not be renewing their lease - in order to put down a deposit before it even became available, Linsker added.

First year psychology and business student Jen Bores is looking forward to moving out of the dorms and in with two friends next year. They are in the market for a three-bedroom place in a comfortable part of town for $900 a month. Yet they might have to make some compromises.

"We've been trying, we went and looked at some places and have been looking online as well, but so far have not found something yet," Bores said.

You're not alone
Fortunately for students, numerous resources are available to assist the housing hunt.

In addition to checking local papers and housing Web sites (such as rent.com, apartmentguide.com, forrent.com and craigslist.com) the Ohio State Office of Off-campus Student Services is a comprehensive resource.

"We assist in housing searches and through the whole experience of living off campus, all the way through moving out and getting the security deposit back," said program coordinator Dilnavaz Cama.

Throughout the year, OCSS provides workshops to student groups to assist students in making the best off-campus living decisions.

To assist in the housing hunt, OCSS works with local landlords to put together an online database of available properties at offcampus.osu.edu.

The properties listed are not visited, approved or recommended by the university, but are provided as a resource to students, Cama said. Landlords pay a registration fee to get on the list.

Student ratings of various local landlords are made available in the Undergraduate Student Government's Renters Guide, available on the OCSS Web site.

Also, the OCSS "Roommate Fair" is held once a quarter as a sort of matchmaker service. Those looking for a bedroom and those looking for another to share the bills can find what they need at such events. The next roommate fair will be on Feb. 19 at OCSS office from 5-6 p.m. and is open only to OSU students. A searchable database is available anytime.

The best advice Cama said she can give to young renters is to do a lot of research.

"Don't just jump into something," Cama said. "Talk to the previous tenants. Did they have problems with the landlord or area, or are they graduating? Visit during the day, night and weekends to get a good idea of what the environment will be like at different times."

Signing a lease is often the first major legal contract a student enters into. Consequently, Molly Hegarty, department manager for the Student Legal Clinic, recommended that students have it reviewed by a professional.

"There are lots of obligations and rights that come with renting that students need to be made aware of," Hegarty said.

If something goes wrong after you sign
If landlords become elusive when that toilet needs fixing, if pests begin to infest, or if disagreements about a security deposit arise, the legal clinic continues to provide support.

In addition to providing advice, the clinic can even represent them in court if the director approves it, Hegarty said.

Yet when the problems involve roommates, the clinic directs residents to the OCSS. Then, the trick is to get all involved parties to participate.

"I can't force anyone to come in and work out the situation," Cama said.

Problems often concern someone not meeting his or her financial obligations, or wanting to get out of the lease. Many area leases contain joint obligation clauses, meaning any lease signer or co-signer could be held accountable for any money owed, said Hegarty.

If someone leaves for the summer and stops paying rent, or there are damages to the property, landlords with joint obligation clauses can choose whom to charge. Often they will go after whoever they think will be the easiest to get the money from, and not necessarily the person who might actually owe the money.

Joint obligation makes choosing roommates an important financial decision.

"Know who they are, are they going to pay, and are they planning on being there the whole lease duration," Cama said. "A lot of money is at stake and it's important to protect yourself and your co-signer."

She suggested that students planning to live together meet with her to set up rules to live by, discuss any potential future problems and sign a "roommate contract," spelling out expectations for everyone.

"I'll bring up all the uncomfortable topics nobody wants to talk about," she said.

Yet the typical passive aggressive behavior among roommates comes later, after the lease is signed. Until then, students are encouraged to be assertive in order to land that dream house.

University resources for student residents:

The OSU Office of Student Life University Housing
350 Morrill Tower, 1910 Cannon Dr.
292-8266
housing@osu.edu

Off-Campus Student Services
15 East 15th Ave.
292-0110
ocss@studentlife.osu.edu

The Moritz College of Law, Student Housing Legal Clinic
55 West 12th Ave.
292-2631
http://moritzlaw.osu.edu/shlc/

OSU Undergraduate Student Government Renters Guide
http://moritzlaw.osu.edu/shlc/renters_guide.php

Originally Published: February 3, 2010

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