If you’re like most parents of college students, you’re trying to figure out where they’re going to live this fall. Dorms don’t seem to be the safest housing situation for college students given the pandemic we’re in, but what do you do if living at home isn’t feasible for your student either?
Maybe your college student is attending school out of state, and finding alternative housing a necessary next step. Or, perhaps they’re simply determined to get out of the house and embrace the college experience away from home. What are your options when dormitories are off the list?
We have a few ideas…
Furnished Apartment
It’s hands-down the easiest short-term housing solution.
If you’re looking for the most convenient short-term housing option for your college student, then a furnished apartment is the way to go — no doubt about it.
When your student moves into a furnished apartment, everything they need is already there. No need to spend hundreds (maybe even thousands) of dollars buying furniture, linens, and decor they’ll likely tire of and want to replace in eight months.
And then there are the utilities! The monthly payment you make for a furnished apartment includes all utilities — water, electric, renter’s insurance, internet, cable, gas, and trash. There’s nothing better than paying rent and utilities together in one bundled payment each month. Not only does it streamline paying your bills, but it also ensures that your housing expenses don’t fluctuate from one month to the next.
The other thing that makes furnished apartment life so convenient is the fact that the lease terms are flexible. Who knows when dorms will open back up, or who your student will meet this semester and decide to become roommates with.
When these things happen, it’s easy to make the change because tenants are not locked into a six-month or year-long lease. Ending the lease is as easy as making a phone call, and financial penalties for “breaking a lease” are not going to a part of that conversation.
Rental Furniture
It’s one of the smartest decisions a college student can make.
Maybe you already found the perfect apartment for your student, and you’d rather not cancel those plans in order to get connected with a furnished apartment. No worries. We don’t blame you. Apartments that feel right aren’t always easy to come by, and the last thing we want is to undo all of the work you’ve already put in.
However, what we do want to do is help you with the next step: furniture.
Before you go out and buy a bunch of furniture to fill your student’s apartment, consider renting instead. After all, what if your son or daughter is only in this apartment for this year, and then they end up in a college dorm next year? Or, what if they move in with a roommate later on, and there isn’t space for all of that furniture you just bought them?
The reality of the college years is that moving is a common occurrence. In fact, most people never move as frequently as they do during their college careers. Buying your college student furniture means that for the next 4 years or so, you’ll be the one helping them move it from place to place or hiring movers to do so. When they don’t need it anymore, or they simply have no place to put it, you’re stuck paying to store it somewhere, or you end up losing money selling it for less than it’s worth. Sound like a hassle? It is. To get everything you need, opt for renting.
Convinced?
If you’re ready to start looking at alternative short-term housing options for your college student, give us a call. We’ll be happy to tell you what furnished apartments we have available or tell you more about our furniture rental services, which include delivery, setup and pickup. Contact us by phone at (864) 627-4002, or leave us a message on our website.