Parents and guardians, this one’s for you! Is your college student about to rent their very first apartment? You probably have a lot of questions and some concerns – and rightly so! Read on for everything you should be asking and things you can do to help simplify the process!
Help your student identify what they need and what they can afford.
Whether you are helping your student pay for housing or they are paying themselves with loans or a job, helping them determine a reasonable budget is the first step to a no-stress apartment living experience. When determining a budget, be sure to find out what utilities are included and what your student will be responsible for paying. You can easily find these details under property information on The Apartment Store’s website. Click here for an example.
Once you determine a budget, the remaining details are all about your student’s preferences. Ask questions like: Do you want to live alone or with roommates? If you want roommates, how many? Do you want a private bedroom or are you comfortable sharing a bedroom? What part of town do you want or need to live in? Do you need a place to park your car? Our leasing teams will also assist guests in answering these questions, but the more prepared they are when they come to us, the better the experience will be.
What should you expect from the shopping experience?
At The Apartment Store, you will be connected with a leasing agent who is an expert on all our properties, the leasing process, and our college town. We are here to answer any and all questions in a timely manner. You can reach us via email, phone, and even text message.
We offer in-person tours, virtual tours, and video walkthroughs of almost every floor plan in our portfolio. Before you sign anything, you can read through the application process as well as a sample lease, both of which can be found on our website under the How to Apply tab on the left menu bar.
When it’s time to sign your lease, you should not have any unanswered questions. If you do, please reach out and let us know!
Know the legal expectations of signing a lease.
We understand that this is often the first time your student will be entering into a legally binding contract and recognize that they are not only making an investment in their first apartment but also their education. We do not take this responsibility lightly and strive to ensure that all parties are fully educated on their obligations.
If your student is at least 18 years old, they will be signing the lease themselves. However, because they are a student, we require a parental/ guardian guarantor in lieu of proof of income or credit approval. As a parental/ guardian guarantor, you are equally responsible for all financial obligations set forth in the lease agreement. Therefore, it is vital that you read through the lease with your student prior to signing.
For legal purposes, we require a signature from both parents/ guardians to complete the guarantor information. We understand that there are instances in which this is not possible and do have exceptions. Please work with your leasing agent to provide the required information.
In order to secure your student’s apartment, they must first complete the application and submit it along with an application fee and security deposit. Until these items are complete, the apartment will remain available to other prospective guests.
Once the application and payments are submitted, the student will be sent a lease agreement for final signature. For your convenience, the entire application and leasing process is done digitally. As always, we are easily accessible via phone, email, and text to assist you throughout the process. After the lease is signed by all roommates and guarantor information is complete, all lease documents can be accessed in your student’s online portal.
Then what?
Now that your student is officially a future resident guest, you can expect to receive move-in details in July as you prepare for your arrival in August. Over the years, we have streamlined the move-in process to make it as easy as possible for everyone. Keep an eye on your email and check the Resident Info tab on our website for this information.
Do you still have questions? Hit that Contact Us button and ask away! We are always here to help!