College Student Renting: Should You Live in an Apartment or a House?

For college students heading back to school soon, one of the most important things to figure out ahead of time is where they will rest their head at night. Dorm living may not be right for them anymore, but they’re not ready to live alone. So, what are their options?

Apartments or houses are out there, offering up more of a lax off-campus living experience, but each option comes with its own pros and cons. While time is running out on which door to walk through, we lay out each choice’s pluses and minuses, putting things in perspective in order to make the right choice.

Houses vs. Apartments

While apartments may be the first housing type that pops in the mind of a college student, renting a house with multiple people may be a better choice. Renting a house can be just as easy as setting up shop in an apartment complex and provide more privacy and less noise. But a house may be harder to come by, as far as available properties and come with more restrictions.

No matter which type of housing choice is selected, college students should be aware of the importance of local coverage, like renters insurance CT. This kind of coverage provides the protection students need to protect their property and their belongings from things like fire, flood, or theft.

With this in mind, let’s take a look at the pros and cons of houses vs. apartment living.

Apartments

• Pros: There are fewer roommates required to pay rent and less responsibility for outdoor and household maintenance. An apartment building usually comes with its own services, such as repairs. If you have a problem within your unit, like a leaky faucet or an air conditioner on the fritz, reaching out to the front office to have someone come fix it is more accessible.
• Cons: Apartments aren’t really big on privacy and noise containment. You may be living next to a noisy neighbor or sharing a wall with a rock band. You also may be living directly under someone who walks on their heels and stomps around all night. What’s more, living spaces, like lounge rooms and laundry rooms, will have to be shared. In this case, apartments may not be favorable to people who want quiet time for their studies.

Houses

• Pros: Houses come with more space, a yard of some kind, and more privacy. If there is a dispute with a noisy shared wall, you can just ask your roommate to keep it down. Also, houses usually come with washers and dryers already in place, which is a piece of comfort that some apartments don’t provide. This simple pleasure can go a long way, especially when it comes to not having to build your schedule around waiting at a laundromat or checking on clothes at the communal washroom. Also, houses usually have better chances of allowing pets. It’s always fun to have a house dog welcoming you home at the end of a long study day.
• Cons: Houses come with their own shortages. Maintenance may be left up to those living inside the home, and even if it’s not, it may take a day or two for the landlord to come out and fix the issue. Houses also put their inhabitants in neighborhoods where noise isn’t tolerated and families live. Having a houseful of college students may put stricter limitations on what’s allowed, including social time and noise levels.

It’s really up to you to decide what you can handle when it comes to sharing spaces, maintenance and repair duties, and limits on how you can live.

About Byrnes Agency

At Byrnes Agency, we offer insurance solutions that can be tailored to meet your specific needs. Whether you’re looking for personal policies or commercial coverage, we have the right coverage for you. To learn more about our products, contact us today at one of our two locations.

If you’ve enjoyed what you’ve read here and would like to know when we’ve published a new blog post, please “like” us on our Facebook page, and share this with your Connecticut neighbors.

Dayville Office

Phone: (860) 774-8549

394 Lake Rd

Dayville, CT 06241

United States

info@byrnesagency.com

Hours of Operation: Monday- Friday 9:00am-5:00pm

Norwich Office

Phone: (860) 886-5498

6 Consumers Avenue

Norwich, CT 06360

United States

info@byrnesagency.com

Hours of Operation: Monday- Friday 9:00am-5:00pm