It’s almost that time of year, where college students will be graduating and heading home for summer!  It’s an exciting time for everyone, especially parents who can’t wait to see their kids!  Many college students who are graduating will begin their first apartment search as they begin their lives outside of college.  Below is a list of first apartment mistakes many college graduates make.  Look over them so that you know what to expect and what to avoid. 

  1.  Many times one of the biggest first apartment mistakes   new college graduates make is starting their search for their first place a bit too soon.  The best time to start searching for your first apartment is three weeks before you want to move in. 
  2. Not realizing just how much it is all going to cost is another huge mistake that many college graduates make when getting their first apartment.  If you have been living on campus typically meals are included, however when you get an apartment the meals are on you!  Also you need to think about how much utilities and things like internet and cable are going to cost as well.  Expenses can add up real quick if you are not careful and will likely be a huge surprise once you move in to your new apartment if you don’t plan for them. 
  3. You may not realize that things that have been available to you free of charge in the past or at least it seemed free of charge because it was included in housing costs on campus, are going to cost you money.  Such things as toiletries and laundry detergent may not seem like much of an expense but if you are not use to paying for it you may not include it in your estimated costs of apartment living. 
  4. If you have student loans, be sure to keep them in your budget and factor them in to all other costs associated with apartment life.  These types of debts can many times be rather large and if you haven’t started paying on them yet you may not be aware of just how much of a chunk they will take out of your monthly budget. 

These are just a few first apartment mistakes college students tend to make.  Keep these in mind when making your final decisions on where you want to live and you may be better able to avoid them.  

Courtesy of Montgomery AL Real Estate Expert Sandra Nickel.