Ways to Find Housing

1. Walk around. The best way to find housing is to walk around the areas your interested in. Most student housing can be found on the north and west sides of campus. Landlords and housing companies will put out signs on buildings with space to rent. All you have to do is start calling, and keep track of what you find. This sheet should help with that. Keep in mind, though, that in the USC area, it’s a good idea to bring some friends, and to go during the day.
2. Housing4Students.com is a free housing website affiliated with USC. Many landlords list their properties here, so you can narrow your search before checking out the place.
3. Craig’s List is another excellent way to find housing. If you’re not familiar with it, Craig’s List is an online marketplace where locals can list various items for sale. This site is also an excellent way to find furniture for your new place. Please remember to exercise reasonable caution when meeting anyone from the site to make a purchase.
4. Downtownla.com - If you’re interested in living downtown, this is the best resource I know of. You can take a virtual housing tour, or sign up for one of their free Saturday housing bus tours, which will take you around the area and inside a wide variety of available units.

Helpful Chart to Take on Your Housing Search

I developed this chart during my own housing search, and have since added to it as I gained more experience. Feel free to save it, and print one out for every place you visit. It's a great tool to make sure you don't forget anything, and to keep track of which units have what.

Tips When Moving Out of USC Housing

If you’re moving out of University Housing, here are a couple tips:

1. Start packing as soon as classes end.
2. If you’re having trouble getting everything done, you may be able to stay an extra day for a fee (usually $50), especially if you have a final on the last day. Talk to your Customer Service Center as soon as you decide to stay so you can apply.
3. Dorm2Dorm is an excellent resource for last-minute packing and storage. They were a lifesaver when I was moving out of my USC apartment Sophomore year. Just watch where they stick the labels on your furniture. I still have bits of label sticker on the arm of my desk chair.

How to Begin Your Housing Search

The first stage in the process is to think about roommates. Do you need/want a roommate, and if so who do you want to live with? Get in touch with possible candidates as soon as possible. It's important to start talking about your housing priorities early on with your potential housemates. They may have some of their own thoughts on where they want to live, which may be different than yours. Be sure to communicate about what your priorities, but be flexible, too. In my experience, having a good roommate is far more important to your quality of life than having the “perfect place”.

Next, start thinking about what you're looking for. Some questions to ask yourself before you begin:

• How close do you want to be to campus? Do you have to be within walking distance, biking distance, or are you willing to commute?
  
• Do you want your own room?
  
• Do you want to have pets? Do you want to live in a place where pets are allowed, or will dogs, cats, birds, and all the requisite sights, sounds and smells bother you?
  
• What is your price range? Keep in mind that rent does not always include utilities such as water, power, gas, etc.
  
• Do you need parking?
  
• How about Air Conditioning and other amenities?
  
• What other issues are important to you? What will make or break a housing deal?

Starting Your Housing Search

Back in Sophomore year, when I was looking at apartments, I came across a great looking place online. It was renting for $600 a month, all utilities and parking included, pets OK, and not too far from campus. It seemed too good to be true. I checked it out, and was pleased to see it was spacious, comfortable, and nice to look at. As the landlord and I walked outside again, I noticed a large, empty lot next door, which appeared to be a construction site. One of the workers was walking past, so I asked him what they were building. “Oh,” he said, “that’s not a construction site. That’s an oil field. We’re on a break now, but just wait until Fall. It’s a sight to see. We start drilling at 7 AM and don’t stop until 9 at night.” Funny how the website never mentioned that...

Which brings me to my NUMBER ONE rule when finding the right place: NEVER SIGN A LEASE IF YOU HAVEN’T SEEN THE UNIT! I know this can be difficult, and is sometimes even impossible, but the only way to ensure that you get what you’re expecting is to go and see it yourself. Don’t just take a brief look around, either. Even if there are tenants in the unit at the time, don’t let your discomfort make you rush. Remember, we’re talking about your quality of life for at least the next year. This chart will help give you an idea of what questions to ask the leasing agent.

Side Note: While most, if not all, University Housing comes fully furnished, most Non-University housing does not. Be prepared for a shopping trip or two.

Checklist: Questions to Ask and Stuff to Do

1. Walk around the neighborhood - If you haven’t already, walk around the area you’re looking at. Try walking and/or biking to and from campus to get a feel for how long it will take. You can’t really know the neighborhood until you’ve gotten out of the car and taken a good look around.
   
2. How many buildings does the company manage, and how many handymen do they have on their maintenance staff? I found out after the fact that one company I moved in with managed about 25 buildings, with only one full-time maintenance man. Occasionally, they'd hire contractors, but this meant that work orders took a long time to get filled and things got backed up. Also, it’s helpful to meet some of the maintenance staff beforehand, if possible. A big part of the reason I chose that company was that the maintenance man they did have was one of the sweetest, most competent handymen I'd met.
3. What’s Included in the Lease? Utilities? If so, which ones? Trash? Parking, etc. if certain things aren't covered, you will likely wind up paying $50+ per month above and beyond your basic rent.
4. Is there Internet, and if so, what kind? Is each unit hooked up properly, or is one person sharing WiFi with the whole building? Who is the service provider?
5. Do I have to set up the Internet myself? Even if Internet is covered in your rent, you may have to schedule the installation yourself. You definitely want to know this in advance. If you have to schedule installation, you'll need to call the Internet service provider well before you move in, because they can book up months ahead of time. Keep in mind, everyone will be installing Internet during the first few weeks before and after the semester starts.
6. Is there parking, is it gated, and how much does it cost? Also, is it tandem ('cause tandem can be a pain in the tush)? Is the parking lot lit? Make sure you see the parking space, too, and that you'll be able to get your car into it. I've seen many "parking spaces" that were literally impossible to get a car into.
7. Are pets allowed? If you want pets, the reason for this question is obvious. If you don't, however, you need to decide if you're willing to live in an apartment complex that may have barking dogs or meowing cats.
8. Is there a stove? A fridge? A microwave?
9. Is there heating? Heating is required by law, but that doesn't mean it'll be there. And even if it is, it may very well be archaic and bring to mind images of England during the bombings of WWII, which don't instill feelings of comfort and security over fire safety.
10. What about A.C.? Again, see it for yourself. If they say there's A.C., that could mean a lovely, brand-new central air conditioning system that enables you to keep your unit slightly above freezing even during the summer months... or it could (more likely) mean a crappy little window unit in the living room that winds up heating the place, rather than cooling it. Also, be sure to try the A.C., especially in brand-new units. One place I know of recently had central A.C. installed. Unfortunately, the contractors screwed up, and didn't connect the vents to the third floor. So, the bottom two floors were nicely chilled, but the third floor was stifling. Best of all, the contractors refused to fix it, and the landlady was out-of-town, so the tenants couldn't do anything but suffer through the hottest weeks of summer.
11. Is subletting allowed? Not all landlords want subletters. If you want to go home for the summer, or go abroad, it's important to be able to lease your unit (unless you have oodles and oodles of cash, and losing several months worth of rent doesn't matter to you).

Before You Sign the Lease

Do the Proper Recon.

So, you’ve found that special place that makes your heart go pitter-pat. It’s cute, it’s clean, and you want it. But the landlord tells you things are leasing up quickly, and a lot of people are looking at this place. Oh no! Now your heart is racing. What if it fills up? You have to sign the lease today! Right this minute! SLOW DOWN TIGER!

Take a deep breath.

It’s exciting to sign the lease, and Leasing Agents are very good at turning up the heat to close the deal. I should know. The little scene I described above was my own experience when I discovered my first apartment. Just remember, while it’s important to find a place you love, it’s also important to have done the proper research first. Don’t sign right away with the first place you find, even if it seems perfect. Look around a little. Compare units, space, prices. Leasing Agents will always tell you the units are going fast, and it may be true, but this isn’t the kind of thing that should be an impulse buy. You also want to make sure you’ve done a sufficient background check on the company or landlord in order to avoid the bad ones.

The next section will give you some tips on things to watch out for. Once you’ve looked around, asked the questions you need to ask, talked it over with your roommates, and decided you like what you see, THEN it’s time to make a move.

What to Expect

First thing, you will likely be charged a non-refundable Holding Fee. This is usually a couple hundred dollars, and it guarantees that they will not sell your apartment to anyone else. A lot of times, this fee counts toward your deposit. However, if you decide not to take that apartment after all, you cannot get it back.

The landlord may also require that you have a guarantor, someone who agrees to cover your rent if you’re unable to. The landlord will need to run a credit check on either you or your guarantor. An Application Fee usually goes along with that. Most of the time, this fee is under $50 per person.

Last of all comes the deposit, which you usually put down when signing the lease. The deposit will be held until you move out. Once you leave, the landlord will return your deposit minus any damages you cause beyond normal wear and tear. There are several ways for the landlord to determine how much the deposit will be. A couple common ways are to charge the equivalent to either a month-and-a-half’s worth of rent, or first and last month’s (aka 2 months worth) rent. Keep in mind, the deposit does not count toward your rent in any way. It is not a fee or a payment. It is a way for the landlords to protect themselves, so they don't lose money if a renter does excessive damage to a unit.

Side Note: The tenant almost always has a right to the interest on his or her deposit. If you have a right to the interest, it is not legal for the landlord to withhold that from you, even if there is a clause that states so in the lease. To find out whether you qualify for interest, call the LA Department of Housing.

And last, but not least, before you sign the lease...

READ IT!!

In this age of downloads and software license agreements, we get used to skimming contracts and clicking “I Agree”. When I worked at the housing company, I saw many students come through, skim the lease, and sign it, and I’m here to tell you that that is a BAD IDEA. Even if it takes forever, even if the legal jargon makes you go cross-eyed, read the lease!!! And don’t just read it. Make sure you understand it. This is one document you should not, cannot skim. No matter what the landlord tells you, or what verbal agreements you make, the lease is your contract. It defines what happens should the apartment not be ready on time, what late fees there are, what the rules are. You cannot count on the Leasing Agent or anyone else to tell you. You must read it yourself.

Manas - Fine Indian Cuisine

Alright, a brief interlude from all the heavy housing stuff. I want to share a great restaurant with you that's within walking distance of campus. Manas Indian Cuisine is a great little hole-in-the wall place that serves -- you guessed it -- Indian food!

What can I say, it's reasonably priced, some of the best Indian food I've had ever had (just be sure to order mild if you're a pansy American like me), they do deliveries *swoon*, have a lunch buffet Thursday through Sunday, and they have *gasp* a PARKING LOT! *faints with delight* (Hey, hey you out-of-towners, stop mocking me. If you've spent more than five minutes in LA, you'll understand why that's awesome). The waiters are wonderful, too. The hostess, Jaya (I hope I hope I spelled that right), is the sweetest lady, and always bustles around in her traditional Indian outfit making sure you're comfortable.

My one beef with the place is the new TV. In the past, they had one TV on the back wall, which I loved. Normally, I despise TVs in restaurants. I can forgive having a TV in a bar. I get that. But when I'm at a restaurant, I want to be with whoever I'm sharing a meal with. TVs are distracting and frustrating, and make an otherwise pleasant meal into a tiring attempt to multi-task. BUT I LOVE the TV on the back wall of Manas, distracting though it may be, because it continuously plays clips from Bollywood movies *squee!* Talk about ambiance.

Unfortunately, they recently put in this new, giant-ass TV over the front door, so either way you face, you're facing a screen. And this second TV plays regular, boring, American TV shows. Grrrr. It isn't too hard to ignore, but it does detract from the formerly perfect ambiance.

Still, the food is great, the people are great, and I and my friends have been satisfied, repeat customers there for years. So, after you, your family, and your friends have finished a long, hard day of moving, haul your sweaty selves over to Manas for a nice, relaxing meal. I'd especially recommend the Chicken Pakora, and either their Garlic or Cheese Naan (sooo delicious).

Oh, and I suppose after all that hype, you'll probably want to know how to get there...

Location:

Manas Indian Cuisine

2823 South Vermont Ave

Los Angeles, CA, 90007

Phone: (213) 731-4333

Website: manascuisine.com