For Sale sign
Photo Courtesy of Apartment Management Magazine
Tallahassee has seen a hike in rent prices over the past two years due to the construction of the Collegetown Area.
Students on average are paying at least $700 to live with at least three other people. Most students pay rent using financial aid, parent income or working multiple jobs just to make ends meet.
Flagler College student Reshanna Washington said, “We have to start the apartment hunt at least three months in advance to find something affordable. Most of us have to look into renting houses that will be affordable for at least three to four us to split per month so it won’t be such a financial burden on us and (we) are able to focus on school more.”
Housing agencies, such as Student Housing Solutions and Off-Campus, are where most students rent their houses from. Additionally, students have to find a guarantor that earns at least three times the monthly rent to qualify. Otherwise students must make at least an $1,000 deposit to just secure the spot.
Andrew Reddick, an out-of-state student, said, “The apartments are not worth the money that you pay. I pay almost $600 a month which does not include utilities for an apartment that didn’t look like the model I toured and takes forever for them to fix something!”
On average, apartment complexes do not include utilities which causes the students to have to go open an light bill account of their own just to move in, which seems to be a real big concern for some students.
“I already pay $505 a month on rent on top of having to pay the utilities separate. I really wish that our utilities are included, we had an issue a couple of months back where are utility bill was ran up sky high and they took forever to fix the problem. Something’s got to give.” Stated Stanley Brooks.
Reddick went on to explain how students seem to always be under pressure to renew for an apartment in fear of them keeping their same rates: “On top of that they pressure you to renew by a certain time and if you don’t your rates will increase due to the fact of them getting new residents.”
Students are going into debt to make sure they are able to live comfortably, pay their bills, and still go to school.
Student housing rent increases are going to steadily increase by twenty percent due to the building up of the area, let’s just hope that the students are able to afford it.