Moving to a city you’ve never been to is a real challenge — one made even harder if you’re unable to visit and tour a few local apartments beforehand. Luckily, nowadays, there are several ways to search for and secure a new apartment, even from halfway across the world.
As a helpful guide, The Station State College presents you with these five long-distance apartment hunting tips!
Are you a student hunting for apartments in State College? Contact us to schedule a tour of our apartments by Penn State!
Do Your Research
First things first, dig up as much information as possible on local apartments. Finding an apartment in the ideal price range with the right number of bedrooms and bathrooms is just the beginning. Read resident reviews, research the management company, and look up travel times to relevant destinations. The last thing a person wants after making a big move is discovering they’re nowhere near their job or school. Living farther away means lengthy commutes that cut into study time. Fortunately, our residents can benefit from the convenient location of our apartments near Penn State. By being thorough in your research, you can save yourself loads of time and frustration.
Take A Virtual Tour
In recent years, new technologies have emerged that allow landlords to create virtual tours of their properties. Using pictures taken with a 3D camera, apartment communities can recreate an apartment’s layout for movers to click around and explore. PSU students interested in our off campus apartments, but are too far away to see them in person, can take a virtual tour of each of our floor plans. Many properties are now utilizing this technology, and VR tours are available to anyone with a computer or smartphone. While never as good as an in-person tour, virtual tours can be useful tools for individuals who are hunting for a new apartment from a distance.
Ask The Leasing Agent
It’s a leasing agent’s job to be experts on their apartments and help guide potential residents — use them to your advantage. Ask them for any information that couldn’t be found online. Be candid with them about the situation. If their property doesn’t offer virtual tours, ask if they would be willing to show the apartment in a video call. Many will eagerly oblige if it means securing a new resident, and this way, movers will be able to ask any questions that arise throughout the tour.
Do Some Networking
In some cases, an apartment hunter may be fortunate enough to know somebody in the area. Even if it’s not directly, soon-to-be residents may have friends who know someone in the area. One of these contacts may be willing to visit a property on your behalf, or at least share some knowledge about the region. If a friend does agree to visit a potential property, have them take as many photos and videos as they can. Also, for those moving because of a job opportunity or internship, talk to your boss. Their company may have some recommendations or relocation resources available to non-local hires.
Trust Your Instincts
Seeing a property in person is the easiest way to avoid problems such as rental fraud. However, those searching from far away can’t always afford to go in person, which puts them at a higher risk. For this reason, proceed with as much caution as possible. When reading reviews for potential apartments, pay close attention to any complaints cited by more than one resident. If only one person makes a specific complaint, it could merely be an aberration. But if a group of people register the same complaint, then their accusations likely hold merit. Trust your instincts, and remember, if something seems too good to be true, that means it probably is.