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The Daily Beacon • Housing Guide
Fall 2011 • Advertising Supplement
Important HOUSING GUIDE • FALL 2011 An Advertising Supplement of The Daily Beacon
ADVERTISING MANAGER Shannon Thomas EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Blair Kuykendall CHIEF COPY EDITOR Robbie Hargett CONTRIBUTORS Preston Peeden • Kyle Turner ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVES Brent Harkins • Nick Marchant Adrian St. Amant • Lauren Wilson ADVERTISING PRODUCTION Krystal Oliva • Anna Simanis The Daily Beacon is an editorially independent student newspaper at The University of Tennessee. The office is located at 1340 Circle Park Drive, 11 Communications Building, Knoxville, TN 37996-0314. Callers with questions about advertising should call 865-974-5206. Editorial questions should be directed to 865-974-3226.
NUMBERStoKnow • KUB
865-524-2911
• Health Department
865-215-5000
• Fire Department
865-595-4480
• UTPD
Emergency: 865-974-3111 Main Phone: 865-974-3114
• KPD
865-215-7000
• Student Health Clinic
865-974-3648
• Comcast
1-866-922-8128
• DirecTV
1-855-482-0748
• Dish Network
1-888-232-8689
Fall 2011 • Advertising Supplement
The Daily Beacon • Housing Guide
Top 10 Questions 1. 2. 3.
When can I move in? If the move-in date does not work for you, try to negotiate a better time with the landlord/ old tenants.
Is the lease for 9 months or 12 months? If you are not planning on staying over the summer, a 9-month lease may be more your style.
How much are rent and deposit fees, and when is rent for the first month due? These amounts are very important to know. Deposit fees are often due when you sign the lease or shortly after. You will need to know exactly how much you owe when signing the lease and how much you will need for rent before arriving on move-in day.
4. 5.
Is there a grace period after the monthly rental due date? Many apartment complexes let you have until the fifth of the month, but some do not. Make sure you find out when the last day to pay rent is and what the penalty charges are for late rent.
What are the terms for renewing the lease? Am I allowed to move to a new apartment on the property? Some complexes only consider it renewing if you sign the lease for the exact same location. This may affect your receiving the perks that complexes sometimes offer for renewing, such as free parking or reduced rent.
6. 7. 8.
9.
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to Ask Your Future Landlord
Are pets allowed? If you want a pet, would you need to pay an extra fee every month or is it just a one-time fee? If you do not want a pet, you should decide if living around other pets is OK with you and if the grounds are kept clean.
Are any utilities included in the agreement? If they are not included, you will most likely need to contact KUB and Comcast on your own. If you have roommates, you should decide whose name will be on the account before making the calls.
Can I paint walls or make other decorative changes? Some apartment complexes allow you to paint the walls if you paint them back when you move; others do not. Also, some complexes do not like for you to use nails in the walls because of the holes they leave. While this is probably not a deal-breaker for you, it could make your decorating more difficult.
Is there an office on-site or a 24-hour phone number in case of emergency? This is extremely important. If something happens in the middle of the night, whether it be a maintenance emergency or you getting locked out, you need to know that someone will be able to help you quickly.
is waste removal handled? Is recycling available? 10. How On move-in day, you will undoubtedly have a lot of trash to throw out. You will need to know where the dumpsters are located. Also, when you get settled, you may like to know if you should drop off your recyclables at your complex’s recycling bin or if you will need to make a trip to the recycling center each time.
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The Daily Beacon • Housing Guide
Fall 2011 • Advertising Supplement
The Daily Beacon’s Guide to Finding and Living with Roommates Preston Peeden Managing Editor
IN REAL ESTATE, there is an old rule that says the most important feature of a building is “location, location, location.” While this golden rule may ring true for the importance of a building, it does not, however, take into light the importance of what is inside the building. And even more specifically, who is inside the building. Finding the right roommate and learning to live with someone new is a task so difficult that the search for that special person can be even harder than the quest for the place you plan to share. Regardless of location, furniture, posters or even a new flat-screen television, a poor decision for a roommate can make everything else pointless. When the day comes that you are put in the position of deciding who to live with, there are several key guidelines to follow. The first of these guidelines is to communicate, and to be clear about your own
habits and expectations. Are you someone who likes to stay up late and sleep in, or are you an early-bird who cringes at the sound of someone repeatedly tapping the “snooze” button? Ask your potential roommate what their schedule is like, when they wake up (so as to also avoid awkward competitions over showers) and whether or not they are a neat freak or someone who can tolerate a mess every now and then. People with different habits, perceptions and biological clocks rarely get along well come exam time. Another important rule is to be flexible. Just as with communication, it is vital that when searching for a roommate, and when eventually living with one, you can be flexible to their own
wants, needs and schedule. If you enter into the roommate process with a rigid idea of who you want to live with, and the schedule you want them to have, then you will be hardpressed to find anyone that can live up to your lofty expectations. While you may have an image of the perfect roommate in your head, you probably should not adhere to it. When you start your roommate search, instead of having a checklist of specific details you want them to have, try to make a list of broad qualities and traits that you are looking for. If you are more inclusive in your expectations, you can have more possibilities to chose from. And when it comes time to actually live with that person, it is important to remember that if you are more flexible in your expectations,
you’re much more likely to have a positive experience with whoever you end up living with. And, finally, one of the most important rules is to be respectful. Respect your roommate’s possessions. If you want to borrow a DVD or a video game, ask beforehand. Treat his objects the way you would want him to treat your own. Respect also extends beyond tangible objects and ventures into ideas. If you disagree with your roommate’s taste in movies or even their political views, then do not simply dismiss them as less than your own. But, rather, show and extend to your roommate the same respect you have for your own views. Simply put, when it comes to respect, follow the golden rule and “treat others the way you would like to be treated.” With these guidelines in mind, anyone’s roommate situation can become less of a hassle, and eventually more of a bearable situation. It is important to remember to communicate, be flexible and, most importantly, be respectful. Through following these tenets, you can easily find the right person to fit into any possible living situation.
Fall 2011 • Advertising Supplement
The Daily Beacon • Housing Guide
Apartment Hunter’s Checklist
Decorate
Whether you go on-campus, in the Fort or off-campus, you should start your search by listing your top priorities. What can you not live without, and what are you willing to sacrifice? Take copies of this checklist with you as you look — or steal some ideas and make a list of your own.
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Location of building (safety, proximity to places you visit often) Location in building (bottom floors may be less safe; upper floors are harder to move into)
Outlets in all rooms (plentiful, safe, well located) Is a monthly pest service provided?
Furnished or unfurnished?
Parking (paid building parking or offstreet) Neighborhood flavor: Are these your ideal neighbors?
What appliances are included? Do you want a place where cable is included in rent or pay for it on top of utilities?
Some design tips for adding style- without breaking your budget.
Change lampshades instead of replacing the whole lamp. You can also add accessories to your old lampshades, such as glue-on flowers. Or a piece of fabric attached to the shade also adds color.
Go to thrift stores to find old or used decorations for less. One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.
Use paint chips to create fun wall-art. Grab a few paint chips at your Laundry facilities (in apartment, onsite, off-site)
Is your apartment pet-friendly? Number of bedrooms and bathrooms?
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Does the complex have an on-site landlord and/or security system?
local paint store, cut them into shapes and glue them on a poster, canvas or even a piece of wood to make a nice do-it-yourself wall decoration.
Frame old posters instead of buying new or pre-framed ones. This will make the posters look new and different because you have added a colored and/or interesting frame. Use wine bottles or old glass bottles as vases. You can add river rocks to them to add a touch of color. Make a bulletin board out of an old frame and a piece of cork board. You can also make a chalkboard with chalkboard paint and a piece of wood inside the frame.
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The Daily Beacon • Housing Guide
Fall 2011 • Advertising Supplement
On-Campus, Off-Campus, and Near-Campus Housing offer a variety of options for students Kyle Turner News Editor
I
t is that time of year when students are making plans for their future residency. Those not native to Knoxville have three options when choosing a home for the school year: on-campus, in a surrounding neighborhood or off-campus. The 12 residence halls on campus house nearly 7,500 students while the rest decide to live near campus or off of it in a multitude of apartment complexes or individual houses offered to students. Those areas off-campus most frequently inhabited by students include the Fort Sanders neighborhood, apartments and residences near UT campus and UT Medical Center, downtown, and across the Henley Street Bridge. On-campus, near campus and off-campus living have their own set of advantages and disadvantages associated with each. “An advantage of living off-campus is
there are no RAs to get you into less trouble. Students have a lot more freedom to do what they want,” Jennifer Kramer, senior in English literature, said. “I prefer to live off-campus. Living in the Fort makes it easy because campus is still close and I get along with my roommate who I have known for two years.” Kramer has had the opportunity to live on-campus, in Laurel Hall, and now outside of University housing in Fort Sanders. All freshmen are required to live on-campus and can return or seek housing elsewhere after their first year. “The good thing about living on-campus
is its convenience,” Kramer said. “You are near everything and living on-campus makes it a lot easier to know what is going on.” The main and obvious advantage to living on-campus is just that; living on campus. Students on-campus do not have to concern themselves with lengthy commutes and have every conceivable resource located within a ten-minute walk. On-campus housing offers an inclusive package that includes: all utilities, basic cable, and internet. University housing can eliminate being late on rent or worrying about dividing charges among various roommates. Students living on-campus can be assured to have laundry and dinning facilities within close distances. Not all residence halls are the same and students should visit the housing website at http://uthousing.utk.edu/tnliving/index.php. Those who chose to depart from campus housing after freshman year do so for varous reasons. Many students cite finding a less expensive residence as well as the
increased freedom offered. Fort Sanders, the neighborhood mirroring campus, is called home by thousands of UT students. The area offers a mix of houses, single rooms, and apartments. These residences include: the Grand Forest Apartments, the various Renaissance Apartment complexes, and several University Real Estate locations. Traditionally the site of many parties, students feel that living in Fort Sanders can offer a livelier atmosphere. Residents of Fort Sanders expressed a feeling of living off-campus while still being able to easily commute without hassle. The Fort is patrolled jointly by both the UTPD and KPD. Those looking elsewhere have traditionally found refuge in downtown, near UT Medical Center, and across Chapman Highway. Each of these three areas are more apartment-friendly, offering less single units and more group living. Several attractive options are University Heights, Woodmeade South, Gateway Apartments
Fall 2011 • Advertising Supplement
The Daily Beacon • Housing Guide
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and Quarry Trail (which all lay conveniently having utilities turned on, obtaining interacross the river). Other options include net and cable if desired, and pay rent University Real Estate locations, which offer monthly to a private landlord. spaces both near campus Though the realities of and away from it as well. living off-campus can Transportation to and seem obvious, many are from campus is provided surprised to learn the by private entities and can challenges and responsibilities first hand. serve as a large selling “Some of the dynamics point for residences not with roommates can traditionally within walkprove difficult. The more ing distance. roommates, the harder it “I have always been a can get,” Lana Belfore, commuter student and graduate student in busihave never had any probness, said. “Right now it lems,” Mallory Heinzen, junior in political science, is working out great and I have been lucky. I have said. “Living off-campus heard of a few situations has always been cheaper – Mallory Heinzen Junior in Political Science that I have yet to experifor me. Also, living away ence.” gives me the opportunity The added stress of livto be off-campus when I ing off-campus is not for want to be and escape.” everyone and the structured environment For commuting, Heinzen said that she knows where to park regularly and any com- on campus may turn others off. Despite where students end up living in the near muter quickly realizes that limited garages future, all should evaluate choices with perare available for parking. sonal success in mind. Those living off-campus are tasked with
“...Living away gives me the
opportunity to be
off-campus when I want to be and escape.”
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The Daily Beacon • Housing Guide
Fall 2011 • Advertising Supplement