So 4 people in a single is not your ideal living situation? Sitting in the stairway to call Mom to get her to send her famous chocolate chip cookies, laundry detergent, and a little cash (of course) is not the “college experience” you imagined?

Probably not.

But what are your options? Moving to an off campus apartment in Boston sounds GREAT but just how do you do that?

Doesn’t matter whether you’re at Boston University, Northeastern, Suffolk, or any of the other local colleges in Boston.  Follow these steps and you’ll have college freedom in no time:

1. Talk to your parents or guardian first.

Figure out your financial situation and if it makes sense to move off campus. You want to figure not only rent in your overall cost but utilities, food, and anything else you would be responsible for in your new place. Think about grabbing a BFF or two to reduce those costs. Once you figure out the pros and cons, prepare your ‘rents for the financial responsibility they will be accruing.  Get them on board then start your search.

2. Knowledge is still power.

Talk to an experienced leasing agent. Let them know exactly what you and your roommates are looking for, for example: location, size, what you’re looking for in the apartment. Find out exactly what is available, and exactly what you can afford. A leasing agent can give you precise information and start your search for you. Ask a lot of questions. And remember, there’s no such thing as a dumb question. If it is to hard for you to to find a place close college there is the many online education programs, look at this web-site for more information.

3. Be prepared.

Don’t start looking at apartments until you’re positive you’re ready. Boston apartments in the college neighborhoods typically stay on the market for about a week. The nicer apartments on the best streets (say BU South Campus or Gainsborough area near Northeastern) tend to last less than 24 hours. The last thing you want to do is start seeing places only to fall in love with one that gets rented before you even get a chance to even make an offer. Once you find a great off campus apartment you want to call home, you’ll need deposits, typically first month/last month/security deposit, to secure the place.

4.Be on top of it all.

Pick someone who will be responsible for all the contact. All the paperwork needs to be in from everyone, students and parents, within a week unless otherwise noted. Make sure you’re making this a priority. Having one roommate in charge of this can help keep everyone organized.

5. Get back to studying.

The sooner you have your new bachelor/ette pad out of your mind, the more you can concentrate on making the Dean’s List again! You are concentrated on making the Dean’s List, right??  It’s a big responsibility to find off campus housing, but if you’re prepared and savvy, you can make this process smooth and painless. Just imagine it being your first steps into the real world!

We have a few more bits of advice and frequently asked questions about off campus apartments in Boston on our rental site if you’d like to continue your research.