Housing Guide Fall 2011

2 The Daily Beacon • Housing Guide Fall 2011 • Advertising Supplement

HOUSING GUIDE • FALL 2011An Advertising Supplement of The Daily Beacon

ADVERTISING MANAGERShannon Thomas

EDITOR-IN-CHIEFBlair Kuykendall

CHIEF COPY EDITORRobbie Hargett

CONTRIBUTORSPreston Peeden • Kyle Turner

ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVESBrent Harkins • Nick Marchant

Adrian St. Amant • Lauren Wilson

ADVERTISING PRODUCTIONKrystal Oliva • Anna Simanis

The Daily Beacon is an editorially independent studentnewspaper at The University of Tennessee. The office islocated at 1340 Circle Park Drive, 11 CommunicationsBuilding, Knoxville, TN 37996-0314. Callers with ques-tions about advertising should call 865-974-5206.Editorial questions should be directed to 865-974-3226.

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NUMBERStoKnow

3Fall 2011 • Advertising Supplement The Daily Beacon • Housing Guide

7.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 onthe account before making the calls.

9.Is there an office on-site or a 24-hour phonenumber 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 toknow that someone will be able to help you quickly.

10. How is waste removal handled? Is recycling available?On move-in day, you will undoubtedly have a lot of trash to throw out. You willneed to know where the dumpsters are located. Also, when you get settled, youmay like to know if you should drop off your recyclables at your complex’s recy-cling bin or if you will need to make a trip to the recycling center each time.

8.Can I paint walls or make other decorative changes?Some apartment complexes allow you to paint the walls if you paint them backwhen you move; others do not. Also, some complexes do not like for you to usenails 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.

5.What are the terms for renewing the lease? Am I allowed tomove 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 asfree parking or reduced rent.

6. Are pets allowed?If you want a pet, would you need to pay an extra fee every month or is it just aone-time fee? If you do not want a pet, you should decide if living around otherpets is OK with you and if the grounds are kept clean.

3.How much are rent and deposit fees, and whenis rent for the first month due?These amounts are very important to know. Deposit fees are often due when you signthe lease or shortly after. You will need to know exactly how much you owe when sign-ing the lease and how much you will need for rent before arriving on move-in day.

4.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 arefor late rent.

2.Is the lease for 9 months or 12 months?If you are not planning on staying over the summer, a 9-monthlease may be more your style.

1.When can I move in?If the move-in date does not work for you, tryto negotiate a better time with the landlord/old tenants.

Top 10 Questions to Ask Your Future Landlord

IN REAL ESTATE, there is an oldrule that says the most important featureof a building is “location, location, loca-tion.”

While this golden rule may ring true forthe importance of a building, it does not,however, take into light the importance ofwhat is inside the building. And even morespecifically, who is inside the building.

Finding the right roommate and learn-ing to live with someone new is a task sodifficult that the search for that special per-son can be even harder than the quest forthe place you plan to share. Regardless oflocation, furniture, posters or even a newflat-screen television, a poor decision for aroommate can make everything else pointless.

When the day comes that you are putin the position of deciding who to livewith, there are several key guidelines tofollow.

The first of these guidelines is to com-municate, and to be clear about your own

habits and expectations. Are you someonewho likes to stay up late and sleep in, orare you an early-bird whocringes at the sound ofsomeone repeatedlytapping the “snooze”button? Ask yourpotential roommatewhat their scheduleis like, when theywake up (so as toalso avoid awkwardcompetitions overshowers) andwhether or not theyare a neat freak orsomeone who can toler-ate a mess every nowand then. People with dif-ferent habits, perceptionsand biological clocks rarelyget along well comeexam time.

Another importantrule is to be flexible. Just as with commu-nication, it is vital that when searching fora roommate, and when eventually livingwith one, you can be flexible to their own

wants, needs and schedule. If you enterinto the roommate process with a rigid

idea of who you want tolive with, and the scheduleyou want them to have,then you will be hard-

pressed to find any-one that can live upto your lofty expecta-tions. While you mayhave an image of the

perfect roommate inyour head, you proba-bly should not adhere

to it. When you startyour roommate search,

instead of having a check-list of specific details you

want them to have, try tomake a list of broad qualities

and traits that you are look-ing for. If you are moreinclusive in your expecta-tions, you can have more

possibilities to chose from. And when itcomes time to actually live with that per-son, it is important to remember that ifyou are more flexible in your expectations,

you’re much more likely to have a positiveexperience with whoever you end up livingwith.

And, finally, one of the most importantrules is to be respectful. Respect yourroommate’s possessions. If you want toborrow a DVD or a video game, ask before-hand. Treat his objects the way you wouldwant him to treat your own. Respect alsoextends beyond tangible objects and ven-tures into ideas. If you disagree with yourroommate’s taste in movies or even theirpolitical views, then do not simply dismissthem as less than your own. But, rather,show and extend to your roommate thesame respect you have for your own views.Simply put, when it comes to respect, fol-low the golden rule and “treat others theway you would like to be treated.”

With these guidelines in mind, anyone’sroommate situation can become less of ahassle, and eventually more of a bearablesituation. It is important to remember tocommunicate, be flexible and, most impor-tantly, be respectful. Through followingthese tenets, you can easily find the rightperson to fit into any possible living situation.


The Daily Beacon’s Guide to Finding and Living with RoommatesPreston PeedenManaging Editor


Apartment Hunter’s Checklist

Location of building (safety, proximity to places you visit often)

Location in building (bottom floorsmay be less safe; upper floors are harderto move into)

Is your apartment pet-friendly?

Number of bedrooms and bathrooms?

Furnished or unfurnished?

What appliances are included?

Do you want a place where cable isincluded in rent or pay for it on top ofutilities?

Outlets in all rooms (plentiful, safe,well located)

Is a monthly pest service provided?

Laundry facilities (in apartment, on-site, off-site)

Parking (paid building parking or off-street)

Neighborhood flavor: Are these yourideal neighbors?

Does the complex have an on-sitelandlord and/or security system?

Whether you go on-campus, in the Fort or off-campus, youshould start your search by listing your top priorities. What canyou not live without, and what are you willing to sacrifice? Takecopies of this checklist with you as you look — or steal someideas and make a list of your own.

Some design tips foradding style- withoutbreaking your budget.

Decorate4 LESSChange lampshades instead of replacing the whole lamp. You can also add accessoriesto your old lampshades, such as glue-on flowers. Or a piece of fabric attached to the shadealso adds color.

Go to thrift stores to find old or used decorations for less. One man’s trashis another man’s treasure.

Use paint chips to create fun wall-art. Grab a few paint chips at yourlocal 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 decora-tion.

Frame old posters instead of buying new or pre-framed ones. This will make theposters look new and different because you have added a colored and/or interestingframe.

Use wine bottles or old glass bottles as vases. You can add river rocks to themto add a touch of color.

Make a bulletin board out of an old frame and a piece of cork board. You canalso make a chalkboard with chalkboard paint and a piece of wood inside the frame.


The 12 residence halls on campus housenearly 7,500 students while the rest decideto live near campus or off of it in a multi-tude of apartment complexes or individualhouses offered to students.

Those areas off-campus most frequentlyinhabited by students include the FortSanders neighborhood, apartments and res-idences near UT campus and UT MedicalCenter, downtown, and across the HenleyStreet Bridge.

On-campus, near campus and off-cam-pus living have their own set of advantagesand disadvantages associated with each.

“An advantage of living off-campus is

there are no RAs to get you into less trou-ble. Students have a lot more freedom todo what they want,” Jennifer Kramer, sen-ior in English literature, said. “I prefer tolive off-campus. Living in the Fort makes iteasy because campus is still close and I getalong with my roommate who I have knownfor two years.”

Kramer has had the opportunity to liveon-campus, in Laurel Hall, and now outsideof University housing in Fort Sanders.

All freshmen are required to live on-cam-pus and can return or seek housing else-where after their first year.

“The good thing about living on-campus

is its convenience,” Kramer said. “You arenear everything and living on-campusmakes it a lot easier to know what is goingon.”

The main and obvious advantage to liv-ing on-campus is just that; living on cam-pus. Students on-campus do not have toconcern themselves with lengthy commutesand have every conceivable resource locatedwithin a ten-minute walk.

On-campus housing offers an inclusivepackage that includes: all utilities, basiccable, and internet. University housing caneliminate being late on rent or worryingabout dividing charges among variousroommates.

Students living on-campus can beassured to have laundry and dinning facili-ties within close distances.

Not all residence halls are the same andstudents should visit the housing website athttp://uthousing.utk.edu/tnliving/index.php.

Those who chose to depart from campushousing after freshman year do so forvarous reasons. Many students cite findinga less expensive residence as well as the

increased freedom offered.Fort Sanders, the neighborhood mirror-

ing campus, is called home by thousands ofUT students. The area offers a mix of hous-es, single rooms, and apartments. Theseresidences include: the Grand ForestApartments, the various RenaissanceApartment complexes, and severalUniversity Real Estate locations.Traditionally the site of many parties, stu-dents feel that living in Fort Sanders canoffer a livelier atmosphere.

Residents of Fort Sanders expressed afeeling of living off-campus while still beingable to easily commute without hassle. TheFort is patrolled jointly by both the UTPDand KPD.

Those looking elsewhere have tradition-ally found refuge in downtown, near UTMedical Center, and across ChapmanHighway.

Each of these three areas are more apart-ment-friendly, offering less single units andmore group living. Several attractiveoptions are University Heights,Woodmeade South, Gateway Apartments

Kyle TurnerNews Editor

On-Campus, Off-Campus, and Near-Campus Housing offer a variety of options for students

t is that time of year when students are makingplans for their future residency. Those not native toKnoxville have three options when choosing a homefor the school year: on-campus, in a surrounding neighborhood or off-campus.

I


and Quarry Trail (which all lay convenientlyacross the river). Other options includeUniversity Real Estate locations, which offerspaces both near campusand away from it as well.

Transportation to andfrom campus is providedby private entities and canserve as a large sellingpoint for residences nottraditionally within walk-ing distance.

“I have always been acommuter student andhave never had any prob-lems,” Mallory Heinzen,junior in political science,said. “Living off-campushas always been cheaperfor me. Also, living awaygives me the opportunityto be off-campus when Iwant to be and escape.”

For commuting, Heinzen said that sheknows where to park regularly and any com-muter quickly realizes that limited garagesare available for parking.

Those living off-campus are tasked with

having utilities turned on, obtaining inter-net and cable if desired, and pay rentmonthly to a private landlord.

Though the realities ofliving off-campus canseem obvious, many aresurprised to learn thechallenges and responsi-bilities first hand.

“Some of the dynamicswith roommates canprove difficult. The moreroommates, the harder itcan get,” Lana Belfore,graduate student in busi-ness, said. “Right now itis working out great and Ihave been lucky. I haveheard of a few situationsthat I have yet to experi-ence.”

The added stress of liv-ing off-campus is not for

everyone and the structured environmenton campus may turn others off. Despitewhere students end up living in the nearfuture, all should evaluate choices with per-sonal success in mind.

“...Living away

gives me the

opportunity to be

off-campus when

I want to be and

escape.”– Mallory HeinzenJunior in Political Science

Housing Guide Fall 2011

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