The search for student housing each year can be stressful, especially when you are trying to stay within a budget while still finding a trendy apartment that fits all your needs.
At Whistler, we are helping Georgia Tech students navigate their student housing search by answering the most common questions relating to housing. This includes questions surrounding the overall costs of living off campus such as what is and is not included in your monthly rental rate.
Read Next: How Much Does it Cost to Live in an Off-Campus Apartment near Georgia Tech?
To help you understand what you are paying for each month, we have written this article on what is generally included in the monthly rental rate for off-campus student apartments in Midtown.
What’s Included in Rent at Off-Campus Student Apartments near Georgia Tech?
1. Furniture
Representative unit interior featuring Whistler’s standard furniture and finishes.
Midtown student apartments typically come fully furnished. Not only does this save you money, it makes the moving process as a whole easier.
As a bonus, if you plan on studying abroad, taking an internship or co-op in a different city, or moving back home for the summer, having a furnished apartment makes subleasing easier. You won’t have to worry about any damage to your personal furniture and moving in and out will be simpler.
Read Next: Which Type Of Off-Campus Housing Is Right For Me? Student Housing Vs. Traditional Apartments
A fully furnished apartment will cover the basics in both the common areas and your bedroom. You can expect your apartment to include:
- Bed
- Dresser or Shelves
- Desk and Desk Chair
- Couch
- Coffee Table
- TV
- Chairs and/or Bar Stools
- Washer and Dryer
Saving money by not having to buy these items also frees up your budget to buy smaller items to make your apartment feel like home. Lamps, posters, rugs, plants, and other decorations all will help personalize your space.
2. Basic Utilities
What utilities are and are not included in rent will vary from apartment to apartment. Because of this, you should ask how utilities are broken down when touring each property. The basic utilities that come with an apartment include:
- Water
- Electricity
- Internet
- Cable
- Washer/dryer
- Gas
- Sewage
- Garbage
Read Next: 15 Questions to Ask When Touring An Apartment near Georgia Tech
On a general note, all basic utilities outside of water and electricity will be covered in your monthly rental rate. Your water and electric bill will likely be charged as a separate additional fee to your rent each month, either as a flat rate or based on usage.
If your water and electric bill are charged based on usage, some tips for lowering this cost include, turning off lights when you leave rooms, being mindful of the length of your showers, and turning off the faucet while brushing your teeth.
It is also possible that garbage is not covered in your rental rate. If it is not included, you might need to pay an additional $5 to $25 a month for trash service.
Read Next: 10 Additional Costs to Consider When Looking for an Apartment near Georgia Tech
Because policies surrounding utilities can vary so much, its best to ask each leasing office what their individual policy is to get a good understanding of how much your utilities may cost you each month.
3. Access to Community Amenities
Whistler’s fitness center takes up the entire 25th floor of the building and is equipped with cardio machines and weight equipment.
One of the unique perks of living in a student apartment are the trendy community amenities available to residents. These state-of-the-art amenities are designed specifically for college students to enjoy. Amenities may include luxurious pool decks and outdoor spaces, in-house coffee shops, and fitness centers with yoga and spin studios.*
Having amenities like these in-house can also save you time and energy. For example, if you are used to having to walk all the way to west campus to work out at the Campus Recreational Center, having a gym in your own apartment will improve your day-to-day lifestyle.
Amenities vary from apartment to apartment, so it’s important to decide which amenities are important to you, then research which apartments feature them. You can do this by asking questions while on property tours or by visiting the amenities page on each location’s website.
4. Year-Round Housing
Living on-campus in residence halls or Greek housing, your lease term will be limited to the nine months of fall and spring semester. If you plan on staying in Atlanta for summer break for classes, an internship or co-op, or just to hang out in Midtown, student apartments offer 12-month leases to make this a possibility.
This year-round leasing also means you can stay in Atlanta over any other breaks, which is not always an option with residence halls and Greek housing.
5. Security
Security is of the utmost importance when finding a place to live. To make sure your living space is secure, student apartment complexes will have controlled access to the building and secure parking if you have a car.
In addition to doors only opening through electronic keys or fobs, many apartments will have security measures such as video monitoring and on-site security officers.
Asking what safety measures are in place at your potential student apartment is one of the most important questions to ask before signing a lease.*
We hope this article has given you a better understanding of what all is included in rent at an off-campus student apartment. If you would like to learn more about leasing at Whistler or have any further questions, please contact our leasing staff– we are more than happy to help!
*Please note that access to amenities and security are subject to change and typically never guaranteed in your lease agreement, so keep this in mind when signing.
