In my first year out of residence, I saw off-campus housing as one of my first real acts of adulting. Not only did I have the misconception that house-hunting would be endless fun, I naively disregarded every piece of advice people gave me. From taking the keys to a haunted house to living with my crush, I graciously checked off everything you’re not supposed to do. Fortunately, however, my poor judgment in second year now qualifies me to tell you everything NOT to do when on the hunt.
Area
Surprisingly, finding a house close to campus was the only thing my three roommates and I could manage. Seeing that all four of us are from Kanata, we knew the dangers of living an hour -and-a-half bus ride away. Unless you plan on driving to school every day, never choose a place that takes 40 or more minutes to get to school via transit. Be sure to always pick a place that’s either one bus away or is walking distance from school. For some standout locations, I recommend the Glebe, Old Ottawa South and Little Italy. Not only do you get the fast commute to Carleton with these locals, each area is close to grocery stores and restaurants.
Landlords
For my friends, crazy landlord stories seem to be something that lacks in their off-campus housing portfolios. However, my roommates and I are riddled with horror stories. To begin with what exactly to look for, always trust your instincts. If a situation feels sketchy, it’s not worth it. If the house is a disaster on move-in day, don’t accept the keys until it’s looked after. If the dishwasher doesn’t work right, shoot your landlord an email to have it fixed. Most importantly, if entire bags of hot dog buns begin to disappear, you probably have rats. Unfortunately, my landlord had a habit of ignoring my emails. For this reason, I am now blessed by the four-month friendship my rat companions and I had.
Roommates
Finding good roommates can make or break your student housing experience. As I was warned prior to finding a group, living with people that you trust and have similar schedules with is vital. To provide an example of this, one of my roommates loved to host parties, yet my other roommate had to get up at 7 am for work and school every day. Needless to say, constant house parties and late night pre-drinking lead to endless fights by the second month of living together. Also, you should never live with someone who you already don’t like. In my experience, this has never resulted in the two of you getting along by the end. Most importantly, do not and I repeat DO NOT, live with your crush. This will almost never result in a rom-com style ending, and will instead, provoke your crush into realizing how important your friendship is to them, and later inspiring them to get back with their ex-girlfriend who you accused of looking like a giant thumb.
Subletting
Unless you plan on staying in Ottawa for the summer or are fortunate enough to get a September lease, subletting could be for you. First of all, always make sure the person seems semi-trustworthy. The last thing you want is to come back in September only to find out they’ve stolen your microwave and shoes. Another trick is to ask for post-dated cheques. This makes everyone’s life astronomically easier when it comes to payments.
All in all, house hunting really can be a ton of fun. Even if you’re living by yourself, your first place is something to remember. As long as you don’t go against any of the above advice, you’ll be in for another great year.
Photo by Angela Tilley
