Connor Crawford
Student Life Editor
Interested in living off-campus but have many unanswered questions?
On Thursday, October 17, Robin Picard, coordinator of student and Community Relations, put on a housing fair in the Student Center for students to talk to and ask landlords any questions they may have about living off-campus.
A property manager for Wright Rent, Regina Wright, explained the importance of landlords coming to Keene State to speak to students about off-campus housing. “I think that it is important to get to connect with the people that might manage your property,” said Wright.
“Getting a feel for why someone is doing the job is also important. It’s nice to meet new people so that [students] can decide ‘can I talk to this lady, or not?’” Wright continued.
“There are a lot of horror stories from the past. You have to be transparent and you have to tell [students] what is going on and how to do things,” Bill Devine, a local landlord representing his properties stated at the housing fair. Devine also spoke about the importance of landlords coming to speak with students.
“My apartments are far enough out of the center of Keene, so you are not getting noisy
college students banging on the doors at midnight. It’s basically real properties and real families living by. It’s great practice for the real world,” Devine continued.
It is no surprise that there are many differences from the on-campus housing experience to the off-campus housing experience. Wright explained that she wants to make the transition easy and fun, and it gives you a good time to escape campus.
“Our goal is to make your off-campus experience a good one,” Wright stated. “I think off-campus living gives you a good time to separate from groups and gives you time to develop your own home and quiet abode before you go into the employment field of life. It gives you a chance to learn how to live on your own, and that is a positive experience. It’s a good step.”
Devine explained that living off-campus is a different step of a student’s life. “It is a different platform of their life because after graduation you are either going to be in a single home, large apartment complex or back at home with mom and dad,” Devine stated.
Money can be a major factor when students are deciding whether they want to stay on campus or move off, but Wright assures students that it is cheaper to live off-campus. “Oh yes, it is. Even if you sign a 12-month lease it is cheaper,” Wright explained.
Devine gave some helpful tips to students about what to look out for when they are looking to rent a house or apartment. “Look at the pricing. How it’s worded is important as well,” Devine stated. “The hidden cost. A lot of times [students] will say ‘wow, this is great’ and a lot of times they do not realize that their electricity is a hidden and added cost. All of a sudden, they are paying 100 dollars more than they were quoted.”
If you are a student and your parent wants to come look at the potential property that you are going to rent, do not fret. Wright encourages parents to come with students when they are looking at a property.
“I love having parents who come with students to look at our properties,” Wright stated. “We have a lot of mature students who make good judgments and decide on things, but they do not ask the questions that mom and dad ask about things, and we are very happy to answer those questions.”
Wright went on to explain the importance of family coming with the students to the property. “It’s a comfort level for the entire family to be able to meet you and be able to look at the environment that [the student] is going to be in,” Wright explained.
If you have any questions about off-campus housing or want to get in touch with a landlord, contact Robin Picard at robin.picard@keene.edu.
Picard is a very helpful resource for students who are looking to live off-campus or currently live off-campus, and can answer any questions you may have about the off-campus experience.
Connor Crawford can be contacted at
ccrawford@kscequinox.com
