For those of us who choose to live with friends or family during our time at Ohio University, when you go to look for the best places to rent in Athens, the big question arises: How many bedrooms should our rental have? It’s not always as simple as counting how many people are going to live there and moving on. You’ve got other things to think about, too, like space, utilities, parking, budgets...
You don’t want to go with too few bedrooms in your student rental: cabin fever is real, and so is finals week. But you also don’t want to go with too many and have to accept a random (read: stranger) roommate who ends up eating everyone else’s food and never showering.
So, how should we go about weighing the pros and cons of renting a 3 bedroom apartment or house near uptown Athens and OU campus, as opposed to a 4 bedroom?
How Many People Will be Living in Your Uptown Athens Apartment?
Okay, so it’s not the only question. But it is one of the most important. Say it’s you and a couple close friends; a 3 bedroom apartment near Court St with a big living space is the perfect solution. Maybe it’s you and your 3 siblings… and you’re triplets, or Irish twins or whatever. While the obvious answer might be to choose an apartment with 4 bedrooms, budget constraints might make renting a 3 bedroom apartment a better idea. Besides, you’ve lived in tighter quarters with your siblings before. At least it’s not bunk beds.
Likewise, a 4 bedroom apartment near campus is great for roommates who need their space, or friends with common interests who want a “bonus” room. Say 3 friends all in the arts; you could make the 4th bedroom in your house a studio. Or sports medicine majors and a home gym? On the other end, a 4-bedroom apartment can be a five person rental if you need it to, which is especially convenient if one of your roomies is seriously coupled up.
What Kind of Bathroom Situation is Everyone Comfortable With?
Nearly as important as how many rooms you need for people to sleep in, is how many bathrooms you’ll want in your OU off-campus housing. Gone are the dorm days of shared bathrooms that are, frankly, disgusting. At the same time, you choose to rent a 4 bedroom house with 1 bathroom and it might start to feel like you never left the dorms at all. Except for that whole thing where your rental house has a yard… and is right around the corner from Court St.
Okay, it’s still way better than the dorms.
Regardless, consider this question before you fall in love with anything. Bonus – if one of the bathrooms in the apartment is an en suite master, you can definitely charge whoever gets that room more rent than the others.
What’s the Budget for Your New Off-Campus OU Apartment?
This is one area where choosing the right Athens rental company matters. Often, because apartments uptown are so sought-after, landlords charge tenants wild amounts of rent, simply, because they can. But there are definitely landlords in Athens that aren’t here for that. Figure out what everybody’s budget is; do your research on the companies that rent apartments and houses to OU students. Some places, you can get that 5-person, 4-bedroom rental and only get charged per bedroom as opposed to per person (*hint hint*).
(Are Any of Your Roommates Couples?)
It needs to be said: be careful here. We all love to think our college relationships are it – they’re the love of your life and no one could ever come close. Until they’re not – usually all of a sudden, usually pretty dramatically. If your roommates are couples, maybe still get that 4th bedroom instead of a 3-bedroom apartment, just in case.
Weighing the Factors in 3 vs 4 Bedroom Student Rental Housing
Picking out apartments during your stay at Ohio University is exciting. Moving into a new place, close to Court Street and all your classes, is always a new adventure. Revel in it – when you’re 30, moving will not be fun anymore. But since it’s not just you, you’ve got to communicate with your potential roommates and make sure everyone’s voice gets heard. Everyone should have a say in deciding whether to choose a 3-bedroom rental house with a yard near uptown or a 4-bedroom apartment within sight of Court St and campus green.