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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (May 19, 2000)
V la Ufo, ■ Handbooks are available to help students know their rights and responsibilities when finding a home By Monica Hande Oregon Daily Emerald For whatever reason, you’ve decided to move. Perhaps you’re tired of the residence halls. Maybe it’s your neighbors. Or it could just be that you and your room mate have absolutely nothing in common. Regardless of your motivation, the fact remains that mov ing is not always an easy task. However, knowing how to begin can really take away some of the pressure. First, you face the task of finding a roommate, or perhaps making the decision to live alone. Selecting a roommate is a very important step, ASUO housing advocate Matthew Lieuallen said, because you have to be able to trust the people you decide to live with. “Choose who you live with wisely, because it could make or break your housing experience,” Lieuallen said. He also warns that, in many situations, if your roommate abandons his or her responsibilities, you are left individu ally obligated. The Roommate Survival Guide, available at the Rental Information Office in the EMU or on-line at oregon.uore gon.edu/~rio/survive.html, suggests a variety of options for effectively selecting and getting along with roommates. Next, it’s time to decide what type of housing you’re looking for. Do you want to live in the residence halls? Hoping to share space in a fraternity or sorority house, a co-op or a pri vate residence? How many bedrooms are you looking for? Do you want a washer and dryer? Do you need a parking space? All these questions and more abound. Thankfully, many options are available. And once you have a good idea of what best suits your needs, you’re ready to start your search. According to the Renter’s Handbook, prepared by OS PIRG and the ASUO, it’s in your best interest to look at many different places before choosing one, even if you like the first one you come across. Several resources are available for you to consider when looking for a place to live. Try newspaper advertisements, the Rental Information Office and property management | firms. Also, bulletin boards throughout campus carry no tices from renters seeking roommates or people to take over their leases. Several landlords use signs in windows ant lawns, as well, to attract renters. Also, never overlook the power of word of mouth refer rals. If you know people who live in places you’re interest ed in, ask them to notify you of vacancies. According to the Renter’s Handbook, many residences are rented even be fore they are advertised. Friends can also help you weigl the pro and cons of places they are familiar with. But no matter how you go about finding a place to live, make sure you do it with time to spare. “Don’t wait,” Lieuallen said. “If you wait, you’re not go ing to find much.” He said there’s always a supply of apart Turn to Renter Tips, page 2c