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INVADERS
Students should pay attention when looking at sites to ensure
that pests and weathering wont cause later dilemmas for them
BY EMILY VANDEHEY
DAILY EMERALD FREELANCE REPORTER
wo years ago, an invasion occurred
at a big brown house on Sandy
X Drive; senior Marcus Kent remem
bers it as if it were yesterday. He and his
two roommates were surrounded. The en
emies lie waiting in the woodwork — an
army of ants had turned Kent’s house into
an anthill.
Every night, Kent and his roommates
searched their rooms for pests. All it took
to attract the ants was a glass of water left
on a table or countertop.
“There would be so many ants that
they would just fall straight off the side of
the cupboard from trying to crawl over
each other,” Kent said.
Kent is one of many college students
who have experienced less-than-perfect
living conditions. To avoid a bad experi
ence, it’s important for students to arm
themselves with the right questions
about housing.
Before viewing rentals, students
should research the property manage
ment companies and landlords they are
planning to rent from. Bryan Donahue,
former lead chair of housing standards
for OSPIRG, said finding a reputable
rental company is vital.
“Most of the property management
companies in Eugene do an excellent
job,” Donahue said. “But there are a few
bad apples that possess a significant
portion of the rentail market. ”
Kent, who rented from a private land
lord in 2002-03, agrees that the quality
of a landlord is crucial. He recommends
property management companies over
private landlords. If students go through
a private landlord, he suggests they ob
tain contact information from the previ
ous tenant to ask about the quality of
the landlord.
The next step is to stay on top of the
application process. Terry Shockley,
owner of Property Management Con
cepts, a Eugene rental company, recom
mends students complete the rental and
co-signer applications in their entirety
and turn in all forms at the same time.
Some companies may require that the
applications be turned in by all possible
roommates before being allowed to view
any rentals.
When it’s time to look, Donahue said
to keep an eye open for potential
property concerns with weatherization,
dampness, electrical systems and leaky
plumbing.
Donahue said he has heard of a wide
range of problems from local tenants. The
most common were complaints of mold
and poor weatherization; the worst com
plaint was that poor structural integrity
caused a second-floor toilet to fall through
the ceiling.
Shockley said the person showing the
rental may not always be knowledgeable
about the property.
“A lot of the time, your property man
ager isn’t necessarily going to know off
hand the history of the (rental) because
they may be assigned that day to show
the place,” Shockley said.
If the property manager or landlord
doesn’t provide satisfactory answers,
students should speak to the current
tenant to gather more information, espe
cially in regard to problems that appear
over time. However, some property
management companies have policies
against potential tenants disturbing
current ones, so students should check
with them before knocking.
Walk
to campus!
Nice, Idrtje studio
$398
■ Onsite laundry
• Complimentary Parking
765 E. 18th • 485-6991
Professionally Managed By
Bennett Management Company, LLC
HOUSES, APARTMENTS!
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STUDIOS, QUADS
RENTER QUESTIONS
Questions for the property manager or landlord:
1. Are the windows single- or double-paned? (Single-paned windows mean a
colder rental.)
2. Where is the water heater, and how big is it? (A small water heater for a
house of three or more people means cold showers.)
3. What type of heat? If a furnace, when was the last time it was maintained?
(The most common is electric heat, but some have furnaces that require more
maintenance and oil to run.)
4. Where are the telephone jacks and cable cord? (Make sure they are in de
cent and reasonable locations so you will be able to receive Internet, television
and phone, if desired.)
5. Do all the locks on the doors and windows work?
6. Have there been any past problems of mold, dry rot or pests?
7. When was the rental last renovated? What updates did it receive?
8. Does the property management or landlord contact and pay for people to
come fix broken appliances and pest problems?
Questions to ask current/past tenants:
1. Is the rental well-insulated? (Poor insulation leads to higher electric and water
bills. Call EWEB and give the address to find the most expensive month of the
year for that rental.)
2. Do the appliances work? (Tenants will be able to tell you whether the fridge
drips or teaks, whether the chain on the toilet breaks, or whether the oven and
burners turn on.)
3. Are there any mold, dry rot or pest problems? (Bathrooms are usually victims
of mold, so take a close look for any gray/black areas.)
Ferry Street Bridge
Townhomes
Starting at $625
•2 + 3 bedrooms
• 1 1/2 bath
• Washer + Dryer
• Water, Sewer, Garbage
+ Cable included
a Call 344-4619
Welcome Ducks!
We have many places available on and off campus
Campus:
1220 E. 23rd...4 + bed
1220 1/2 E. 23rd.4 bed
83 E. 19th.1 bed
85 E. 19th.3 bed
87 E. 19,h.3 bed
990 E. 23rd #3.1 bed
990 E. 23rd #2.1 bed
990 E. 23rd #1.1 bed
2997 Harris Alley.1 bed
2996 Harris.2 bed
* most campus places offer reduced summer rates
Springfield:
97 D. Street #4...2 bed
River Road:
1862 Kent.3 bed
525 Cinderella Loop.3 bed
Southwest Eugene:
2709 Hallmark Lane.3 bed
1805 W. 18th.2 bed
Ferry Street Bridge:
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&
Howard
For more information
please give us a quack at 485-1864.
Or visit us at 44 Club Road Suite 320
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• Dishwasher/range/refrigerator/garbage disposal
• Landlord pays water, sewer, garbage & expanded
basic cable TV
• Updated carpets & on site laundry
• Off street parking & summer pool
• Very nice apartments with competitive pricing
www.KeystoneHome.net
1 For more information, call KEYSTONE real estate
746-1402
M-F 9:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.
Weekends by appointment
GOT A STORY IDEA?
give us a call g^i
at 346-5511.£<|