Most students find themselves end up in expensive lodgings because a lack of planning in advance. Looking for accommodation at the end an academic year costly because this is the time when demand is more. To avoid this problem, you need to search for an accommodation when the demand is much less. This should be done preferably at the beginning of the last quarter of the academic year. If you are planning for a shared accommodation find a group of friends and make your move accordingly.

It is very important to decide on the location and draw up a list of the home you want to rent, the cost you can afford, the distance from your place of study and so on. If you want to live alone or all your friends have other plans, again draw up a list of the most important aspects and start looking on your own.

You can locate a home for rent from advertisements in local news papers or college publications, counsellors at the university, acquaintances, brokers or websites. Once youve found a place, make appointments to see the property. It is always safe to rent a home after inspecting it to make sure you are getting the one you really wanted.

Also, check all the terms and conditions before you sign the documents. If you dont like the place or you feel its too expensive, tell your friends. And dont get embroiled in a bidding war with other interested parties that you cant afford; there will be other places.

You are always free to ask questions to the property owner to clarify any doubts you have. You can ask about what the house owner expect you to do and dont do at the rented property when you move in such as visits by friends, late coming or even about smoking.

Before deciding on a property, do a thorough research of the renting market because it may be possible that you will be able to locate a better accommodation at cheaper rates. Explore also the possibility of moving into home already rented by somebody else where a vacancy may be available due to the moving out an inmate. Another option is to move into a family home. These arrangements are a lot cheaper and safer although they may have some limitation on your freedom with regard to bringing in a friend or late night coming.

You may have to often pay a deposit at the beginning. The deposit is refundable when you move about, after reasonable adjustments to any damages or losses you have made to the property, if any.