168 -he Michigan Daily Weekend Magazine - ThursdayTovember 20, 1997 0 '*.~ wx HOUSING Continued from Page 3B Jones cautioned to watch for and contest unnecessary fees. A common one, she said, is a nonrefundable clean- ing fee. "These are in all instances unethical and in many instances not legal," said Jones, who said landlords are responsi- ble for supplying tenants with clean units. She suggested bargaining, money in hand, with the landlord to take a cleaning fee off the lease. "This is a major scam." But Rubin said such fees aren't unfair. It can. cost hundreds to thou- sands of dollars to clean an apartment or house, he said, and landlords are losing money. Paying a set fee is better than dealing with hidden charges, he said. "At least you know what it's going to cost." Jones also said any application fee of more than $25 is probably excessive. Overwhelmed? Don't be. If stu- dents have doubts before signing a lease, they should ask a volunteer at the AATU about a potential land- lord's history. They can also stop by the Off-Campus Housing Office, which has written materials, advis- ing and Ann Arbor maps available. Advisers can review a lease before students sign it, and the program also has a roommate matching ser- vice. Some students, such as Kinesiology junior Cara Lyons, call last year's house hunt a success. Lyons is renew- ing her lease because her landlord, she said, "goes over and above." "We complained about the curtains and he put new blinds in the whole house," she said. Others, however, are less lucky. "We were actually in an ideal situa- tion," said one student, presently bat- tling her landlord in a lawsuit. "It's impossible to say what we'd do differ- ently." Her advice: "Know your rights, and be wary." LSA sophomore Yaron Prywes eats breakfast at the Owen Co-op. TRENDS Continued from Page 4B While timing is a sore point, it is not the only hang-up students have with the Ann Arbor housing market. French said many students feel off-campus housing is substantially overpriced. He said his apartment costs far more than he origi- nally was willing to pay. "I wasn't really sure what to expect when I was looking for an apartment last year," French said. "But I figured I could get a place for $300 (per month). I soon realized that $350 is far more realistic." Landlords shoulder the majority of the blame for high housing costs, said LSA senior Todd Clebes. "To be close to campus you need to pay outrageous prices," Clebes said. "Landlords are taking advantage of owning a home close to campus because they know stu- dents are limited in where they live." Allmand denied that housing is over- priced, saying she prices properties according to their fair market value. "We do surveys of other landlords and price our 'homes comparable to those in the rest of Ann Arbor," Allmand said. "We typically do a 4.9 percent or five-percent price raise per year to keep up with inflation." Not all college campuses have a housing market as tight as Ann Arbor's. Students at Michigan State University in East Lansing can get housing at a later date and at lower cost than Ann Arborites, said Michigan State junior Bryan Fingeroot. "Students here starttlooking in Januarys sFingeroot said. "Most people end up paying $250 to $300 per month to live in a single." Living in a double is one way stu- dents facing a budgetary crunch can cut down on costs. LSA junior Aimee Wagnitz said her house next year is a bargain compared to residence halls. "Next year, I'll be sharing a roomand paying $280 per month," Wagnitz said. "This is a bargain compared to a single room in the dorm, where l pay $3,000 pernsemester. rs While pricing is important, students are also placing a greater emphasis on housing quality, said Allmand. "Price isn't all (students) are after; the kids are expecting better-quality homes than they did a few years ago," Allmand said. But Clebes said affordability and quality is a rare combination in Ann Arbor's housing market. "Some of the apartments in Ann Arbor are more suited for rats and cock- roaches than students," Clebes" said. .Still, quality, price and location are all for naught if students foresee con- flict at home. "It's important to trust your intu- ition," Etzkorn said. "You need to decide if you feel comfortable living with a particular person or feel pres- sured into making a decision." - Daily Arts Writer Emily Lambert contributed to this report. Suggestions for the hunt: D Make as wide a search as possible. A good customer doesn't just go to one store, so shop around. Look at ads in local newspapers and on bulletin boards. Beginning Dec. 1, a list of available units will be available on the Web, in the Student Activities Building or at Kinko's. O Slow down. Don't make rash judgments. "My top piece of advice to students would be to take their time in looking," said Jeffrey Micale, a University 0ff-Campus Housing Program adviser. D Treat landlords with respect, but as equals. O Prioritize what you're looking for, and be willing to compromise, especially on distance from cam- pus. If. you look farther away, Jones said, "you can get much better deals, and better exercise." O Get into the habit of communicating in writing. Set up a file folder for correspondence. O1 Don't sign the lease the first day. Read it carefully. 0 Listen to Jones on WCBN's Tenant Talk, Tuesdays from 6 to 6:30 p.m. The Psychology Peer Advisors Present on Thursday, ovember 20, 1997, from 7:00-9:00 p.m. "Research, Internships, Volunteer Opportunities, and Organizations in Psychology" featuring: Dr. Jerry Miller - Director of University Center for the Child & Family Natalie Blevins - Psi Chi Sarceka Dayl - UPS Mary K. Clark - SROP Representative - UROP Karen Lareu - Community Service Learning ALL ARE WELCOME! All Focus Groups will be held on the 4th floor Terrace in E.H, Enter through the Church St. Entrance. The elevator is to the left. Go to the 4th floor and follow the signs to the Terrace. http://www/personal.umich.eduiv-s.,mhatc/PeerAdvising.html Individual Peer Advising Ilours are Monday through Friday I1I 00 am to 400 pm in Rm. 1346 Last Hall. Wl-is are welcome,. if you prefer to make an appointment, please call 647-3711. D W ~,A-E- OlI -EY- I .= H WE E=. IE- - KNE jCAR5T u. . A USA MAJOR EVENIS/DIVISION Of STUDENT AFFAIRS PRESENTATION E'~g AA--g- fJ g gm fg= Tickets available at the Michigan Union Ticket Office, Herb David Guitar Studio, Schoolkids Records, and all Ticketmaster outlets. Charge by 'Phoe ;1 341TS TICKETSINMMSALE:MONP SU DEC.A. ' 1997 I