University Park, Pa. -- The 21st annual student Housing Fair will be held from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 28, in Alumni Hall of the HUB-Robeson Center on Penn State's University Park campus.
Admission is free, and students will be able to get information from more than 25 exhibitors representing a large variety of rental apartments, townhouses and houses. The event is sponsored by Off-Campus Living, as well as the Commonwealth Campus Student Government and the Off-Campus Student Union.
Designed for students moving from the residence halls to town, the event also gives transfer students an opportunity to choose where to live in fall 2006.
Representatives of local rental agents will be on hand to show potential renters maps and floor plans, discuss rates and fees, talk about availability, arrange for roommates and take applications. Students also can take a tour of many of the properties by using courtesy vans provided by some of the landlords. That gives potential renters a first-hand look at the property's age, size and on-site amenities.
Before attending the Housing Fair, students should think about their needs and requirements; how many roommates they are willing to have; how much rent they can afford; whether or not they need a parking space; whether or not they need a private study area; and the availability of public transportation near the rental unit.
Students also should be sure to ask what utilities are included in the rent and what their legal responsibilities are when it comes to each roommate's portion of the rent. There also may be a security deposit, an application fee and/or a non-refundable reservation deposit. Once potential renters know what costs go with each of their top choices, then they can compare them accurately.
In addition to rental agents, there are a number of other vital services and groups at the Housing Fair. Attendees can get information about student living from Penn State's Department of Town Affairs, On-Campus Housing and Office of Off-Campus Living. See USG Legal Affairs about renter's legal issues. More information also is available from the Office of Off-Campus Living in 135 Boucke Building on the University Park campus, and at http://www.sa.psu.edu/ocl online. The Web site presents students with an array of options including housing and roommate wanted ads; for sale ads; virtual resources from rental properties to utility companies; FAQs and advice; lists of questions; and legal aid and information about rights, responsibilities and more.