Affordable State College Apartments

In the first couple of years of your college career, you have the wonderful (/s) opportunity of staying in the college dorms and experiencing college life at its finest. At some point in time, however, you're going to get to venture out, spread your wings and find off campus living to suit your college career needs.  

Living off campus gives you a greater sense of independence and makes you feel more like the adult that you are quickly becoming. The challenge, however, is finding an apartment. It is important to find an affordable apartment that is close to Penn State campus and located in a great neighborhood. If you're one of the fortunate college students who have transportation, then you can afford to venture a little further out. However, having your own car may not be in the cards for you. In such cases, it is important to find the right State College apartment that is convenient to the PSU campus and other attractions.  

Matt Perkins is the General Manager at ApartmentsStateCollege.com, a rental management company that specializes in State College apartments for students and working professionals. 

“Each of our affordable State College apartment complexes is situated in a different neighborhood. Some complexes have green space while others sit next to night life and shopping. Let us know what you are looking for and we can guide you into your desired environment.” 

Before you endeavor to find an apartment, you need to determine what your budget is and if you can afford the apartment by yourself. If you're not able to afford the apartment by yourself, you may need to consider getting a roommate.  

In your quest to find your college apartment, it is important to use every resource at your disposal. Utilizing Penn State’s Department of Student Affairs is an excellent way to get information on the off campus housing situation in the area. If you are an existing or returning college student, you may already know the surrounding area and which apartment you want to live in. If, on the other hand, you are new to State College, you may need some assistance.  

Perkins and his team specialize in helping each of their rental customers find the right place for them.  

“We are always here help each and every one of our customers,” Perkins says. “We have office hours Monday through Friday. If you ever need anything please reach out to us” 

Using a rental management company that operates multiple properties is another great option to find your college apartment. Not only are they professional, but they have an extensive knowledge of the surrounding areas and the attractions.  

Perkins sums up the rental experience at ApartmentsStateCollege.com with one word - personalized. 

“We are a local State College rental company that has a culture focused on customer service,” Perkins says. “Each of our residents is a person to us and not a faceless number.” 

If you are an existing or returning student, you may already have an idea of which apartments are located in the better neighborhoods and any areas that you want to stay close to.  

If you are a newer student, you will need help in finding the right apartment home to fit your needs. The State College apartment experts at ApartmentsStateCollege.com are experts at helping you locate apartments that are within close proximity of the college campus and affordable.  

Yes, that’s right - according to Perkins, affordable State College apartments exist! 

“All of our properties are priced at a rate that is very competitive in the market,” Perkins says. “We do not have many of the luxuries that many of the newer properties and as a result can keep the rates much lower than the competition.” 

Once you found the apartment that fits your needs, it is important you provide the necessary paperwork to apply for and get the apartment house that you want. This includes filling out the application, providing any deposits for down payment and providing any rental references. In a competitive college housing market, it may be to your benefit to provide rental references to show that you are reliable and capable of paying the rent. If this is your first time renting an apartment, you may need to seek the help of your parents to secure the apartment that you desire. Apartment owners are more likely to rent to students who use references of previous landlords or are able to use their parents as a cosigner for the lease. 

Even though you're in college, your credit still matters. The majority of apartment rental companies still rely on credit reports as a way to gauge if an individual is responsible and will pay the rent on time. Prior to applying for an apartment, it would be wise to pull your credit report to see if there are any items that would hurt your ability to apply for a rental lease.  

If there is an issue on your credit, be prepared to discuss the issue with the apartment rental company. Be as honest and is open as possible when providing information on the rental application.  

There are times when an apartment rental company will accept your parents as a cosigner or they may require your parents apply for the lease in their name until you're able to build your own credit or repair any credit issues. Be prepared to supply credit information to your potential landlord. 

“Using a parent as a co-signer is certainly an option,” Perkins says. “Many people who are studying full time at the university do not have an income so they qualify for the apartment with a co-signer.” 

No co-signer? You’ll just need to make sure your income is enough to qualify. 

“If a person wants to qualify independently we make sure that rent does not exceed 40% of their income,” Perkins says. 

At the end of the day, the more prepared you are for your apartment search, the smoother the process will be. Utilizing the resources available to you to find a great apartment in State College is the best way to search for your new place. Make sure you leave no stone unturned when it comes to searching for your apartment. Resources such as State College apartment rental companies and Penn State’s Department of Student Affairs are great to use when you don't know where to start.