How to find Intern and Student housing

By: Britni Miltner, Gables Corporate Accomodations

You rocked the interview and landed the internship you’ve been dreaming about since your senior year of high school. Congratulations!

The internship location is on the other side of the country, and the idea of finding a place to stay can be daunting.

Your contact provided a list of suggested housing options, but didn’t give you much more guidance.

What do you do now? First, take a deep breath. You got this.

Let’s consider the available options:

• You could rent a private room and share common living spaces and bathrooms in a home sharing situation.
• Stay with a relative (or distant relative that you didn’t know you had!)
• Stay with a friend or a friend of a friend
• Rent a room at an extended stay hotel
• You could visit an apartment community, rent an unfurnished apartment, then rent furniture, housewares, then setup utilities and cable (don’t forget about deposits for each vendor!). And then after all of that, you get to wait on the internet technician to get you connected.
• Or, you could make it simple, and stay in a furnished apartment where everything is prepped and ready for your arrival.

It helps to make a list of important details about your ideal accommodations, and understand that you may have to give up a few items on your wish list.

These items would be on my wish list; yours might be a bit different:

• Location
• Amenities: Fitness center, pool and nearby greenspace
• Kitchen: A way to save money by cooking and the opportunity to “play host” and invite new friends over for dinner parties. (or, let’s be honest- takeout parties)
• All utilities and cable/internet included – definitely internet!
• The occasional maid service might be nice, but not required
• Washer and Dryer is a must
• Privacy
• Covered parking
• Space for my stuff (have you seen me pack for just a weekend stay?)
• Accommodations that allow me to experience my new city and “live like a local”
• I would like to bring my dog
• It needs to feel like “Home”, even if it is for a short while

 

Now, think about the specific options, and what they offer:

Renting a room could be interesting and inexpensive, but I’m not sure how I feel about moving into a house with people I don’t know and having to share common areas.
Not to mention I’d feel like I was in someone else’s home. I also prefer to have my own bathroom.   I’m friendly, but I do like my privacy and the opportunity to wear my pj’s and cat slippers, binge watch Netflix, and eat Ben and Jerry’s straight from the container without judgement. I might also throw in a nourishing facemask while I’m at it. Nobody really wants to witness all of that, to be honest.

Staying with a Relative: Most of my relatives live in one part of the country, so the staying with a relative option is out. Even if it were an available option, I’m not sure that I’d truly feel independent and comfortable. How do you I know that my mother isn’t receiving a daily report of my activity?

Regarding the option of staying with a friend (or a friend of a friend): see my comments about renting a room. Sometimes bunking with friends isn’t always the best idea, either.

Sure, many extended stay hotels offer great locations, and maybe they offer a swimming pool and a fitness center, but many items on my wish list are missing. I don’t think I’d feel completely at home. The housekeeping would be nice, but ultimately, I would need more space and would prefer not to feel like I was living at a hotel. I need something a little comfier, and a place I’d want to come back to relax. Additionally, hotels and extended stays don’t have many amenities that cater to dogs, and that is important to me.

Renting an unfurnished apartment might be a good option: apartment communities offer great amenities and resident functions, and will help me feel a little more at home in my temporary city. Most apartments nowadays have washer and dryers included, or at least hookups in the apartment. And space! I would have space for my stuff!  But then I’d have to worry about renting furniture, and deciding if I am going to buy all new housewares and linens, or bring them from home (and then lug them all the way back home after the internship is over). On top of all of that, I’d have to setup utilities, cable and internet. Since I would be a new resident in a new city, I would most likely have to provide deposits on each of these accounts. I don’t really have the time to set all of this up and am a bit overwhelmed with this option! (Personally, I’d rather be using this time to shop for my new Internship worthy wardrobe. Gotta dress to impress!)

The idea of a furnished apartment makes the most sense: everything is included. Furniture, housewares, linens (even a vacuum cleaner and broom) and utilities and internet (internet is required for my Netflix bingeing!). All I’d have to do is arrive with my enormous suitcase as well as my groceries, and I’m all set. If I want maid service, I can add that on to my package, and if I want to bring my dog to keep me company, I can. Many communities even have on site dog parks!

How do you find a furnished apartment?

Check out Gables Corporate Accommodations! With nationwide locations, GCA can provide packages that are tailored to your needs, and at apartment communities where you want to live. Pricing that is comparable to a hotel room; you’re getting more space, more privacy, and access to incredible community amenities. Or, build your own package to meet your specific needs and budget.

An apartment community with a beautiful resort style pool, and a state of the art fitness center?

Yes please!

What “must have” items would be on your accommodations wish list?

We want to know! Email us at gcasalesall@gables.com or call us at 866-422-7368!

Visit us at www.gcarent.com