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Use the Internet to facilitate your search and to familiarize yourself
with the area. This will save you valuable time once you arrive in the
Boston area to look for housing.
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Use the Housing
Blog (available through the HDS intranet) to network with other students
who may be looking for apartments, looking for roommates, or offering to
sublet.
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In most situations, you will initially need to cover the first month's rent and the security deposit
(i.e. two month's rent).
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If you find something you want, you should be prepared to
make a quick decision.
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Keep in mind that you will often be expected to take an
apartment within about a month of the time you sign the lease.
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Use several real estate agencies at once to find an
apartment. This is considered perfectly acceptable by the rental agencies.
Negotiate to have the rental fee reduced; the landlord might pay half, or
the real estate agent might accept less. (Often, rental fees equal one
month's rent.)
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Go see the apartment. High rent does not always indicate
how nice an apartment really is.
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Be prepared to visit the area around July to get the best
number of available off-campus apartments.
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Try to view apartments at both day and night to get a
"feel" for the neighborhood.
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If cost is a big concern, and if you are willing to have a longer commute, consider living a bit farther from the Divinity
School where costs may be lower. If you will be taking public transportation
to the School, you may want to take advantage of the MBTA (Massachusetts Bay
Transportation Authority) reduced-rate semester pass program. For more information about the program, contact
the Office of Student Life at 617.496.6569.
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Find students who are graduating and negotiate to take
over their lease.
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Always find out what is included in the price of the apartment's monthly
rent. If heat
and hot water, parking, etc., are extra, you will end up paying much more
than you expected.
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Start looking early!
