Name: Aidan Miller, junior in LAS

Q: What’s the max price you are willing to pay for monthly rent in Champaign-Urbana?

A: “It would depend on the location, but the maximum I think I would pay would be around my current rent, which is $650 (per month).”

Q: What’s your advice to people moving into their first apartment in the coming year?

A: “Look around; there’s a lot of different apartments. Many of them have different philosophies on what they want to include, parking spots, and services that are there. And also look that stuff up too, because sometimes you may need it.”

Q: What do you look for in your ideal apartment?

A: “My ideal apartment? Usually location relative to bus stops and whether or not water, power or parking is included.”

Name: Lisa McGovern, senior in LAS and Education

Q: What’s the max price you are willing to pay for monthly rent in Champaign-Urbana?

A: “I’ve never gone much over $600 a month. I think it’s pretty easy to find a nice place for that. So $600 I’m gonna say.”

Q: What’s your advice to people moving into their first apartment in the coming year?

A: “Trust the people you’re gonna live with, and know them well. I know there’s that idea that you have to find apartments early, before November, so if you have a specific apartment building and specific unit in mind, sure, do that, get it now. But if you don’t, you don’t have to. So wait until you have people you like and trust, and you’ll find a good place. And also, find a place on a bus stop. That’s the best. You can find some cheap places that are far, but they’re right on a bus stop, so it doesn’t matter.”

Q: What do you look for in your ideal apartment?

A: “No stairs in the apartment. I hated apartments that had stairs. And honestly, if it’s more than two people, two bathrooms or two toilets, because I don’t need two showers. The landlords are all terrible, so it doesn’t matter which landlord. Although I like JSM, and University Group is fine. And I’m with Campustown and they’re fine too. Honestly, they’re fine, but they also all suck. What else? Good appliances, but honestly no stairs. That’s the biggest thing. I hated that.”

Name: Rob Klein, junior in ACES

Q: What’s the max price you are willing to pay for monthly rent in Champaign-Urbana?

A: “Per month? $550 without utilities. We’ve lived in places for under that pretty comfortably, and I don’t see any reason to pay more.”

Q: What’s your advice to people moving into their first apartment in the coming year?

A: “You gotta start shopping now. Actually, now is too late. You should have already been shopping. And read that lease and make sure you’re not gonna get screwed over.”

Q: What do you look for in your ideal apartment?

A: “As long as it doesn’t have bedbugs and roaches. And there aren’t squirrels in the roof, has a shower that works. And has a bedroom that’s big enough for at least one person to be in, it’s good enough for me.”

Name: Jacob Bardell, senior in Business

Q: What’s the max price you are willing to pay for monthly rent in Champaign-Urbana?

A: “Probably about $600. Any more than that, it’s just kinda getting too expensive, and at that point it’s almost the same price as a dorm. And at that point, you might as well not worry about getting an apartment at that point.”

Q: What’s your advice to people moving into their first apartment in the coming year?

A: “Don’t move in with people that you don’t really know. Make sure you move in with people you’re comfortable with and that you actually trust paying because if they don’t end up paying then you get screwed over.”

Q: What do you look for in your ideal apartment?

A: “I like cooking, so I like to make sure it has a pretty decent kitchen. I’ve looked at apartments where the stove is really small, or something like that, and it’s not really ideal for me. And other things, just like the other things that they add in for the bill each month. Like if they include water, the garbage disposal, the internet. Stuff like that.”

Name: Divya Polson, sophomore in LAS

Q: What’s the max price you are willing to pay for monthly rent in Champaign-Urbana?

A: “It depends on location, but probably not more than $800. The main reason I do apartments is that I want the price to be comparable to University Housing, so I think if it goes beyond a certain limit you’re not really saving money anymore.”

Q: What’s your advice to people moving into their first apartment in the coming year?

A: “Know more about the management company. I don’t have CPM, but I’ve heard a lot of bad things about them in general, so I would advise doing some research into that. And also, the people you’re living with, make sure they’re not flaky or anything.

Q: What do you look for in your ideal apartment?

A: “I think location is the biggest factor. I don’t want to be off-campus or too far from my classes, or the Quad or anywhere. It needs to be clean, and well maintained. That’s basically the most important.”

Name: Natalie Noonan, junior in AHS

Q: What’s the max price you are willing to pay for monthly rent in Champaign-Urbana?

A: “$1200. I own apartments, so I know the price range and I know good quality. I understand the process.”

Q: What’s your advice to people moving into their first apartment in the coming year?

A: “Even though it may be cheap, it’s not necessarily a living condition you want to live in. Cheap isn’t always good, sometimes it’s worth the price you pay in rent.”

Q: What do you look for in your ideal apartment?

A: “Clean and sunshine.”

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