Students can beat the summer real estate rush by starting the search before the semester’s end, said Cindy Wiener, an agent for West USA Realty, a realty company that specializes in residential, commercial, rentals, relocation and luxury homes.
The many students who wait for the semester’s end before looking for housing make the summer months some of the busiest of the year for the company, she said.
“If they’re moving out, they should look before summer,” Wiener said. “It gets really crazy. If they (look) a little bit ahead of time, they can focus on finals. It’ll save a lot of headache.”
She said rent becomes more expensive near ASU campuses, especially the Downtown campus. She advised students to look farther from their school and explore commuting options.
“If you’re in central Phoenix, it’s going to be expensive,” she said. “The closer you get to ASU, the more expensive it will be. If you don’t mind riding the light rail, it’ll be cheaper.”
She also recommended students should consider living with roommates to save money.
“It’s best to split rent,” Wiener said. “It works out really well if they have friends and they get along.”
Will Daly, owner and broker for We Know Urban Realty, a group of residential real estate agents specializing in Phoenix, Tempe and Scottsdale, said his company receives a lot of calls from ASU students during the summer.
“We get the majority of calls right after finals,” Daly said.
Sociology senior Andrew Medina lives with two roommates at Roosevelt Square on Central Avenue and Roosevelt Street near the Downtown campus. He said although the rent is expensive, living with roommates helps.
He said he’s seen rent prices in downtown Phoenix being driven up by the new, more expensive condominium and apartments in the area — something that might be a problem for him when he decides to move.
“The Lexington and 44 and Monroe (have been) raising prices, especially since they built ASU,” he said. “A lot of students coming from out of state have their parents backing them up to help them and, because they have money, the prices are going up. I don’t have that luxury.”
Political science junior Chad Robert lives in a house on College Street and 15th Avenue with three roommates. He said he chose the location because he can walk to campus.
He said although his parents help him pay the rent, living with roommates helps cut costs.
“Our total rent is $3,500, so we’re paying quite a bit,” he said. “Luckily, I still have my parents’ support.”
Reach the reporter at kmmandev@asu.edu
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