Assessing Your Need

Before you begin looking for an apartment, it is important to determine what you need. You will save yourself time and energy by considering the location , types of accommodation , roommates , pets , types of leases , personal preferences , and a few considerations before you check out different apartments.

Are you wondering about subletting? Click here to find out more, see a sample sublease agreement and much more!

Financial Aid and Awards Office , located on the 4th floor of the Student Centre provides students with information on:

• Budget planning
• Budget and debt counselling
• Student loans
• Internal scholarships and bursary programs
• External scholarships and bursary programs
• Alternative sources of financial aid
• Educational cost estimates
• Wondering about a budget? Sample budget.

Location

Most likely you will want to be close to your school or work. For those who attend Saint Mary's University, you will have lots of company looking in the South End. The vacancy rate and type of lease available to you will impact the location of your apartment. For example, in the South End the vacancy rate is very low and almost all leases are 12 months long. However, in Dartmouth the vacancy rate in not as low and there are many apartments that offer month-to-month or short fixed term leases. Rent amounts also vary considerably with location.

Rent Cost by Location
Area and Descriptions	Bachelor	1 Bedroom	2 Bedroom	3+ Bedroom
Peninsula South (Saint Mary's University) Begins at Cornwallis Street, then along Cunard Street to Robie. From Robie the boundary runs south of Quinpool Road, along Quinpool Road to Connaught Avenue, north Connaught to Chebucto Road to the North West Arm	$645	$823	$1243	$1602
Peninsula North Separated from the mainland by Dutch Village Road and Joseph Howe Ave.	$562	$716	$853	$1084
Mainland South Is the mainland area within the City of Halifax south of St. Margaret's Bay Road.	$438	$539	$705	$836
Mainland North Is the mainland area within the City of Halifax boundaries north of St. Margaret's Bay Road.	$581	$666	$832	$1019
Dartmouth North Is the part of Dartmouth north of Ochterloney Street, Lake Banook and MicMac Lake.	$490	$597	$735	$824
Dartmouth South Is south of Ochterloney Street and Lake Banook and west of (inside) the Circumferential Highway, including Woodside as far as CFB Shearwater.	$509	$586	$670	$755
Dartmouth East Area bounded by Micmac Lake and Lake Charles to the west.	$477	$596	$689	$651
Bedford and Sackville	$522	$655	$768	$948
Source: CMHC Rental Market Report - Halifax CMA (October 2008)

Typical Cost for an Individual Room (Shared Accommodations OR a room in a private home). (May include meals )
Location	Average Rent per Month	Range of Rent per Month
South End Halifax	$550	$450 - $600
North End Halifax	$460	$425 - $500
Clayton Park	$525	$450 - $650
Dartmouth	$500	$400 - $600
Besides the vacancy rate, length of lease and rent amount, consider the personal conveniences of the location of your apartment. How close do you want to be to the grocery store, bank, or bus routes?

Types of Accommodations

There are a number of different types of accommodations in the HRM, but we have broken them down into five categories: Apartments; Flats; Room or Shared Accommodations; Condos, Townhouses & Duplexes; and Houses. A brief description of each is found below, and you can view more detailed information in Types of Accommodations .

Apartment Buildings are numerous in Halifax. While they are convenient (most have on-site laundry & other facilitie) you may be required to sign a twelve month lease. An apartment can range from a bachelor, to four or more bedrooms. Heat and hot water will likely be included in the rent.

Flats are the second most common accommodation in the HRM.   A flat is usually a Victorian-like building, renovated and transformed into separate living areas. Flats have many of the same features as an apartment, and may cost slightly less, depending on location. Flats are more suited for students and young professionals. Beware that some insurance companies will not insure flats because they are too risky.

Rooms and Shared Accommodations can vary significantly in type. They can range from a room in someone's private home, to a room in an apartment or house with other students. You'll very rarely come across the term "rooming house" anymore in Halifax. Some landlords may have multiple room houses that they choose to rent out by the room, rather than wait for numerous people to rent the house as a group.

Condos/Townhouses & Duplexes are very similar to apartment buildings, they can vary in the number of units, however, they can also be split-level. Townhouses are joined to one another side by side and are two or three levels. Duplexes can be side-by-side or above and below. This type of accommodation is more likely found in West Halifax, Dartmouth and Bedford.

Houses are sometimes available to students. The difference between a house and a town house is that houses may have their own private property, a deck and/or a garage. Students sometimes rent a house when there are three or more people looking for accommodations together.

Roommates

Having roommates is a great way to cut down on costs and can make moving out less nerve-racking! Before you start looking for your apartment, confirm if you will be having roommates and who they will be. It is hard enough looking for an apartment without having to look for 3 bedroom apartments when you might only need 2 bedrooms. By knowing who you are going to live with you will be able to act quickly when you find something that you like. Everyone who will be living in the apartment has to sign the lease and be made known to the landlord. As well, you will have to consider your roommates' preferences when you are looking.

Pets

If you have a pet, you have made your search much harder. Landlords think that pets will damage the apartment and some think that students will not take proper care of their pets. Cats are generally accepted more than dogs (especially large dogs). You will have to find an apartment that accepts pets (do not try to sneak them in!). You will find that most apartment buildings in Halifax do not accept pets, and you may have better luck looking for a flat. More apartment buildings in Dartmouth do accept pets under conditions. You will probably have to sign a "Pet Lease Agreement". Do not try and sneak in your pet!

Types of Leases

All standard leases are the same; essentially the only difference is the time-frame. The following are three examples found in Halifax:

1. Twelve (12) month lease
2. A month-to-month lease
3. A fixed term lease

Most leases are twelve months long in Halifax. For students, who typically rent during the academic year (8 months), a twelve month lease means that you may have to sublet your apartment for the remaining four months (May to August).

A month-to-month lease means you are only obligated to give one month notice that you will be leaving the apartment. Often renting a room requires a month to month lease. Some apartment buildings offer month-to-month lease, but this is rare. Or, if you remain in the same building, give three-months notice before your twelve-month lease expires, your lease can be converted to a month-to-month.

A fixed term lease means that the lease is specified for a certain amount of time. For example, a three-month fixed term requires you only to stay and pay rent for three months. You are not required to give the landlord a notice to quit at the end of the fixed term. Fixed term leases are usually arranged in special circumstances where the landlord can only rent the apartment for a specific amount of time. Some apartments may have mandatory fixed term leases before the lease becomes month-to-month.

Normally you will need a cosigner (someone who will co-sign your lease) if you are a student. You should decide who your co-signer will be before you look for an apartment. Usually this is your parents/guardians, however, the landlord may require the co-signer to be a resident in Halifax. Please make sure you check first.

Personal Preferences

Finding a place to live when you are on your own can be very challenging. Do you want electricity included in the rent? How big do you want the bedrooms to be? Do you want a place for a dining room table? Do you like hardwood floors? Carpets? Do you want a balcony? Do you need storage space?

Your answer to these questions can vary significantly from person to person. It is important that you get an apartment that you like. If you would prefer to be close to the University, you may decide upon a smaller apartment in the South End, as compared to a larger apartment in Clayton Park. Is location your priority, or the apartment size? Be honest with yourself - you don't want to end up renting an apartment you can't bare to live in!

If this is your first time renting, it may be beneficial for you to see varying types of apartments. You may have an idea of what you want, but until you see what's available, your idea may not be realistic. Don't get discouraged, however, if you've looked at numerous apartments and still haven't found something suitable. It will give you an idea of what's available and help you sort out your priorities. And remember that everyone's preferences are different!

What to Consider When Living Off Campus

How close do I want to be to the University?
Will I consider taking the bus if I can save money on rent?
Do I want a grocery store nearby?
Do I require easy access to amenities (For example, a drug store for regular medication refills)?
Do I want to live alone or with roommates?
How many roommates will I have? Who are they?
Will they be available to help me look for an apartment?
Do I need an apartment that allows pets?
Who will co-sign my lease?
Will I have to sublet my apartment or can I stay for the entire 12-month lease?
Do I want to live in an apartment building, flat, or house?
Have I worked out a budget to pay for rent, phone, cable/Internet, parking, electricity, and other costs?

There are likely other questions that you need to ask yourself when considering an off-campus accommodation. Don't limit your search based on the questions above. Keep an open mind, and listen to advice from people who have rented before - the more informed you are, the better able you are to make a decision.

 

This page last modified Thursday, 23-Feb-2012 10:59:40 AST