Finding an apartment near Drexel University isn’t as hard as it seems! As a Drexel student who has made it through two years in university housing, you now have the opportunity to find off-campus housing and can experience all the benefits that come with it. Looking for an apartment near Drexel can be time-consuming, but if you prepare and have a few resources, it’ll  be a breeze. 

Living off-campus provides a range of benefits: it lets you expand your social circle, have a greater range of amenities, and live in a location more aligned with your needs. So as you begin your apartment search, there are several major things to consider before you choose an apartment and sign a lease:

Budget

It’s important to know your budget before you start searching. Will you have a job or parental support to help cover the cost of housing? And don’t forget to factor utilities and parking/transportation costs into your budget. Some apartments will offer free parking while others may charge you a fee to use their garage. Once you’ve established a budget, make sure that any roommates you may have in mind have a budget that matches yours. Check out our articles about budgeting and saving money!

Location

Next, consider neighborhoods or areas you’d be open to living in. How far from campus are you willing to live? This will depend on whether you have a car or rely on public transportation. You want to be sure that getting to classes and events won’t be a huge hassle. If you do have your own vehicle, you might want to get further off campus into a quieter area. Or, conversely, maybe you want to be surrounded by other apartment buildings, bars, and restaurants so going out with friends is easy. 

Roommates

You may have the budget and desire to get a place of your own and not deal with roommates. This can spare you from the possibility of incompatible living styles or having to work around someone else’s budget needs. However, having roommates also has its benefits, including making housing more affordable and allowing the possibility of making friends.

Amenities

If you want a dishwasher or your own bathroom or a building with a gym, these

 are valid stipulations to add to your search!

The Search

Once you’ve narrowed down your needs, the search begins. Apartments.com is a very popular site for finding apartments, especially since you can filter for your budget and location. You could also join this Drexel Facebook group to look for apartments or even connect with possible roommates. Drexel also has a great proprietary off-campus housing search platform and page to find potential roommates.

Still searching? Tripalink has locations available near Drexel, and they also offer great features. For example, the locations all provide weekly cleaning services (alleviating possible roommate chore tensions!) They also have options for roommate matching. All you have to do is pick an apartment (you’ll always get your own) and they’ll fill the remaining spots with compatible people. The apartments are all furnished and attractively designed. They’re comfortable, convenient places to live, and that’s a big deal when it comes to your first college apartment. Read our blog about why coliving is much better than a college dorm!

At the end of the day, with all these things in mind and these resources at your disposal, finding a great apartment for your next year at Drexel should be no problem at all.