By Urja Parhi.
October can be an exciting time of year for many people. There is a lot going on from Halloween costume Pinterest boards to the nearing of Christmas and semester break. However, maybe you have realised that your college days are over and it’s time to put a little distance between you and the ANU campus. Know that you are not alone in this sentiment and that many students at the ANU are looking to move into share houses around Canberra.
Whether you are still trying to find a solid group of people trustworthy enough to move in with, or you have twenty realestate.com.au tabs open on your laptop, share housing is something that is on a lot of people’s minds at the moment. There are a lot of factors to consider and Observer is here to get you thinking about the important things and give you some tips to get started.
READ ALSO: How to Find a Share House
A good place to start is making sure you and your future housemates are on the same page about budget, location, preferences, and any deal breakers some people may have. Establishing a maximum budget for weekly rent is really important from the start, as it gives you a starting place when searching for potential houses.
Similarly, location preferences are important to consider, especially if every member of your household has a different timetable and commute method to both university, as well as employment. It is a good idea to look into houses with easy public transport access for those without any other form of transportation.
A big factor for ANU students to consider is proximity to campus. Most tend to look for options in Turner, Ainslie, Braddon, Dickson, and other surrounding areas. This is definitely something that should be discussed among potential housemates as some people may have more contact hours and would prefer to not live too far away from campus.
Observer spoke to some students who live in share houses to gain insight into potential problems, tips and tricks, and also some funny stories to keep you entertained along the way.
“Don’t get too attached to any houses! We applied to about 30 houses before we got accepted.”
Most students have recommended starting to look for houses in September or October, but have noted the fact that if you are moving out of college before the contract ends, you will have to pay double rent for the overlap period.
Another factor to consider is that initial plans of share house groups may not end up being the final set of people you will be living with.
“We had a solid share house group for a while until two members had a falling out and one decided she did not want to live with us anymore. Luckily one of our other friends broke up with her boyfriend and they initially had plans to move in together, so that worked out well for us.”
Be prepared for life and drama to interfere with your original housing plans!
“Two of our housemates decided to go on exchange second semester which left us with two empty rooms and a quest to find subletters only looking for a six month lease.”
Many students have taken to the Facebook page “ANU Schmidtposting” to aid their search for both houses and housemates. Advertisements for subletting rooms while people are on exchange or over the break are not uncommon on this page and have been a good resource for finding people in Canberra of a similar age and living situation.
Multiple students have highlighted how the use of Facebook aided many aspects of moving into a share house. Facebook Marketplace can be a great place to look for second hand furniture and appliances, and is usually more financially viable for university students.
“Keep in mind that if you are moving from college to a share house, you are going from a fully furnished residence to a completely empty house. There are so many random things you have to buy from wifi modems to toilet paper. Things I definitely took for granted whilst living on campus.”
One student recommended having a shared document with your housemates containing a list of everything you may need once you move in together.
“It helped us stay organised and it definitely made it easier to make the house liveable shortly after we moved in.”
And the last piece of advice is, “do not fall into the share house dog trap. It may seem like such a cute idea until you all decide to move out and everyone wants to take the dog with them. You can wait longer for a dog, I promise.”
Whether this article has inspired you to peruse realestate.com.au, volunteer at a dog shelter, or finally look at your bank statements for the year, know that you are not alone and that there are many students in your exact position. Share housing is common and with a bit of organisation and preparation, you can make that share house inspo Pinterest board come to life. It’s time for you to live out your house party hosting dreams!
Written by: Urja Parhi
Graphics by: Will Novak
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