Location, location, location

• Be careful of neighborhoods. Get a map and ask people in Spokane, such as business owners, for recommendations.
• I like living downtown. It's convenient—a 25 minute walk to school.
• Browne's Addition has a lot of apartments for rent and is close to everything.
• Try to get as close to campus as possible.
• Try to stay close to the city. Don't strand yourself by moving too far away.
• Check out the neighborhood before you move and check it at all times of the day--not just in the morning or afternoon--to see what the conditions of the neighborhood/potential living area are like. Convenience to university, shopping and bus are important, but also it is important to be able to have quiet time to study and sleep.
• Use your intuition. If it seems like a bad area of town, then it is!
• Find a neighborhood you feel safe in, because you're probably going to have to be leaving in the dark, early morning for clinicals.
• Look to see if it's near school, then make sure it is a good neighborhood, and then price check.
• Living close to school is a big plus. Also, consider how close you are to other students and favorite shopping/eating places. Off-street parking is a good idea as well. If you are a runner, consider that as well.
• Many students live in the Browne's Addition and Gonzaga neighborhoods.

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How and when to look

• Start at least two months early.
• Come earlier, before school starts. A lot of housing is available in the early summertime.
• The newspaper was the easiest method for me.
• Check with real estate agencies to see if any sellers are interested in leasing long-term.
• Come up to Spokane for three to four days and do some scouting around for a good, cheap place.
• Be sure to spend time looking.
• Start looking early because of competition from Gonzaga and Eastern students.
• Look in Apartment Blue Book and drive around.
• Don't look too early, but have an idea of the area you want to live—it's a lot easier. Start with the Sunday newspaper and the Apartment Blue Book.
• Ask for help from other students—they have been here longer and know what might work for you.
• The Blue Book is helpful, but there are a lot of other places out there that don't advertise. If you like a neighborhood, drive around and see if anything else is available.
• You don't have to start looking too far in advance because listings will be gone the day after they are posted. A month to a month-and-a-half in advance is plenty. Don't settle for your first option: do some research. Go to the Gonzaga and Riverpoint campuses and look for flyers for housing or roommates needed.
• You don't have to sign a lease as far in advance like you do in Pullman. Also, a place may show up in the Sunday paper and be gone by 10:00 a.m. on Monday. Don't sit on a listing if it sounds like something you might like.
• Give yourself more than one day to look. I came over on a Saturday with only that day to look, so it was stressful and I kind of took the first thing I found. I love my apartment but it's too expensive, and I wish I had a shorter lease so I could get into something cheaper.
• Narrow down what is essential to you and what you can give or take, then get a book from the gas station or go the the website and pick a few places that fit your location and essentials. Call them, make appointments if needed, and go visit them all in one week.
• Apartment guides are pretty good, but driving around you see many more "for rent" signs.
• There are good deals. It is best to find things in the newspaper. That's where smaller complexes and cheaper rent are.
• Try to get off-street parking. There are a lot of break-in and vandalism problems.
• Don't settle, look around.
• Look on Craig's list. Decide which areas of town you want to live in. Drive around and get a feel for all the neighborhoods and find out which one has the best feel for you and all the amenities you'd want to have in your neighborhood. Then make sure you look at several different rental units before deciding on one. You need to compare what you are getting for your money and which one is the best deal.
• Look in person rather than calling places. It may take more time, but you'll get better information and a better feel for the place you are looking at and the management you might be dealing with in the future.
• Interview your landlord. Make sure they have a good record with previous renters. They should be reliable and preferably on site.
• Craigslist is where I found this. There is also the nursing student roommate search on FB. The Apartment Finder only has the more expensive, fancier apartments. Use the Apartment Finder if you have money.
• Call back in July, around the 10th and they will know whether they have openings.

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