Every spring, many Iowa State students living off campus struggle with decisions on subleasing their apartments for the summer, choosing where to live for the upcoming year and finding roommates.

The most common mistake students make is not educating themselves on the renting process and legalities of signing leases before they sign on the dotted line, said Kevin Bell, office assistant for the Adult Learner and Commuter Student Programs.

“A lot of students don’t read the fine print,” he said.

Such mistakes can cause many students to become locked into leases that often are difficult to get out of, Bell said.

Being committed to a lease can be a source of frustration for renters who become involved in situations such as disputes with neighbors, landlords raising the rent or conflicts with roommates, Bell said.

“Get to know your roommates and their lifestyles before you sign a lease together,” said Cindy Jorgensen, vice president of Professional Property Management, 201 S. Fifth St.

“You don’t want to sign a lease with two other people and then realize you don’t like living together,” she said. “Then you’ve got three people locked into a lease they don’t want to be in.”

Jorgensen said rent costs also can be a source of frustration for apartment hunters. Some students may be turned off by ads for apartments because the rent listed seems too high, but they may not be aware the rent price often includes utilities or other hidden costs, she said.

“Know the whole picture [before making a decision],” she said.

Students who want to sublease their apartments should be as active as possible in getting the word out by posting fliers and placing classified ads, Jorgensen said.

Bell said Adult Learner and Commuter Student Programs, located in Room B6 of the Memorial Union, makes the process easier for students by providing listings of available apartments and advice on everything from landlord and roommate disputes to how to read and understand leases.

Students who have any questions about their off-campus living arrangements are welcome to make appointments to speak with a director at the office for advice, he said.