Finding the Right Post Grad Living Situation

You're done with college, you've found a job and now the next thing on your mind is moving out of your parent's house and settling into a new place. But how do you choose? Do you live alone, with roommates, or with a significant other? Choose an apartment, a home, or a condo? Where will you live? There are so many options but take these things into consideration when looking to move.

1. Make a budget and figure out how much you can spend. This will help you to determine what type of housing you are looking for, if you need one or more roommates and even what city you'll live in. Don't forget to factor in expenses such as groceries, cable, internet and utilities.

2. Decide where you want to live. Chances are if you have a full-time or part-time job, you will want to live close to your work. You may also want to live close (or far away) from your parents or just love a certain town in your state. Decide on a radius of where you see yourself living so you can look accordingly.

3. Decide whether you want to live on your own, with a roommate or two or three or with your boyfriend/girlfriend. First figuring out how much you can spend will help you make this decision. If you need or simply want to live with someone else, take into consideration who else you know who is looking for an apartment or home. Think about your similarities and differences. If you're an introverted homebody and decide to live in a small apartment with a party animal, that may not turn out too well.

4. Make a list of your must-haves. Do you need a washer and dryer or can you go home to do laundry at your parent's house? Maybe you want the bedrooms on the opposite ends of the apartments instead of next to each other or have two bathrooms instead of one. Figure out what you really want but make sure it is possible with your budget.

Once you've determined what type of place you're looking for, how much you can spend, have a roommate or two in mind, start looking. You can find a lot of information online to start with and then take a tour of a few places to see what they are like. At the tour, check out the other people and places in the area to see if it is a good fit. If you follow this advice, you'll find an amazing place for your life as a post grad. Good luck!