NIU Law Office of Admissions & Financial Aid
June 11, 2012
 First Step: Know Yourself
 Second Step: Know Your Surroundings
 Third Step: Know Your Options
 Resources for finding a home
 Areas to avoid
 Areas we recommend
 Management companies
 Fourth Step: Know Your Rights
 Fifth Step: Be in the Know
 Life at NIU
 What are you looking for?
 Your price range
 How best can you minimize your budget?
 Your study style
 Library (very flexible hours)? At home? Coffee shop?
 Your transportation options
 Bus route? Covered parking?
 Your pet preferences
 Allergies? Yard? Dog parks?
 Your distance preferences
 Will you be rushed? Gas prices? Parking? Willingness to
drive in inclement weather?
 What are you looking for?
 Your style
 Large landlord/small landlord
 Smaller landlords can be more flexible with financial aid
disbursement/tend to like law students!
 Larger landlords may have more perks/services (e.g.
snow removal, lawn cutting)
 Rent or buy?
 Your living style
 Family-oriented? Roommates? A Yard?
 We have extra roommate request forms!
 DeKalb (0-15 minute commute)
 A thriving college town
 Great if you really like socializing!
 Majority of law students live here
 There is a lot of shopping here for all of your major needs.
 Sycamore (20-30 minute commute)
 A family-friendly, quaint town adjacent to DeKalb!
 The second most popular location for law students
 Cortland/Maple Park (20-40 minute commute)
 Very quiet towns in DeKalb County
 Easy commute to NIU, great townhomes
 Not much shopping
 Malta/Rochelle (10-15 minute commute)
 Very small towns with easy commute to law school.
Relatively few housing options available.
 Rockford (45-60 minute commute)
 North of DeKalb. Large town where the Zeke Giorgi
clinic is located.
 Western Suburbs
 There are many suburbs between here and Chicago.
Many of our students commute from these suburbs.
 Elburn (30 minute commute)
 20 miles east of NIU. The nearest Metra station is located
here. Park for $1.25/day (free on weekends!), and take the
train right into the heart of downtown Chicago.
 Need more information?
 Contact the DeKalb County Convention and Visitors Bureau
http://www.dekalbareacvb.com/
 Stay tuned for “Bill of Particulars” from our Dean of Students.
This comprehensive mailing will have details about the insand-outs of life in DeKalb.
 Daily Chronicle Online Classifieds
 DeKalb, Sycamore, Cortland listings
 Places 4 Students Inc.
 DeKalb only. Targeted at students.
 DekalbRent.com
 DeKalb listings only.
 Rentals.com
 Apartments and townhomes. DeKalb and Sycamore
 Craigslist
 Rockford or Chicago
 NIU Housing and Dining
 NIU Off-Campus Housing
 Driving around
 Our office!
 Hillcrest
 Edgebrook Drive/Kimberly Drive/Ridge Drive
 North Annie Glidden Road (North of Lincoln Highway)
 Lucinda Avenue
 Heart of downtown DeKalb (train noise)
 Companies that have University or College in the title
 First Street (North of Dresser Road)
 Downtown DeKalb (2nd Street, 4th Street, 7th Street)
 College Avenue (East of the law school)
 South Annie Glidden Road (Area South of Lincoln Highway)
 Sycamore
 Northern View Apartments
 Family apartments on campus
 Stevenson Towers
 Single rooms
 Meal plan
 Speak with NIU Housing and Dining for more information.
 Autumn Creek Management
 Leese Rental Properties
 Mason Properties
 Laing Management
 Townsend Management
 Many private landlords
 See handout for more information!
 Know your rights as a tenant
 Landlord’s duty of notice
 Landlord’s duty to maintain
 Keep records of everything, especially damage
 Ask for tenant references
 Talk to Student Legal Services before signing a lease to see if
there have been complaints!
 Renter’s insurance
 Some landlords require it.
 See handout for more information.
 Ask questions
 Parking
 Mail
 Noise
 DeKalb is very quiet in the summer: it may be different in the fall!
 Pets
 Subleasing
 Average cost of utilities
 Lease term
 Security deposit
 Emergency number
 Fitness options
 When in doubt, ask!
 Yellow: Students residing outside the city of DeKalb, those who
do not have a DeKalb address, or those who live more than a 5
block radius of the Huskie Bus line bus stop. A reserved parking
space may be available for an additional fee. ($75 annual and $54
fall only)
 Brown: Students living within the city of DeKalb. ($37 annual
and $32 fall only)
 Orange: Students residing in university-owned housing on a
first-come, first-served basis until limit is reached. A reserved
parking space may be available for an additional fee. ($75 annual
and $54 fall only)
 Green: Remote parking in the East Convocation Center lot, for
students living in university-owned housing at a less expensive
fee. ($37 annual and $32 fall only)
 Motorcycle: A special yellow permit ($30 annual)
 Don’t worry about this until Orientation!
 Eating at NIU
 Holmes Student Center
 Subway
 Coffee Shop
 Blackhawk Cafeteria
 Small convenience store
 Lincoln Highway
 Every type of food
 Student Lounge
 Fridge, freezer, microwaves
 Vending machines!
 Exercising at NIU
 NIU Recreation Center: free!
 Weights, cardio, swimming
 Group exercise classes
 Informal group law school workouts!
 Personal training
 Intramural sports
QUESTIONS????