While there’s no place like home, there’s also no place like your first apartment. We will all reach the point when our parent’s house or the dorm room no longer cuts it. There comes a time in every student’s life when it’s time to move off campus.

For some, this transition doesn’t occur until after graduation, but for some sophomores, juniors and graduate students, it’s a realistic housing option.

A lot goes into making the transition into your first off-campus apartment a successful one, but your best bet is to start early and to know what you want.

“There are tons of variables that go into deciding on an off-campus apartment, including the amenities of the apartment, the location of the apartment and the amenities of the area the apartment is located in,” said Jennifer Edwards, the Village Apartments and special projects coordinator of the Department of Housing and Residence Life.

In an e-mail interview, Edwards stated that when she talks to students about moving off campus she encourages them to make the three following lists: what they can absolutely not live without; what would be nice to have, but they could do without and what would be the “icing on the cake.”

“The lists help the students to clarify what they are looking for and narrow down their choices,” Edwards said.

During the Off-campus Housing Fair Tuesday, representatives from multiple apartment complexes in the St. Louis area offered similar advice to students beginning the process of finding an apartment that meets their needs.

The key is to start early. It is the best way to find what you want in an apartment, where you want it and for a price that you can afford. Amanda Yost, a representative from Westport Station Apartments in Maryland Heights, suggested that students start apartment shopping two to three months before they want to move in.

Jennifer Zadell, a representative from the different Campden apartment complexes in the area, focused more on location. “Move to a community where you’re most accustomed to,” Zadell said.

While there are many elements to consider when apartment shopping, chances are that your perfect apartment is somewhere waiting to be found. The trick is to figure out what constitutes a perfect apartment for you.

Be sure to evaluate how much you can afford for housing. While rates vary significantly depending on the location of the apartment and the amenities it offers, near campus, students can expect to pay between $400 and $1000 a month, said Edwards.

Edwards said that while most students prefer to live in the Central West End, she encourages students to look in the area surrounding Tower Grove and near South St. Louis City, which are lower in cost.

“Finally, moving off campus should never be part of an impulse decision,” said Edwards.

She encouraged students to anticipate how moving off campus will affect their social life by evaluating how much time they currently spend in other buildings on campus. Student should also determine how they will manage facilities concerns that had previously been maintained by the University while they were living on-campus.

Edwards also reminded those considering off-campus housing that the priority for campus housing goes to students who have current residential status.

Moving off-campus can be an intimidating process, but by asking the right questions and preparing for the transition it can also be a successful one.