The ongoing pandemic has affected many areas of student life, including housing. Since the beginning of the pandemic, rental prices in Boise have increased by 9.4%.
A look at the Facebook groups for each year’s class shows that many Boise State students are attempting to sell their leases, though the pandemic may not be the only deciding factor. Other factors may include roommates or financial concerns.
One student, Peter Majmundar, a senior communications major, has a lease that will end in July, but will leave his current residence in May.
“I would rather give the lease to someone else than pay the rent for May, June and July,” Majmundar said.
Majmundar’s situation is understandable and is the case for many other Boise State students. Currently, Majmundar lives in the Identity apartments, but is trying to sell his lease by posting in Boise State student Facebook groups.
“So far, no one has responded to my posts,” Majmundar said. “Once the deadline is closer, I’ll try posting more or tell my sophomore and junior friends about it.”
Majmundar has enjoyed living in Identity, claiming it is a clean and well-maintained building that is close to campus, which makes getting to class easier.
For Majmundar, moving back home is not an ideal situation. However, because he does not want to live in Identity after early May, moving back home is his only other option.
“I hope I’ll like being back at home with my family, but really, who wants to do that?” Majmundar said.
Morgan Collins, a leasing agent at Greenleaf Riveredge apartments, has seen an increase of students selling their housing leases.
“I believe there will be a lot of school related effects,” Collins said. “But for us, as an individual housing complex, I have not seen a lot of issues.”
According to Collins, it is the individual’s responsibility to find someone to take over their lease if they choose not to stay. However, for Riveredge, anyone can live in the apartments as long as they qualify — it is not limited to only students.
Katie Lopez, a sophomore finance major, is also looking to sell her lease. She currently lives at Vista West in a four-bedroom apartment for $650 a month, not including parking.
“I’m selling my lease because I won’t be attending school for May, June and July,” Lopez said. “It’s more cost effective for me and my family if I move out and don’t have to pay the rent for those months.”
Like Majmundar, Lopez posted about her lease in student Facebook groups, at the suggestion of her roommate. According to Lopez, many students are in a situation similar to hers.
“Based on who I know that is also selling their lease, it’s more cost effective for them to sell. If you’re not going to be living there, why pay the rent?” Lopez said.
Lopez plans to move back home to New Mexico with her parents if her housing lease sells. However, if the lease does not sell, she plans to remain in Boise and work full-time in order to pay the rent for May, June and July.
“It’s going to be hard to adjust to living with my parents again, based on being sent home last March,” Lopez said. “I have to choose: do I live here and miss my family? Or do I go home and make the sacrifice of living with my family and missing all my school friends?”
