High school students tour a local apartment community and learn about apartment living as a lifestyle choice.
Ever wish you could have taken a class in high school called Real Life 101? Students at West Potomac High School in Alexandria, Va., did just that as part of a unique educational program run by the school. Each student learned first-hand what it is like to be out on their own, including the opportunity to visit Home Properties’ Mount Vernon Square Apartments.
Recently, six students (grades 9-12) and three teachers visited the Home Properties apartment community and were treated to a 90-minute presentation by the community’s leasing staff. The participants learned real-life lessons about choosing an apartment for rent.
Monica Veizaga, Leasing Manager, explained the application process to the students and gave them a personal tour of the apartments.
“I have never seen a group of students so excited to learn,” Veizaga says. “We brought them through both one-bedroom and two-bedroom models and pointed out apartment amenities that they will want to be aware of when they decide to look for an apartment for rent. For the most part it’s a personal choice, but we wanted them to start thinking about the features that are important to them, features such as whether they prefer to cook with a gas or an electric stove and whether they would want to live on an upper or lower floor.”
The staff walked the students through the rental process, as well, and showed them what to expect when filling out an application. They learned about application fees, credit and criminal background checks and specific tenant agreements and responsibilities.
“It was an eye-opening experience for most of the students, especially the financial aspects,” adds Veizaga. “Many of the students had never heard of a credit background check, so in our presentation we emphasized just how important a strong credit history is when securing an apartment.”
The students were extremely grateful for the chance to learn more about the rental process. They asked some great questions, and a few of them decided to become roommates someday.
“It’s great to be involved with a program that helps prepare students for the future,” adds Property Manager Lisa Fitterer. “We would certainly welcome the opportunity to share our knowledge of property management with other students.”