Rent and Affordable Housing: A Student’s Guide to Survival

September is approaching, and with it the headache of parents who will have to find student housing for the needs of their children, who will study away from home.

Before the abolition of special tax incentives for the rental of basic and student housing, about 2.8 billion euros were declared deductible in the tax office. Now, these expenses not only do not reduce taxable income, but are “τεκμήριο διαβίωσης” (presumption of existence). The only aid is a student allowance, which, however, comes with strict income and property criteria, and is limited to 1,000 euros at a time when rental prices are rising.

According to the data analyzed by spitogatos at the beginning of summer, in terms of the average asking price for renting a house in Attica, the largest increase was in the rest of Attica (16.2%), in the east (14.3%), in the north (9.1% ) and the southern suburbs of Athens (5.9%), Piraeus (11.1%) and its suburbs (6.9%).

In particular, the most expensive areas are Vouliagmeni, Kolonaki-Lykavittos, Paleo and Neo Psychiko, the historical center and Elliniko. The most economical areas are Keratsini, Ilion, Nicaea and Pathisia.

As far as rentals in Thessaloniki are concerned, the highest average asking price is observed in areas of the municipality such as the center, Ekklisies-Evangelistria 40, Pilaia, Vardaris-Lachanokipi, Faliro-Ippokratio and Ano Poli. In the second quarter of the year, the most economical areas are located in the suburbs, in particular in the municipalities of Mikras, Oreokastro, Stavroupoli, Ampelokipi, Thermi and Evosmos.

Significant growth is also observed in the cities of the region, where there are universities or university schools. Even in cases where the growth is small or even a decrease is recorded, the asking prices per sq.m. characterized as clearly high.

The rule of thumb when looking for student housing is to have a budget that includes utilities, DEKO bills, travel expenses to and from the university, all with a minimum four-year horizon. Using this data, spitogatos highlights the search criteria:

1. House size (square meters). It can be assumed that student apartments are usually small, but this is not the rule. In fact, there are also areas, such as cities in the periphery or islands, where you can find larger housing for the cost of a “garsonier” (studio apartment). The layout of the house also plays an important role. Square meters of a house with a rational layout are of less value.
2. Floor. To find the ideal floor, you need to take into account the safety of the area and, secondly, whether there will be a “beautiful view from the window.” Most parents prefer apartments from the ground floor and above for their child, as the floor provides some security from “uninvited” visitors.
3. Area. If the child has moved to an area that you don’t know much about, it would be good to do some research not only to find a home near the university, but also to ensure that the accommodation is suitable for all the student’s activities: chain stores, hospitals , supermarkets, banks, convenient access to vehicles, etc.
4. heating type. This is an important criterion, and it certainly should not be overlooked. Autonomous or centralized? On oil? On natural gas? Is air conditioning a must? Everything needs to be taken into account and calculated.
5. An important factor is whether the student house will be furnished. If the student has moved to another city, it may be more convenient to rent an already comfortable housing. First, not to buy all the furniture and electrical appliances, which means even more expenses. In addition, you should also take into account the cost of their transportation.

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