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Results from a survey of 180 students at a western university suggest that apartment manager's responsiveness and fairness explain 50% of the variance in determining student satisfaction with off-campus housing. Variables that measured aspects of the off-campus housing experience included manager fairness, likelihood of renting from the manager again, return of deposit, ability to study at the location, friendliness of manager, maintenance and upkeep, cleanliness of the complex, repair time, parking and enforcement, maturity of roommates, access to downtown. The quantitative analyses shed light on the need for students to read and understand leasing contracts.
About 60% of today's high school graduates enter college immediately following graduation, and nearly half of current college students choose to live in private market housing (Rugg, Rhodes, & Jones, 2000; U.S. Census Bureau, 2002). The saturation of student tenants in the private market has caused student housing prices to spike, and has allowed even the most negligent managers to fill their apartment complexes (Christie, Munro, & Rettig, 2002). Even though housing conditions can influence a student's academic performance and success in future careers, students often neglect the issue of housing until it can no longer be avoided because of unhealthy or unsafe conditions (Christie et al., 2002; Wang, Arboleda, Shelley, & Whalen, 2003).
In a study on housing satisfaction, Lane and Kinsey (1980) found that demographic characteristics of residents have little influence on housing satisfaction, but rather, space and the quality of the structure positively influenced housing satisfaction. Parkes, Kearns and Atkinson (2002) found that housing satisfaction was closely associated with neighborhood satisfaction, with particular emphasis on noise, friendliness, community spirit, schools, and crime. In addition, past housing experiences may influence a person's satisfaction level for current housing (Goodwin, 1977).
Rugg et al. (2000) reported that colleges and universities are increasingly relying on the private market to accommodate student housing needs, and that on average 49% of students live in private accommodations and not those provided by the schools. Cleave (1996) identified variables that motivated students to move from on-campus residence halls to privately rented apartments. These variables included poor quality of campus food, small rooms, and high noise levels. Students also chose to trade oncampus accommodations for off-campus apartments if they were able to cook meals, had...