Some Quinnipiac students have learned the hard way of what happens when moving into an uninhabitable house. Within the past year, students have been evicted from their houses half way through the year due to decrepit living conditions.

These students were unaware of the risky situation they put themselves into. However, there are some helpful tips that may reduce the chances of becoming homeless mid-way through the school year.

Home inspector Jim Quarello of JRV Home Inspection Services located in Wallingford, Conn., suggests keeping an eye out for issues concerning mold.

“When you’re looking for a place to rent, watch out for water staining, leaky roofs and musty odors. These could be good indicators for mold problems,” Quarello said.

What one would think to be the most obvious advice is, do not settle for a home that doesn’t look kept up.

“Chances are, the landlord you’re renting from hasn’t been doing a good job maintaining the building. In many instances, houses such as these have been sold over many times before and are more likely to have serious problems,” Quarello explained.

Another suggestion that Quarello makes is to rent houses or condominiums, rather than multi-family homes.

“Avoid multi-family homes because there isn’t much of a profit margin and as a result, they usually aren’t kept up well,” Quarello said.

Although Quarello says that he has never had an incident with Quinnipiac students being evicted from their homes, he reiterates the importance of using common sense when searching for a place to live.