By Off-Campus Housing & Neighborhood Relations
Are you beginning to think about searching for a place to live next year? Off-Campus Housing & Neighborhood Relations, a ¶¶ÒõÂÃÐÐÉä office funded through student fees, can help. Our office is a function of ¶¶ÒõÂÃÐÐÉä Student Government that provides services and resources to over 22,000 students living off-campus and is the only student funded on-campus resource designed to help students transition to off-campus living.
As students begin to complete finals and prepare plans for the holidays and their winter break, some students and parents may already find the conversations turning to ones of where they might want to live next year. During this time of the year our office often receives many questions from parents and students alike regarding how to look for housing, where students should live, and what things to be considering. Often the process of looking for housing can be an additional source of stress and anxiety for students and there can be a perception that there is not enough inventory so individuals need to start very early to secure housing. Although options will inevitability decrease over the spring semester due to leasing, there will continue to be plenty of options well into the summer for everyone to love where they live.
When viewing properties, we recommend students to ask the following questions:
- Is the property you are interested in licensed with the City of Boulder?
- How many people are legally zoned to live in the property?
- Are utilities included in the rent?
- Who is responsible for yard maintenance and shoveling?
- What type of security does the unit/property have?
- Have there ever been any mice or insect problems?
- What repairs will be made to the unit before move in?
Here are some other tips and tricks for your housing hunt:
- Off-Campus Housing & Neighborhood RelationsÌýprovides ¶¶ÒõÂÃÐÐÉä-Boulder students rental and housing search assistance through , an online search database that is free for students with theirÌý¶¶ÒõÂÃÐÐÉä identikey and password.
- Students can attend the 31st annual ¶¶ÒõÂÃÐÐÉä Off-Campus Housing Fair, which will be held on Wednesday, Jan.Ìý20, in the Glenn Miller Ballroom from 10 a.m. toÌý4 p.m. An additionalÌýbut smaller fair will be held on Wednesday, Feb.Ìý24,Ìý10 a.m. toÌý4 p.m. also in the Glenn Miller Ballroom. There is no cost to students to attend the fair and there will be free pizza during the lunch hour in addition to a raffle for a flat screen TV.
- More than 60 large property management companies and apartment complexes as well as local individual owners will be at the fair. Various vendors will also be present with specials and information on their respective services. Students attending the fair will be able to search for 1, 2, 3 and 4+ bedroom apartments, houses and condos.
- ¶¶ÒõÂÃÐÐÉä students may also stop by our office in the University Memorial Center room 313 for an extensive list of apartment complexes and contact information for Boulder’s property management companies.
- Students who are in the process of signing a lease are encouraged to stop by our office to setup an appointment with our attorney, Bruce Sarbaugh, for a free lease review. It is important to know what you are agreeing to, before you sign. Bruce is available on Tuesdays and Fridays by appointment.
For more information on living off-campus, students can visit our website at , call us at 303-492-7053, or visit us in UMC 313. Our office also shares regular updates and information via our social media channels on Twitter (@cuoffcampus), our Facebook page, Ìýand Instagram (@cuoffcampus).
