Once you have decided that dorm life isn’t for you – or maybe your university doesn’t offer dorm options – the hunt is on. But how do you find off-campus housing that fits your student budget? You don’t have to obsessively scour Craigslist, we swear: here are some resources that will make your search a little easier.
Looking Online
- Specifically geared to university towns and students, Uloop.com is a classifieds service specifically focused on college housing, job opportunities near campus, and much more. Use the search bar to enter your university and then peruse the housing opportunities listed. This method can be helpful if you are hoping to find a roommate for off-campus housing, too.
- Roomswap.co offers university students a location to list available rooms, sublets, and leases to take over. They are limited to Austin, TX, and Norman, OK, at the moment — but the site makes it possible for students to keep off-campus housing affordable and, for example, still study abroad without losing their lease. This site is especially helpful if you only need housing for one semester!
- ABODO is less focused on student-specific options but offers another alternative to Craiglist with clean, easy-to-browse listings. Search your college or university and ABODO will pull up listings with a pinned map so you can see how far away they are from campus, parks, and other landmarks.
- Still something of a newcomer to the scene, Perch’n is similar to Uloop in its dedication to solely student housing, jobs, and resources. Peruse the list of colleges organized by state, and you’ll see which schools have active listings and which just haven’t quite joined the party yet.
If you live in a major city, these sites should help to make finding cheap college housing a snap! Now make sure you don’t forget anything by printing out the ultimate college packing checklist.
Ask your University
Some colleges and universities have gotten proactive about providing housing resources for students, with housing boards, a housing search feature on their website, or even referrals from Residential Life. They also may be able to help you find other students who are looking for roommates, or seeking subletters for a semester or two!
Explore the town ahead of time
It’s one thing to read someone’s description of the neighborhood, and it’s another to see it with your own eyes. Make an effort to explore the neighborhoods you are considering in person, during the day, so you can get a feel and make a well-informed decision. You don’t want to discover last-minute that your new abode is right across the street from the fire station, or that the whole neighborhood just smells… weird. Right? Pick a great neighborhood, and let us help you simplify your move and determine what to do right when you move in.
We hope you find the perfect spot, and when you do? Let us help you find affordable moving services to get you there, too.
