By Off-Campus Housing and Neighborhood Relations
As students begin to complete finals and prepare plans for the holidays and their winter break, some may already be thinking about where they might want to live next fall.
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.
Our office, , is a function of CU Student Government that provides services and resources to over 22,000 students living off-campus. The office is the only student funded on-campus resource designed to help students transition to off-campus living. Students currently in the process of identifying rentals should note that the 30th annual CU Off-Campus Housing Fair will be held on Wednesday, Jan. 28, in the newly renovated Glenn Miller Ballroom from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Although our January fair is our most popular in terms of attendance, we will also host an additional fair on Wednesday, Feb. 25, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. also in the Glenn Miller Ballroom. There is no cost to students to attend the fair.
Large property management companies and apartment complexes as well as local individual owners, over 70 in total will be present 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. In addition, free pizza will be served at noon and students are welcome to enter a drawing for a new flat screen TV.
When viewing properties, we recommend students to ask the following questions:
- Is your rental license on file 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?
CU 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.
Additionally, 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.
For more information on living off-campus, students can visit our , 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) and our .