Find your perfect place to live: CU Housing Fair Jan. 31

Are you beginning to think about searching for a place to live next year? Off-Campus Housing & Neighborhood Relations can help.

Funded through student fees, Off-Campus Housing & Neighborhood Relations (OCH&NR) is a function of CU 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.

Next Wednesday, Jan. 31, OCH&NR will sponsor a CU Housing Fair at the University Memorial Center's Glenn Miller Ballroom. The event is free and provides a great way to one-stop shop for information about housing options in the area. 

Come check out properties, speak with vendors/property managers and even enter to win a flat-screen TV. There also will be free pizza provided around noon! 

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 where they might want to live next year. During this time of the year, OCH&NR often receives many questions from parents and students alike regarding how to look for housing, where students should live and what things to consider.

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, and we encourage you to take time to explore your options before you sign a lease.

Questions to ask when viewing properties

• 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?
• Ask yourself: Do you want roommates? Who would make the most compatible roommate for you?

Tips and tricks for your housing hunt

• Off-Campus Housing & Neighborhood Relations provides CU Boulder students rental and housing search assistance through Ralphie’s List, an online searchable database that is free for students with their CU IdentiKey and password.
• Students may also stop by the OCH&NR 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 the OCH&NR office to set up an appointment with attorney Bruce Sarbaugh for a free lease review. It is important to know what you are agreeing to before you sign. Sarbaugh is available on Tuesdays and Fridays by appointment.

For more information on living off-campus, visit Off-Campus Housing & Neighborhood Relations online, call 303-492-7053 or visit them in UMC 313. OCH&NR also shares regular updates and information via Twitter @cuoffcampus, Facebook and Instagram @cuoffcampus.