On your marks, get set, go! Around this time of year, you can hear the footsteps of UC Davis students sprinting through downtown, Sycamore Lane, West Village, and other parts of Davis hungry to hunt down an apartment. If you haven’t already started looking for an apartment or house for next year, don’t worry, your time isn’t up yet. However, it is definitely time to get proactive.
Student housing trends in Davis are unpredictable. There are complexes that start leasing in January and some that don’t open spots until May.
As someone that has been through the stresses of finding an apartment for my roommates and myself, I know just how hard it is to focus on anything else when the uncertainty of your living situation looms overhead.
In order to stay on top of the whole situation and make the most out of a seemingly impossible to win game, check out these tips to keep yourself and your roommates sane during this housing season!
1. Figuring out which person or group of people you are going to live with is the first step in the process. Whether you’re living with your friends, a random roommate or living alone, establishing the “who” is essential in creating your priority list and looking at potential living spaces.
Sit down and discuss with your group what each individual’s priorities are. For example, discuss distance to campus, single versus double rooms, budget and management. With a clear budget in mind, you’ll be able to rule out places that are way out of your range.
2. Don’t get hung up on any one part of Davis. Look into apartments in every region of Davis and make a map with all the apartments written down. It’s better to have more options than too few.
Most places have their pricing information listed on their websites, so do a couple Google searches and jot down important details. Some places may require you to call for information, so make sure you set aside time during regular business hours to do that. Remember to ask about their specific process for leasing an apartment and how to put down a deposit.
3. Once you’ve made your list of apartments, get on the bus or in your car and go for a personal tour. It would be beneficial to carry a check with you, in case you want to put down your deposit right then and there. Don’t wait too long after your tour to call back and ask to put down a deposit. The odds are going to be against you. Apartments get snatched up at rapid speed!
4. Be flexible and willing to compromise! I can’t stress this point enough. You may have to sacrifice that single for a double, or you may have to stretch your wallet in order to accommodate a slightly more expensive place. Staying too rigid in your priorities will make the process harder on you and your roommates. Try to stay flexible and open minded throughout the whole process.
Resources are out there for you! Look for UC Davis’s annual Housing Day, use the UC Davis Housing Page on Facebook as a resource and talk to older friends who might be moving out and trying to transfer their lease or who have been through the process before. If you start early and attack the housing hunt head on, you’re sure to end up victorious!
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