“Hi Guardian! I’m currently a second year who has started to look into off campus housing with my 3 friends! Do you guys have any advice or tips on that process to make it less stressful? It’s expensive out here!”
– Housing Hopeful
Finding an apartment as a UC San Diego student whose two-year housing guarantee just ended feels a little like choosing between the lesser of two evils: “Condo for Rent! $3,500/month! On a really nice golf course, balls may fly through your window!” or “Apartment for Rent! Only $2,900/month! Includes an upstairs neighbor whose hobby includes late-night drumming and a five-flight stair walk to do your laundry!” As someone who successfully moved in with her two best friends and scored a 15-minute commute to campus, I’m here to give you some tips that will help you sign the apartment of your dreams!
Tip #1: Before starting your search, explore any connections you may have. Between you and your housemates, there’s bound to be options for potential housing or even future furniture. From a senior classmate graduating or a coworker that is moving in with their partner and looking for someone to take over their lease, don’t be afraid to ask around your community or post an Instagram story to reach out to as many people as you can.
Tip #2: I found that the spring, when prices are the lowest and the number of vacancies is high, is the prime time for house searching. Some sites we frequented were Apartments.com and Zillow, where we each made accounts, so we could each bookmark potential options. We had our hearts set on a two-bedroom condo: one master bedroom as a double for me and my roommate and a smaller room for my cousin. When we toured potential condos, one of us went and took videos and pictures for the rest of us. The visual helped us imagine cooking our meals in the kitchen and spending nights in the living room.
Tip #3: Keeping Tip #2 in mind, I suggested to my two future housemates that we have weekly meetings. We met to compare our housing preferences — in-unit laundry was preferred, AC was negotiable, and wood flooring was a must — and our budget. These weekly meetings incentivized us to find a place ASAP by making sure everyone brought at least two options to the table. It was also helpful in determining who was available to tour places to take pictures and come back with feedback to share.
Tip #4: The process was stressful at times, and at one point, I thought I was going to be stuck subleasing a triple 20 minutes away from campus. But I had one thing motivating me to keep going: all the cute and fun events my roomies and I would plan! I suggest making a roomies group chat to send Instagram Reels and TikToks of inspiration for future roommate activities. One of our first events we planned was a “Felt Night” to DIY cute felt pennant flags, and the results are now on our doors. It was one of our first few nights together, just as school was starting, and is something I can reminisce on as one of our first personalized decorations in our condo.
Looking for housing may seem daunting at first, but everyone I know who was stressed about it ended up moving in by the time classes rolled around. Now, my best friends and I get to enjoy playing video games at night after a long, hard day of classes. Stay motivated, and with these tips, you, too, will get to make your own memories with your new roomies!
