Find Off-Campus Housing: Top Tips from the UC Berkeley Off-Campus Rental Services Staff
If it’s your first time searching for off-campus housing in Berkeley, you may be wondering where to start. Below are some top tips from the staff at UC Berkeley Off-Campus Rental Services, UC Berkeley’s free off-campus housing listings service. UC Berkeley Off-Campus Rental Services is a department within UC Berkeley Housing, and is staffed by UC Berkeley housing professionals who know Berkeley’s rental market inside and out. If you are a newcomer to the Bay Area or have never looked for rental housing in Berkeley before, review the tips below to aid your search.
In addition to our listings, you can meet with UC Berkeley Off-Campus Rental Services staff by calling 510-643-6544 or emailing homeinfo@berkeley.edu.
Searching for Off Campus Housing
Use UC Berkeley Off-Campus Rental Services and university resources to start your off-campus housing search.
Check out the university’s free UC Berkeley Off-Campus Rentals website, which offers housing listings specifically designed for students, housing counseling, and a roommate matching service. Read search advice and stories from Berkeley students in “Finding Housing: What to Expect.”
Privately-owned options offer dorm-style housing similar to on-campus residence halls, as well as suites and apartment-style units.
Private rooming options are privately owned housing buildings specifically designed for students and can offer a similar living experience as residence halls. Most do not include a meal plan; however, you can purchase an off-campus meal plan from UC Berkeley Dining. An advantage of these units is that, rent-wise, you are typically only responsible for your individual portion. If your roommate doesn’t pay, it’s not your problem, unlike typical leases in off-campus apartments. Reach out to homeinfo@berkeley.edu to learn more.
Before you start your search, create a budget and if you have roommates, create a group plan.
There are important factors to consider when looking for housing. If you are going to have roommates, make sure that you are all on board and work out a budget that works for everyone. Then, talk about your needs and preferences. Are you going to share rooms? How important is proximity to campus? Only after this conversation should you start your search.
UC Berkeley Off-Campus Rental Services has a resource to match you with roommates, or you can search on your own.
In addition to the UC Berkeley Off-Campus Roommate Finder, many students find roommates via social media or through friends. Be sure that any roommates you decide to live with are people you trust, and consider signing a roommate agreement beforehand.
Start your search for off-campus housing at least six to eight weeks prior to your targeted move-in date.
For fall semester housing, the end of April through early July are ideal times to look for housing. Many off-campus housing options are advertised for immediate occupancy, which is why we recommend the six to eight week search time. In some cases, you may be able to start your search earlier, but be aware that if you start looking for a lease early, the landlord might ask for the lease to begin before your ideal move-in timeframe.
If you plan to tour potential fall housing options, we recommend you visit the area in late June to early July.
We recommend that you start calling and making appointments early in the week that you plan to visit, and then attend your tours/appointments later in the week.
Familiarize yourself with the area around campus.
Although all of our listings are pinpointed on an online map, it’s a good idea to view the whole area within three to five miles of campus to have a general idea of where places are located and which areas you would like to live.
Shared housing is typically the most affordable housing option and the easiest to secure.
Sharing a house or apartment with others allows you to either have your own room or share it with a roommate, usually with other students. If you’re on an especially tight budget, consider a work exchange, which is usually a room rental in exchange for approximately 10 to 15 hours a week of work such as child care, gardening, manuscript typing, etc.
Rentals with three or more bedrooms are harder to find.
If you have your heart set on finding a rental that has three or more bedrooms, be aware that local rental housing consists primarily of small units with two bedrooms or fewer. Be prepared for a longer search and consider communities outside of Berkeley if you can. If you are looking with a group of people, be sure to read “Seeking with Friends.” It may be helpful to enlist the help of parents or guardians for the search process, especially if parents or guardians will be assisting with rental payments.
Co-ops are a lower-cost option for housing.
The Berkeley Student Cooperative, known as co-ops, includes buildings that offer various accommodations, including rooms, houses, and shared apartments. You can fill out an application and get on a wait list.
How to Communicate with Potential Landlords
Prepare a tenant resume.
Completing a tenant resume such as the form we offer in UC Berkeley Off-Campus Rentals will demonstrate to a landlord where your income is coming from and how you will be responsible for the rent. Make several copies and bring them with you when visiting properties.
Script a short, positive statement about yourself to leave in voicemails that will encourage a landlord to call you back.
Repeat your name and telephone number slowly and clearly. Express an eagerness to see the rental.
Be accessible by phone.
You may be leaving numerous messages with multiple landlords and some will call you back. If you aren’t available, landlords will move on to the next prospective tenant on their list.
Show up on time for your housing appointments and dress neatly.
You don’t need to wear a suit, but dress well. When you rent, you are entering into a business contract with your landlord, so you want to look responsible. If you can’t show up for your appointment, ensure you call the landlord and explain what happened and reschedule.
Examine any potential rental closely and thoroughly.
Look for safety features, such as working smoke detectors and deadbolt locks on exterior doors, and do not rent a place if you feel it is unsafe. However, cosmetic defects or minor problems such as a stain on the carpet or a leaky faucet are best left for discussion with the landlord after you have signed a rental agreement. Requests for repairs should always be dated and in writing, and be sure to keep copies of any correspondence with your landlord.
If you are unable to tour housing options in person, try to find a friend or family member to view the place for you.
While there are virtual tours and DocuSign (for signing leases) available from afar, an apartment may not look exactly like the website photos or virtual tour. Consider finding a roommate who will be able to view housing options in person for both of you.
Understanding Leasing for Off-Campus Housing
With off-campus housing, make sure you truly want the place before you sign a lease, as it is a binding contract.
If you find a place that you are interested in, send in an application. Keep in mind that you will have to pay fees on most applications. The landlord will run a credit check on you, your roommates, and likely a co-signer. If you are accepted, you will sign a lease directly with the property management company, which will be a binding contract. Be sure of your decision before you sign.
A landlord may want a guarantor or co-signer for the lease.
Have a conversation with your parents or guardian to ask if they are willing to be your guarantor or co-signer. If you don’t pay your rent or if you get evicted, it hurts the credit scores of both you and your guarantor.
Off-campus leases typically last for an entire calendar year, not an academic year.
Some larger student-focused developments in the area may offer you a shorter lease, but often the rent will be higher. Landlords may offer the option to sublet your place during the summer, but you may still have to pay for a portion of the rent.
Landlords will typically want to start the lease as soon as possible instead of holding it open for you.
Most landlords will want you to move in as soon as possible and not wait for August, but you can ask. We recommend you start your search six to eight weeks prior to your targeted move-in date.
Financing Off Campus Housing
Familiarize yourself with your estimated Total Cost of Attendance to understand financial aid for off-campus housing.
If you receive financial aid, your award is based on your estimated Total Cost of Attendance, which includes tuition and fees, books, housing (including off-campus housing), personal expenses, food, and transportation. Your cost of attendance serves as the foundation for determining your financial need as well as the amounts and types of financial aid, including grants, scholarships, loans, and work-study that can be offered to you. The cost of attendance varies based on your housing type, which means if your housing situation changes, expect your financial aid awards to also change. This includes a prorated adjustment to your grants and scholarships that aligns with your housing type changes. If you are planning to change your housing option or want to see how your financial aid will change, log into CalCentral and update your housing status. If you incur housing expenses during the academic year that are higher than standard, it may be possible to increase your budget—and financial aid eligibility—with a Cost of Attendance Adjustment. UC Berkeley reserves the right to adjust awards to correct any awarding errors. Changes to qualifying information or revisions to federal, state, or institutional policy may result in updates to aid eligibility and adjustments of financial aid awards. Information is subject to change. To learn more, visit the Financial Aid and Scholarships website.
There is a program for students who cannot afford to put down a security deposit.
The Housing Security Deposit Award Fund is for students facing economic injustice who cannot pay up-front for their security deposit.
Make sure you can access the loan programs available to help students pay for off-campus housing.
In order to access all federal, institutional, and state loans available through the University, submit a financial aid application (by completing your FAFSA or CADAA). While Private Alternative Loans are also available, we strongly encourage students to first maximize all other resources, including federal or institutional loans, which may have lower interest rates and better loan terms, before pursuing a private loan.
Financial aid can be counted as income for off-campus housing applications.
If you live in university-affiliated housing, you can also get a copy of your rent payments if you need a rental history.
If a listing mentions “two months free,” ask the landlord for details.
“Two months free” is a common promotion that you should ask the property manager to clarify. Sometimes this means entire months free or it could mean a discount on each month that adds up to two months free.
Parking in Berkeley is limited and expensive, so we recommend alternative transportation like AC Transit or biking.
We don’t encourage you to bring a car, but if you do, keep in mind that parking may be tricky. Depending on where you live, you may be able to get a parking permit, but it’s not a guarantee that you will find parking, and many neighborhoods require residential parking permits to park there. The student EasyPass gives you free access to any AC Transit bus route.
If you are having difficulty, consult with a UC Berkeley Off-Campus Rental Services counselor.
Sometimes a minor adjustment to your search is all that is needed to create a winning situation for you. Good luck!
For more information on off-campus housing, visit UC Berkeley Off-Campus Rental Services or reach out to homeinfo@berkeley.edu.