With the current school year coming to an end and with exams underway, many students across the country will have to start thinking soon about housing. What? The year just ended. Can’t that wait until August? No. The time to act is now. With competition at extreme levels, the limited number of graduate units coming available will be gone quickly. Not to mention, with an uncertain economy, many students will be extending their stay in order to tackle graduate school or other degrees.&nbsp;&nbsp;Whether they are entering university for their first year or whether their lease is ending and they wish to continue or upgrade, there are things students should know when entering the housing market. Today, we will discuss some of the basics and tackle some of the questions students may have about finding off-campus housing.&nbsp;It is important to note that many universities have off-campus housing resources. Western University, for example, has an off-campus housing department that also includes rental listings that the school approves. The Off-Campus Housing Services include several services, from a list of bylaws to mediation services, school-approved rental listings, information on scam prevention, and a Q&amp;A page covering all the details a student may need to know. These types of services also review leases to ensure it follows the standard in Ontario. If you are looking to rent a place off campus, check to see if your school also has an off-campus housing services department.&nbsp;&nbsp;Something extremely important to be aware of are scams. When you find rental listings on unregulated platforms, such as Facebook Marketplace, you are at an increased risk of running into a scammer. The Western Off-Campus Housing Services specifically calls out Facebook Marketplace and Kijiji. They note that they have been made aware of scams on those platforms that list rental properties that do not exist and that require a heavy deposit. They then state they only recommend housing that is featured on their rental listing portal.&nbsp;&nbsp;To avoid scams, the best thing you can do is go with a parent or a friend to visit the listing. This way, you can ensure it exists before you sign any contract or send any money as a deposit. It is an especially good idea to bring a parent who likely has the life experience to tell you why the place may not be a good idea, or too good to be true.&nbsp;&nbsp;Students also need to think about what housing type they are most interested in. Being in an apartment, house, or townhome all have their pros and cons. Apartment buildings may be preferred by students who value security and safety, as security measures are built into these buildings. They are often busy enough that there is always the comfort of a crowd. People watching out for each other. A con of apartments is that if your condo specifically bans pets, you unfortunately need to abide by that rule. Furry friends definitely make the stress of living away from home and the stress of school much more manageable, but the idea that landlords aren’t allowed to ban pets is only true if it is your landlord and not the actual condo itself. Apartments do, however, have amenities that you cannot get if you are in the average house; many apartments have pools, gyms, and dining rooms to hang out in.&nbsp;&nbsp;Houses may be better for the purposes of deliveries, since (in my experience) Amazon drivers and their like have a hard time getting to my floor and the buzzer code to be let inside the apartment has a 50/50 chance of working. This said, utilities will usually be higher, and you will need additional roommates to make the economics work. Unless you are very lucky, more roommates will mean more personalities and that can mean more tension.&nbsp;You can still stay secure when you are in a house. The most obvious thing is to lock your windows and doors, but I know we all forget from time to time. For additional security, it may be a good idea to get a doorbell camera. Of course, ask your landlord what your options are first, but a doorbell camera can provide an added sense of security and help you in situations where you may be a victim to shenanigans that occur in student housing neighborhoods.&nbsp;&nbsp;When searching for student housing, the most important thing is safety and protection from scams. Always reach out to your school for extra protection and to determine what the best options are.&nbsp;&nbsp;The sooner you act, the more choice you will have. Good luck.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Student Housing: Seize the Day or Miss Out

Discover essential tips for securing student housing in 2024. From search to negotiating with landlords and safety measures, optimize your search with RIFO expert advice

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