By Stevie Jorgensen
Property Manager Liaison, Off Campus Life
The leaves are changing, the weather’s getting colder and fall break is fast approaching! As you get ready for your hot chocolates and thanksgiving plans, now is the perfect time to have ‘the talk’ with your on-campus housing student. The ‘so where are you going to live next year’ talk.
For many parents and families, this may be a question you haven’t even thought about yet. You just got them moved into their dorm or apartment or house, and now you have to think about next year? We get it, it feels early. But the student housing market is different from others, and it means thinking ahead for where your student will be spending their next year at CSU.
Now before you start pulling up Zillow and researching prices, there is one thing to remember: Ultimately, this is their decision. Finding an apartment and creating a budget is an important life skill that everyone should have. It may be tempting to do it all for your student (and indeed may be less stressful for you) but you’ll be grateful later down the line that they can handle these things themselves. So, while they may not know where to start, ultimately, it is important that they feel empowered in making this decision. Try to coach them through this process, not do it for them.
Of course, that’s easier said than done. So, here are some questions to ask your student to open up communication about moving off-campus.
- Do you have a place in mind already?
- Sometimes, having lived in Fort Collins for a year, students may already know exactly where they want to sign. Maybe a friend lives there or they walk past it on the way to class. In any case, if your student already has a certain off-campus option in mind, encourage them to research it more and send you a link so you can see it.
- If students don’t have a place in mind already, try looking at RentalSearch from Off-Campus Life. RentalSearch is a housing listing website, especially for CSU students. Listings include apartments, houses, single rooms for rent, subleases, and roommates. You can access the site here: www.rentalsearch.ocl.colostate.ed
- Where do your friends live right now?
- If your student doesn’t know where they want to live next year, ask where their friends currently live. Word of mouth is a great source for finding out more about different options and places around campus. Encourage them to ask their friends if they like where they live, how much it costs, if they’re going to renew their lease, etc. This can give them a more concrete idea of where they may want to be looking.
- What is your budget?
- This is always the toughest question for students. Making a budget for the first time can be a daunting task. However, it is very important to have an idea of what one can afford before looking for housing. Encourage your student to sit down and create a budget either on paper or using an online template. Again, some help will likely be needed, but try to let your student figure it out for themselves. Budgeting is an important life skill that they’ll be thankful for in the future!
- How will you get to class?
- Many students who have spent their first year living on campus don’t think about transportation times or costs when looking to live off campus. Will they take a bus to campus? Will they bike? How far is it? How much does it cost to park on campus?
- Parking and Transportation have numerous resources to help student route their commute to campus. Bike maps, trail maps, bus routes, and parking passes can all be found in this office.
- Have you taken a tour yet?
- Many students may feel awkward or shy about walking into an apartment complex or asking for a tour of a house. But it is extremely important for one to see a space before they move in Being able to picture yourself in a space, how you’ll set it up, and how it feels; these things are all crucial in deciding where to live. Also, let’s face it, pictures can be deceiving. If possible, do not sign a lease sight unseen. Leasing agents and realtors in Fort Collins have seen it all and answered any question you can possibly think of. There’s no need to be shy!
The best resource you can provide for your student in finding off-campus housing is right on campus! The Off-Campus Life office is located on campus in the Lory Student Center in room 274. We are here to help students with all aspects of housing, from finding where to live to issues after move-in. Check out our website for more information and resource for CSU students: www.ocl.colostate.edu
