<p>I'm transferring to UCLA in the Fall and I'm trying to get some info on finding an apartment off-campus somewhere in Westwood.</p>
<p>When do people usually start renting places for Fall? Are there any good websites other than Craigslist to look for apartments and roommates?</p>
<p>If anyone has any info, I would really appreciate it!!! </p>
<p>Also, if anyone is looking for a roommate, feel free to PM me. I'm female, moving up from San Diego area, and I'm a Comm. major. Thanks :)</p>
<p>UCLA has its own off-campus housing search website: [OCH</a> Main Menu](<a href=“Community Housing | Housing”>Community Housing | Housing)</p>
<p>I’ve only briefly used it but it seems to be pretty good.</p>
<p>OCH isn’t very good actually. Best bet is to walk around Westwood Village and talk to people you maybe know at UCLA already to find the best spot. My group just grabbed an amazing place for 2550 - 2bd/2ba + 2 parking spots (606 Levering). Keep in mind rent is most expensive in the 400 block/gayley/landfair and it gets cheaper as you move to the 500 block and 600 block. Big apartment complexes include Midvale Luxury, Kelton Plaza, Levering Heights, 655 Kelton (cheap, but d-bag landlord). If you still have a chance to get university apartments, I’d do that (makes your life easier, it’s not a bad deal). I saw signs for Levering Arms the other day as well. Craiglist is usually pretty good to get an overall view. </p>
<p>There’s a roommate board in ackerman, but I mean, you have to assume something about the people who have to put their names on that board. Are you male/female? I can check around. List yourself on facebook possibly, etc.</p>
<p>Thanks for the suggestions 
</p>
<p>I looked at university apartments, but I really want my own room and a full kitchen. I’m not sure if I can get that in those apartments. I’ve been looking on Craigslist a little bit, but I’ve seen a lot of shared rooms. I think I need to keep looking.</p>
<p>When do people start renting apartments for fall? Should I try to get one by July or August, or will there not be much left if I wait until then? I’ve only looked at the OCH website briefly. I think I need to look at it a little more closely to see what’s out there.</p>
<p>Oh, and I’m female, by the way :)</p>
<p>I can’t really help you but wanted to just let you know what I am aware of. My daughter is a freshman this year. She and her dorm roommate have already found an apt. for next year. They are renting it as of next week so that they have it for sure and also wanted to secure two parking spaces. They are sub-letting the apt. out until Aug. I am not sure how they found the sub-letter. If they had waited until July or August I don’t think they would have found anything. It is expensive. I think it’s $1770 a month for a one bedroom which includes 2 parking spaces (which are like gold!). They will be sharing a bedroom which is not ideal but better than the triple dorm room they have now! It is in Westwood. I think it’s called Westwood Apts. They put their names on a waiting list in April. I am not sure what you do when you are not in LA to look for apts now and get familiar with the area. I would make a trip up to LA soon and do some walking around and checking with apts. as others have suggested. I know it might be a bummer but you might consider living in the dorms for a year or part of your first year. You can meet tons of people that way which will help in your transition into UCLA and you can use the year to network and find roommates and apts. for the next year.</p>
<p>Thanks for all the info, I really appreciate it!!</p>
<p>I actually applied for the off-campus university apartments this morning. I would do dorms, but I am severely allergic to both wheat and dairy, which makes my diet really limited, so I need to have a kitchen to cook my own meals. </p>
<p>If I can get one of the university apartments, I think I will do that. If not, I’ll hope for the best with a sublet. </p>
<p>Does anyone know when housing decisions are released??</p>
<p>Westwood Chateau is a good University Apartment. Recently renovated, large, furnished.</p>
<p>Ok, cool. </p>
<p>Do you know how hard it is to get into the apartments there? Is housing done by a lottery system? I’m planning on filling out a special housing request form stating that I need a kitchen for medical reasons. Do you know if that will give me priority for the apartments??</p>
<p>The university apts are usually given based on a lottery system. Westwood Chateau is always very popular although I don’t believe they offer any single rooms there, only 2 bdrm or larger. The place is located near the top of the hill on Landfair so it is quite convenient and close to campus. Landfair Apts is a good one that is close to campus and also offers several large single person studios. There is a nice kitchen, bathroom and of course fully furnished. </p>
<p>Usually enrollment and decisions for the apartments are made early Spring quarter so many of them may be assigned already.
For general apartments in the Westwood area, students will start looking around early to mid spring quarter so they can have something signed for the fall before the summer starts. Looking for housing in July and August can be real tough and a crap shoot since much of the best and most affordable places are all rented already. I did have to look for an apt one year at the last minute in August, really not fun. </p>
<p>Your best bet to look for an apartment in Westwood is to go there and just walk around the apartment area which is pretty much up and down Landfair and west to Veteran (right across the cemetery).
The most convenient and closest area is around Gayley, Landfair and Strathmore. Just keep in mind that south of Strathmore on Landfair are the frats so it can get pretty rowdy in that area. There’s a whole foods in westwood on gayley and a safeway on Le Conte, so if you’re near the landfair/strathmore area it’s all within walking distance. </p>
<p>Back to walking around, just ring up the office of apartments that look promising and ask if they have available what you are looking for. Many will have banners with phone numbers outside or flyers. I’m sure there must be web resources for apt hunting near UCLA but I’m not aware of them. google is your friend. </p>
<p>Some apartments will also offer roommate placement if you can’t afford a single/studio and don’t have a roomie ready. Wow, $1770 for a single bedroom sounds crazy. It was a while back but it used to be $900-$1000 for a 1 bdrm. </p>
<p>In any case, west of gayley being the most expensive option, you can also look on the east side of campus along Hilgard. There are a few apartments in that area around the Le Conte/Hilgard corner. Prices are about the same, but it’s much much quieter and the next street over is pretty much just a ritzy westwood residential neighborhood. Hilgard is mostly populated by the sororities, grad students and international students. Some old sororities have been converted into apartments or other types of housing. It’s a very quick walk to campus and near the big blue bus stop.</p>
<p>The cheaper option that is still within reasonable walking distance to campus is south of Wilshire. There are a lot of nicer and newer apartments in that area. It’s more affordable because of the area and fairly quiet if you aren’t living along Veteran although that can be fun too. The park is on the other side of Veteran and there is a Borders and a few theaters nearby. Getting to campus will most likely mean catching the shuttle to lot 32 and taking it to ackerman or further north. </p>
<p>with google maps these days you can probably check out the area with street view pretty easily to get an idea of what the areas are like. </p>
<p>good luck!</p>