<p>I am currently a freshmen living in the dorms, and Ive heard how lots of people get screwed during their searches and get stuck with apartments 10 blocks away form campus.</p>
<p>So, when do people start to apartment hunt for the next year?
Also, what is the going rate for apartments around berkeley?</p>
<p>thanks!</p>
<p>good thread...bump</p>
<p>very good thread...bump</p>
<p>incredibly good thread...bump</p>
<p>Sad...CC deleted old threads.</p>
<p>Well, last year, most of my friends in the dorms were looking around April-May. As for the going rate, it varies with location, features, number of bedrooms etc. Berkeley housing is pricey. I live in a studio right now and it's $1000 with utilities which is rare, but I have to walk 15 min to campus every day. Studios go for around $900ish-early $1000ish. 1BR goes for $1100-$1400ish. Really, it all depends on the area and what else is offered. Craigslist will give you a glimpse of the price ranges. That site will be your very best friend when it comes to looking for apartments, unless you want to go with nice, jacked-up priced housing with places like Panoramic Management.</p>
<p>There's really no reason to be paying beyond 1k. 1br setups are cheaper than studios because you share common areas. </p>
<p>If you decide to live alone, anything <800 is decent. With a group, easily 400-800/person. Be sure to check the situation with utilities, trash, laundry, internet/tv, and parking. Furnished settings are also a big pro. </p>
<p>Walking when you go apartment hunting will give you a good sense of how far apartments are from campus.</p>
<p>Regarding timing -</p>
<p>First check with older friends who are moving out. A personal recommendation is always more informative than any kind of marketing a landlord will pull on you, and it saves you the hassle of shopping around. </p>
<p>Otherwise, check craigslist and visit places from the last few weeks of school until the end of summer. Students have leases that expire at all sorts of times, so don't feel pressured into settling early if it's clear you aren't getting the best deal.</p>
<p>Bring your parents, or at the very least, someone who has some experience as a tenant. It's an absolute must when signing your lease, but even important when you're just checking places out. They'll ask better questions and generally have a better sense of what is good and bad. You'd be surprised at how ****ty some students have it without knowing until it's a month into their lease and they're fully moved in.</p>
<p>In addition, a lot of people don't advertise on craigslist, especially in the northside. You can always walk up to random houses and apartments and ask tenants for the landlord's contact info. More likely than not, there will be someone moving out. </p>
<p>Lastly, google map can be deceiving. Personally, I don't think it's necessary to look into anything that's more than four blocks from campus. Living close saves you a huge sum of time and you can actually go back home during breaks between classes. The savings you potentially accrue by living farther really aren't great, considering there is ALWAYS cheap housing in any location when you look thoroughly, and consistently cheap housing, especially when advertised on craigslist, generally reflects on the neighborhood or unit conditions.</p>
<p>Many buildings in Southside have an on-site manager's or landlord's contact info listed on the front door's directory. You can ask to be notified if there's going to be a future vacancy. It can't hurt to call early and inquire about potential vacancies.</p>
<p>If you're curious about a unit's rental pricing but it isn't listed on craigslist you can look it up here: [url=<a href="http://www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/rent/rentsearch/search.asp%5DRent">http://www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/rent/rentsearch/search.asp]Rent</a> Ceiling Database<a href="all%20you%20need%20is%20street%20address">/url</a> </p>
<p>Keep in mind any new building constructed after 1980 is NOT rent controlled. This includes Stadium Place, Hillside Village, Panoramic Mgmt apt buildings. All these buildings are partially exempt from Berkeley's rent control laws so your rent can increase by any amount as soon as your lease expires.</p>
<p>Definitely be aggressive when it comes to renting a unit. If you like a particular unit chances are someone else likes it too. By April/May, units that have showings/open houses are rented out on the same day. If you go to a showing:
1) Go early, lines may actually form to just see the unit
2) Bring a checkbook, the landlord may want a security deposit + 1 month's rent during signing
3) Bring friends that plan to rent the unit too (the landlord may need other ppl to sign the lease and submit credit checks as well)
4) Bring your parents (*kinda optional-but a must if you need to have a cosigner)
5) Fill out any required application forms/credit check</p>
<p>It can be hard. I started looking a good two months before I left the dorms (after 3rd semester). I checked out a ton of places, but ultimately found my current apartment just a week before the semester ended. I do live far away (takes about 25 min walking) but I'm in a studio apartment at $650 rent in the nice north Berkeley, so it's worth the walk (and I like walking!). Good luck!</p>
<p>sparetire and Smallz3141 -</p>
<p>Do you have roommates? After living in the dorms so far this semester...I think I'd prefer to have my own room. I'm just that type of person. I've heard that you have to share a bedroom in most apartments. This. Is. Not. Good. For. Me. I guess I'm kind of picky in the sense that I want my own room, but I'd like to have housemates. I'd also like to live with a couple of friends so we can split the rent, etc. </p>
<p>Also...what's the difference between a studio and an apartment?</p>
<p>I do live by myself as it ended up that way since I did not want to stay at Berkeley over the summer after freshman year and begin rent in June like my other friends. I enjoy having my own place in that I get to do whatever I want (from staying up to 3AM to walking around nekkid) and don't have to worry about bothering another person. </p>
<p>Getting multiple people together to make a huge long-term decision is troublesome, to say the least. I've seen friends break up over housing. Anyway, you can still have your own room and live with friends; you just have to find the right housing and the prices that you and your friends will agree to pay for rent. It takes work to find one person housing; going in with other people who have their own priorities makes it harder.</p>
<p>A studio is one room. A "1BR" is like a living room and a separate room.</p>
<p>ewww sparetire...lol</p>
<p>Yea, I live alone, how I wanted it. It's nice to have your own space, especially since my cost is so low, I go really lucky. It's good to live in the dorms your freshmen year, but the school's housing is generally more expensive than living on your own, even including food.</p>