Guide
The off-campus checklist.
A calm, step-by-step list to run before you sign an off-campus lease — so nothing important slips through the group chat.
01Set your budget
- Cap rent at ~30% of your monthly income or aid disbursement.
- Add utilities, internet, renters insurance, and transit to the number.
- Confirm what your co-signer or parent needs to see before signing.
02Get the timing right
- Start looking 3–5 months before your target move-in date.
- Ask each landlord when the current tenants give notice.
- Line up the lease end date with your school year, not the calendar year.
03Tour like a tenant, not a tourist
- Check water pressure, heat, and mobile signal in every room.
- Look for mold near windows, under sinks, and around the shower.
- Ask which neighbors are students and which are long-term residents.
04Read the lease before you sign
- Confirm whether utilities are included or capped.
- Check the sublet clause — required if you leave for a co-op or summer.
- Understand the guarantor and security-deposit terms in writing.
05Pick roommates you can actually live with
- Agree on quiet hours, guests, and cleaning before signing.
- Decide how rent, utilities, and groceries get split.
- Write a short house pact so expectations don't drift.
06Move in without the chaos
- Photograph every room the day you get keys.
- Set up utilities and internet the week before move-in.
- Register your address with your school and update your ID.
Next
Ready to find a place?
Kept lists verified off-campus rentals and sublets near campus, and helps you run the house once you sign.