303.492.7053 och.colorado.edu

University Memorial Center Room 313

INTERNATIONAL STUDENT GUIDE TO OFF-CAMPUS

HOUSING

@CUOffCampus

WHERE TO STARTOff-Campus Housing & Neighborhood Relations is a function of CUSG and is your only University affiliated resource for finding housing. Our office runs a rental database called Ralphie’s List where students can search for available properties, find roommates, and advertise sublets. The site is only for CU students and is the easiest way to find Boulder student rentals. Students who are specifically looking for apartments can download our Apartment Complex Guide on Ralphie's List. Our guide provides contact information for many local apartment complexes. Contact information for Boulder property management companies is also available for download on Ralphie's List. Information is available on the Resource page. For more information on living in Boulder please call 303-492-7053 or visit us in the UMC, room 313.

DID YOU KNOW… Students can meet with our Student Legal Advisor, Attorney Bruce Sarbaugh, for free lease reviews or regarding any landlord/tenant issues. To schedule an appointment with our Student Legal Advisor please call our office at 303-492.7053.

WELCOME TO CU BOULDER We welcome you to the University of Colorado Boulder! The CU-Boulder family welcomes you with zeal and is really happy that you have decided to be a part of it. All of us here at Off-Campus Housing & Neighborhood Relations wish you success and hope you have a great college

experience at CU Boulder. CU-Boulder graduates are excellent citizens of a community and leaders in fields of science, business, arts, and other various fields. Members of the CU-Boulder community have set benchmarks on local, national and global levels and received the highest of honors such as the Nobel Prize.. These are a few of many reasons to be excited about being a Buff! Coming to a different place can be scary and challenging, let alone a new country. Being an international student as well I understand some of the challenges and difficulties International students face while getting accustomed to their daily lives at CU. We at Off-Campus housing are here to help! As a lot of you plan to stay off-campus your first year and a lot of you after that, our office has crucial resources for you such as housing guides,

annually held housing fairs and free of charge legal advice from our attorney regarding tenant rights such as lease reviews security disputes etc. This guide has been created to share some of the commonly requested resources and to provide some questions for you to consider as you look for housing or resources in the area. If you are interested in setting up a lease review or need legal advice about your off-campus living situation or require any other type of assistance, please visit us in the University Memorial Center in room 313, email us at och@colorado.edu, or call us at 303.492.7053. My role in the office is to assist with international student outreach efforts so you are more than welcome to email me at Tanay.Choudhary@Colorado.edu. You might also see me from time to time at the International Coffee Hour held each Friday in the UMC! We wish you a smooth transition to CU Boulder and please do not hesitate to reach out should there be anything we can assist you with in the coming year. Go Buffs!  Sincerely,

Tanay ChoudharyInternational Student LiaisonOff-Campus Housing & Neighborhood Relations

QUESTIONS TO ASKThink about the following questions as you begin your search for housing

1. What is your budget?2. Do you want to have a roommate(s)?3. Do you want/need furnished housing

(ie: bed, desk, dresser) or unfurnished housing?

4. How far do you expect/want to commute to Boulder/University? (Most students choose to live within Boulder to be within close proximity to classes and social activities)

5. What resources might you need within the community or close proximity? ( ie: grocery stores, restaurants, pharmacy, laundry, etc.)

6. How long will you need a place for? (Most leases are 12 months although you may also find limited 6 month or shorter leases)

7. Will you need a guarantor?

/ THE INTERNATIONAL STUDENT GUIDE FOR OFF-CAMPUS HOUSING

/ THE INTERNATIONAL STUDENT GUIDE FOR OFF-CAMPUS HOUSING

TYPES OF HOUSINGLEASE TERM

GLOSSARY OF COMMON RENTAL TERMS

SHORT TERM/TEMPORARYA short term lease is one that is generally 3 months or less. These options are less available and may come furnished with a bed or other accommodations.

ACADEMIC YEARAn academic year lease term is generally for the length of the academic year (August-May) although in Boulder these options are usually rare.

YEARLY LEASEA yearly lease is one which runs 12 full months from the date of signing. Generally speaking this is the most common lease type available. Many yearly lease options come unfurnished.

SUBLETA sublet can be any length term as you are taking over a portion of a lease already signed by another party.

A/C Air Conditioning LG Large Util Incl

Utilities included—usually water, electricity and

gas

BKR Broker LOC Location W/D Washer/Dryer

G/E Gas and electricity MO Monthly OSP Off-Street Parking

HF BTHHalf Bath means a bathroom with no shower or bathtub

Ref References EFF Efficiency/Studio

/ THE INTERNATIONAL STUDENT GUIDE FOR OFF-CAMPUS HOUSING

UNDERSTANDING LEASING Leasing or renting can be confusing. There are many legal implications of signing a lease agreement or contract and there can be many fines, penalties, or regulations you may not be aware of at first.

Before You Sign a Lease

- How much is the security deposit? (usually this is between one to two months rent)

- Will the rent go up after awhile?

- What will I do if I need to break the lease or my plans change?

Understanding Guarantors/Co-Signers

- Often referred to as a co-signer, a guarantor signs the lease with the tenant under the assumption they have agreed to fulfill all financial responsibilities and obligations in the event that the tenant fails to pay rent or violates the lease agreement. For most students a guarantor or co-signer is a family member, relative, or very close family friend.

- Landlords or property managers generally will ask for qualifying information from a guarantor such as tax records, pay stubs, or bank statements to confirm their eligibility to serve as your guarantor. This individual will continue to be responsible for serving as your guarantor until your lease term concludes.

- If you are unable to find a guarantor you may need to look for housing elsewhere. Although rare, you may be

able to find a landlord or property management company that does not require a guarantor/co-signer.

What is expected of me as a tenant?

- Generally apartment complexes will have specific rules or regulations they expect all members of their community to adhere to for the duration of their lease.

- You will be required to pay your monthly rent on time by the agreed upon rent due day---usually within the first week of the month. If you are late on your rent or bounce a check you may be required to pay any applicable fees.

- You are responsible for returning the properly in a reasonable condition upon the conclusion of your lease. This includes cleaning, maintaining, and making every effort not to damage or willingly neglect the property.

- Not taking on additional occupants into your unit without explicit permission of your landlord or property owner.

- Not creating safety hazards or disturbances for other community members or the community at large.

- Disposal of recycling and trash in an appropriate and timely manner as outlined by your landlord or property manager.

/ THE INTERNATIONAL STUDENT GUIDE FOR OFF-CAMPUS HOUSING

YOUR RIGHTS Once you sign a lease or housing agreement you are a tenant and have rights that are outlined by local, state, and federal guidelines and in many cases, laws.

General Rights

- You cannot be evicted without proper notice.

- You have the right not to be discriminated against during the tenancy or rental periods.

- You have the right to have your unit be properly serviced and repaired, if needed, in an appropriate amount of time.

- Your landlord has the right to entry of your unit for reasonable situations such as emergency maintenance or life-threatening situations. However, you do have the right to inquire how your landlord or property manager would expect to communicate with you about reasonable entry into your unit.

- You have the right to have your security deposit returned at the end of your lease minus any outstanding rent or damage beyond what is deemed reasonable wear and tear.

Selecting a Roommate

- In many cases you may be able to select your own roommate when living off-campus provided you are not subletting.

- Many properties are now leasing with individual liability vs. joint liability. This means that you are responsible for your rent and any damages to your living space (which may or may not include common areas such as a patio, living room/kitchen/bathroom) but that your roommate or roommates will be responsible as well for their respective areas.

- You do often have the right to select your utility services such as cable, electricity, and water if they are not included. Some properties may strongly recommend usage of a particular company or service. This is a good thing to speak to potential roommates about to determine how responsibilities will be distributed for these services.

- You can complete a roommate agreement on our website located at och.colorado.edu.

/ THE INTERNATIONAL STUDENT GUIDE FOR OFF-CAMPUS HOUSING

GETTING AROUNDBoulder and the surrounding communities are well connected by a public transportation network in addition to numerous bike trails and road transportation.

- RTD (Regional Transit) As a student or CU-affiliate you may be eligible for a free student CollegePass or EcoPass provided by the RTD for your use. This pass is good for all regularly scheduled RTD-operated buses and light-rail lines. RTD also provides SkyRide, a bus-based transport to and from the Denver International Airport (DIA) to various locations throughout the Denver Metropolitan area including the City of Boulder.

- eGo CarShare Need a car but don't have one to borrow? eGo CarShare is a fee-based service that you can signup for in order to rent available cars throughout Boulder and Denver for an hourly or daily rate. There are various types of vehicles available and gas and insurance is included in the rental costs after your driving record has been verified by eGo. http://carshare.org/

- Buff Bus The Buff Bus is a service provided by Housing & Dining Services and Parking & Transportation Services on the Boulder campus. This free bus completes a loop throughout campus and Williams Village every 15-20 minutes during the academic year and is utilized by students and CU community members. The Buff Bus does not provide transportation beyond campus and Williams Village.

- Bike Boulder and Denver have bike sharing services in place that community members can use for a hourly or daily charge. You can pick up a bike in one location and drop it off to any other B-Cycle location in the network. Bike locations are spread throughout the city and can be viewed at the B-Cycle website located at: http://boulder.bcycle.com/

- Transportation to/from the Denver International Airport

There are several independent transportation companies providing transit between the Denver International Airport (DIA) and the City of Boulder and surrounding areas. Several of these options include GreenRide (http://www.greenrideco.com/), Super Shuttle (http://www.supershuttle.com), and RTD SkyRide (http://www.rtd-denver.com).

/ THE INTERNATIONAL STUDENT GUIDE FOR OFF-CAMPUS HOUSING

TYPES OF HOUSING

Condo/Flat/ApartmentThis type of housing is most common in Boulder and the surrounding areas. Many students will chose to live in a 1 or 2 bedroom apartment although there are also many 4 bedroom apartments available that several students will move into together.

When looking for an apartment it is very important to consider what type of lease you may be required to sign. You may hear about joint and several responsibility which means that tenants who sign the lease are all responsible even if one tenant in the unit cannot or does not pay for their portion of the rent. Many newer student housing properties are now offering individualized leases whereas you are only responsible for your portion of the rent.

HouseThis type of housing is the second most popular option for students living in Boulder. Many students will decide to live together in a larger house that may have several roommates/tenants. Housing can be managed by a single property manager or managed by a larger property management company. One thing to consider about living in a house is that your utilities may be more costly than if you were living in an apartment or smaller space. If you are thinking about living in a house it is important to inquire as to who will be responsible for maintenance of the property and upkeep of other areas such as the front and back yards.

TownhouseThis type of housing is less frequently seen within the City of Boulder and is not as popular with students. In many cases town homes are only available if you are looking to purchase the unit. In this scenario, you would be responsible for paying a monthly mortgage payment in the same manner as if you decided to purchase a home. Like houses, town homes will often yield higher utility costs than their apartment counterparts but do have more flexibility on customization (painting, etc). You may also find that with a townhouse you are required to pay HOA, or Home Owner Association fees which go towards mutually shared benefits like a recreation center and lawn/snow services.

/ THE INTERNATIONAL STUDENT GUIDE FOR OFF-CAMPUS HOUSING

The HillThe Hill District

is a popular student location, but is also the most expensive because of its convenient location to campus and multi-unit homes. Rental houses are intermixed with permanent residences, making the Hill a very eclectic Boulder neighborhood!

Goss GroveThis neighborhood is largely student populated and offers a variety of living accommodations. Enjoy the weekly farmer's market on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

East AuroraBusiness and Engineering students can't go wrong here! This is a great location, close to East Campus.

It's a quiet neighborhood with reasonable prices.

Martin AcresThis is one of the most affordable neighborhoods in Boulder. If you are concerned for cost, and OK with taking the bus to campus this is the neighborhood for you.

NEIGHBORHOOD AREAS

/ THE INTERNATIONAL STUDENT GUIDE FOR OFF-CAMPUS HOUSING

fyi: weeds and grass must be cut and managed to less than 12 inches high. The City of Boulder will measure, so make sure you are maintaining your lawn.

12 in

fyiFOR yourINFO

fyiFOR yourINFO

fyi: Keep room temperatures above 60°

during cold weather to avoid burst pipes,

leave cabinet doors under your sinks open

when leaving for long periods to expose warm

air to your pipes/supply lines, and turn on faucets

to allow a slow drip.

fyiFOR yourINFO

fyi: The use and possession of fireworks in Boulder is illegal. This includes sparklers, snaps, snakes, bottle rockets, roman candles and smoke bombs. You can also be held responsible for fireworks used by your roommates and guests.

fyi: trash and recycling must be cleaned up and secured. In some areas of Boulder you may be required to utilize a bear resistant container or enclosure.

fyiFOR yourINFO

RENTAL AVERAGES

This rental averages grid is for comparison only and is not intended to serve as a guide to current market averages. Please contact specific properties for their most current rate information. This information updated yearly as of January 2017.

Apartment Size 2013 2014 2015 2016

Efficiency $728 $780 $948 $1,007

One Bedroom $873 $942 $944 $970

Two Bedrooms $1,259 $1,432 $1,640 $1,746

Three Bedrooms $1,914 $1,983 $2,199 $2,640

Four Bedrooms $2,249 $3,502 $3,544 $3,637