Off-Campus Housing

• When you find a listing you are interested in, call or email immediately—don’t wait. In fact, email AND call. Leave a courteous message or send a courteous email, do not wait for the landlord or agent to get back to you; there is a lot of competition, and they usually don’t respond. Persistence is key in finding housing in Boulder. Keep calling or sending new emails until you get a response.
• Have copies of your housing references to give out. Some people write a paragraph “bio” of themselves and their rental history. For example, “Tom S., 30 years old, works at a small college, Boulder resident for eleven years. Lived in previous apartment three years, house before that, four years. Responsible, quiet, no pets.” If you have skills they might desire, then list them. Writing a bio not only helps you put your best foot forward, it gives the agent a way to remember you. When they get fifty calls a day, that’s important.
• Don’t get discouraged. Check all your listing sources (websites, boards, etc.) as often as they are updated for new listings.
• If you have a service pet or emotional support animal AND paperwork to prove this, property managers and apartment complexes cannot charge you extra nor deny you occupancy because of the animal. (The law is a bit vague with independent landlords.) However, you cannot be denied housing because of your support animal.
• Drive/bike around neighborhoods; some landlords do not advertise other than putting a sign in the yard.
• If the price seems too good to be true, it is. Generally speaking, the farther out from the center of town, the less expensive the housing. The surrounding communities of Broomfield, Lafayette, Superior, Gunbarrel, Niwot, Longmont, and Louisville typically have less expensive housing.

Disclaimer

Naropa University takes no responsibility for individuals seeking or offering housing. This responsibility is placed solely on the individual. It is highly recommended that you ask for references from those who call in search of housing. Similarly, it is suggested that you screen individuals offering housing situations.