Spring semester means a lot of things for college students, including new classes, frigid temperatures and more exams. An added layer of stress for many is the search for a place to live for the upcoming academic year. Thankfully, there are a number of online resources available to those who are making the move off campus.
This housing search engine provides a wide variety of search options to aid in the quest for the perfect apartment. There are options for more than 50 different amenities and for almost any pet you can think of.
This site is particularly strong in subleases, though a number of standard apartment rentals are available as well. Each listing even shows a pie chart of typical tenants, giving potential renters a good idea of what sort of environment they would be getting into.
A favorite for some, Craigslist is the go-to website for finding cheap items. There are long lists of houses and apartments for rent, sometimes very cheap, but the novelty of this resource is fading with more and more news reports of “Craigslist killers” who take advantage of potential buyers. When going to visit a potential apartment or meet with a subleaser, make sure to bring a friend or two along.
“Free and For Sale” Facebook Group
Amidst the numerous posts about clothing and electronics for sale by students are advertisements for subleases and other rental opportunities. This can be a preferable resource for many potential renters because they can message the person they’re interested in talking to directly and can even see a profile photo of who exactly they’re dealing with, reducing the potentially off-putting anonymity associated with similar sites.
MSU’s Off-Campus Housing Search
This website is moderated by the university, so many of the listings come directly from the apartment companies in the Lansing area. A great benefit of this search engine are the pictures — they’re gorgeous. If they are provided by the apartment complexes, that is, which also can leave potential renters wondering if they’re only advertising the best they have instead of their usual apartment space. Nevertheless, this site is a good resource for those who want to be put directly in contact with apartment complexes and their renting offices.
Created by college students for college students, CribSpot offers a sleek website design that pairs listings with an interactive map of the renting location. However, like the MSU-moderated website, the majority of rental listings here appear to be commercial in nature. Those looking to sublease should turn to other resources.
