Navigating Your
Off-Campus
Housing Search
Hello!
I’m Jennifer Lindstrom
Manager for Housing Partnerships
and Off-Campus Housing Services
www.och.umd.edu
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Overview
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Off-Campus Housing Services
Housing in and around College Park
Budget Considerations
Paying for Off-Campus Housing
Lease Signing Reminders
Where to search for housing
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OCH Database
Apartments.com
Craigslist
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Off-Campus Housing Services
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och.umd.edu
www.ochdatabase.umd.edu
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Housing Search
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○ Targeted Search Filters ✓
○ Sublease/Re-lease
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Roommate Finder
Free with UMD login
Daily Updates
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Housing in and Around CP
University Affiliated
Graduate
Private Apartment
Complexes
Graduate Hills and Graduate
Gardens
Typically High rise
apartments
Single family houses
with yards and up to 5
total residents
Managed by Southern
Management
Some offer luxury others
offer affordability
Many within walking
distance to campus
Undergraduate
Many in walking
distance or a shuttle ride
to campus
Rent a room or the
entire house
South Campus Commons and
The Courtyards
Managed by Capstone
On-Campus Management
Private Houses
Both By-the-Bed Leases
and Apartment Leases
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Popular Maryland Locations
▪ College Park
▪ Greenbelt
▪ Riverdale
▪ Hyattsville
▪ Silver Spring
▪ Takoma Park
https://och.umd.edu/resources/localcommunities/
Popular DC Neighborhoods
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On Metro’s Green Line
○ Columbia Heights
○ Ft. Totten
○ Mt. Pleasant
○ Petworth
○ Shaw
○ U Street
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Other Metro Accessible Neighborhoods
○ Adams Morgan
○ Brookland/CUA
○ Capitol Hill
○ Dupont Circle
Transportation
✓ Types of Public Transportation
○ UMD Shuttle
○ WMATA Trains and Bus – serves the DMV metro
area
○ Prince Georges County Bus
○ Montgomery County Bus
○ Ride Share
✓ Other Types of Transportation
○ Bike - http://www.transportation.umd.edu/bike.html
○ Walk - https://terpnav.umd.edu/
✓ Car
○ www.dots.umd.edu for parking on campus
Budget Considerations
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Factor in one-time costs as well as monthly costs
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Common Monthly Costs
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Rent
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Utilities
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Transportation
One-time Costs
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Furniture
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Deposits
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Application Fee
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Safety and Security
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Safety on the Property
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Outside Lighting
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Working Locks
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Security personnel on Property
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Building access Type
What You Can Do
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Keep Doors and Windows Locked
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Walk with other people
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Don’t leave valuables visible in car
Police Departments
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UMPD  www.umpd.umd.edu
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PGPD  https://www.princegeorgescountymd.gov/345/Police
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Paying for Off-Campus
Housing
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Ways to Pay
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Check, money order, credit card, bank
draft/electronic check
Note: most properties charge a
processing fee for electronic payments
Transportation
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Loans, grants, scholarships
Refund may be applied to housing costs
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Financial Aid
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Where to Search
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The OCH Database
www.ochdatabase.umd.edu
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Housing Search Tips
○ Text Search
○ Map Search
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The OCH Database - Roommate Finder
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Lease Signing Reminders
Written Agreements Only
Read Your Lease
Make sure there is a written
agreement for the terms of
the property. Verbal
Agreements are not legally
binding!
Leases are legally binding
agreements! Know your
responsibilities and your
landlord’s responsibilities
including move-out policies
Ask Questions
Walk Through Space
If something on the lease
doesn’t make sense or needs
clarification, ASK BEFORE
YOU SIGN.
You can have the student
legal aid review your lease.
Before moving in your
belongings, walk through the
space> Note and photograph
and existing damage (even if
it seems small).
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Student Legal Aid
✓ Graduate/Undergraduate Student Legal Aid
Resources:
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Lease Review
Workshops
For individual advising, scheduling an
appointment is highly recommended
If you need any legal assistance, visit:
www.legalaid.umd.edu
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Thanks!
Any questions?
You can find me at:
✓ www.och.umd.edu
✓ och@umd.edu
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