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housing [2019/05/06 17:43] – krolewski | housing [2019/05/06 17:51] – michaelmedford | ||
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This is a guide for finding housing in the Berkeley area. In addition to reading this guide, talk to your fellow graduate students! They are your best source of up to date housing info. | This is a guide for finding housing in the Berkeley area. In addition to reading this guide, talk to your fellow graduate students! They are your best source of up to date housing info. | ||
- | There are University-wide housing resources at your disposal, mostly through the [[http:// | + | There are University-wide housing resources at your disposal, mostly through the [[http:// |
===Rent=== | ===Rent=== | ||
There aren't really average prices for rents in Berkeley. The rents are highly dependent on location, room size, and how recently the place has been renovated. | There aren't really average prices for rents in Berkeley. The rents are highly dependent on location, room size, and how recently the place has been renovated. | ||
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- | We had a survey of grad student rent prices in 2019. Here is the summary of that survey: | ||
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- | I got 28 responses to the survey (i.e., nearly everyone!) The median rent+utility cost for our graduate students is $1,265 / month; the mean is $1,250. This is ~40% of our current monthly salary. Rent+utility costs range from $800 / month to $2,045 / month. As expected, the lowest rent prices come from grads who have lived in the same apartment for >3 years. ~50% of our grads have been living in their current apartments for <1 year, and another ~25% have lived in their current apartments for 1-2 years (i.e., most people move at least once in grad school). Several students report moving every year due to financial or safety concerns. | ||
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- | ~90% of our grads reported that they feel safe in their current living situation. ~90% of our grads believe that their current salary allows them to cover all of their monthly expenses, but ~35% feel that they have to budget carefully to make that happen. Several students report that they have side incomes (tutoring, etc) to help pay their monthly expenses. | ||
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===Listings=== | ===Listings=== | ||
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Most people don't realize that you are competing to get the best apartments. Before you even look at an apartment, put together a tenant resume. This is a list of references, bank accounts, etc that show the landlord that you can afford the apartment and are a good risk. You can download a blank resume | Most people don't realize that you are competing to get the best apartments. Before you even look at an apartment, put together a tenant resume. This is a list of references, bank accounts, etc that show the landlord that you can afford the apartment and are a good risk. You can download a blank resume | ||
- | You will also want to run a credit report on yourself. If you leave it for the landlord | + | You will also want to run a credit report on yourself to see what landlords will see when they run your credit report. CreditKarma provides free credit reports. Landlords |
My strategy is, if you are remotely interested in an apartment, give the landlord your resume and credit report the first time you see the place. This is helpful in showing the landlord that you are organized. While the landlord checks your references, use that time to look at other apartments and decide whether you are still interested. When the landlord calls you to offer you the place, you can still say no. | My strategy is, if you are remotely interested in an apartment, give the landlord your resume and credit report the first time you see the place. This is helpful in showing the landlord that you are organized. While the landlord checks your references, use that time to look at other apartments and decide whether you are still interested. When the landlord calls you to offer you the place, you can still say no. | ||
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===Advanced Strategy=== | ===Advanced Strategy=== | ||
- | CAUTION: This is about a decade out of date | ||
So I hesitate to bring this up... but the rent that an apartment is listed for is not set in stone. It is possible, but risky, to bargain with landlords. It's most effective when there aren't many prospective tenants for an apartment; i.e. there aren't many people looking for 5 bedroom houses in March. I once found myself in this situation looking at a 5 bedroom in the Berkeley Hills that was asking $5500. We submitted an application, | So I hesitate to bring this up... but the rent that an apartment is listed for is not set in stone. It is possible, but risky, to bargain with landlords. It's most effective when there aren't many prospective tenants for an apartment; i.e. there aren't many people looking for 5 bedroom houses in March. I once found myself in this situation looking at a 5 bedroom in the Berkeley Hills that was asking $5500. We submitted an application, | ||
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===University Housing=== | ===University Housing=== | ||
- | There are two University houses for graduate students, [[http:// | + | There are two University houses for graduate students, [[http:// |