UC Davis Information & Educational Technology

Bits & Bytes

Housing happiness: Where to look

Published in The Aggie on March 15, 2006

For some, the search for the perfect place to live next year began - and ended - in February. But for the rest of us, the time of the year has arrived for the mad scramble to find housing, roommates or both. Read on carefully, for below are the golden keys needed to unlock the doors of housing happiness.

Living on campus
So, you have decided that being as close as possible to your classes is the number one priority. You have many resources at your fingertips, the first of which is the Student Housing website (housing.ucdavis.edu). Here you will find information about any and every possible living situation on campus. There are floor plans and 360-degree views for residence halls, lots of information about the campus-affiliated private apartments and information on other interesting options (i.e., The Co-ops, even the Hobbit-esque Domes). The choices are yours for the surfing.

Living off campus
Living off campus can be a challenge, but many find that the rewards are great. Within these resources lie the answers to your housing questions.

Davishousing.com
Developed by a group of UC Davis graduates, this site offers a comprehensive listing of available rooms and apartments. This site has it all, from ultra-cheap rooms to top-of-the-line rentals, and you can also search for roommates if your "buddy" flaked on you and you have an empty room that needs to be filled.

Community Housing Listing (chl.ucdavis.edu)
This site, which is managed by ASUCD, has a large database of off-campus classifieds. Here you can find a roommate, an apartment or an opening in a house. All of the listings are free to view, and this site is sure to give you a few leads.

Craigslist.org
Craigslist.org is a free classifieds site that is especially popular with those looking for a place to live. Your search can be targeted with a price range and keywords (e.g., "south Davis" or "female only"). Whether you are looking for a room in a house or an apartment all to yourself, this is a good place to visit.

ApartmentRatings.com
This unique site allows users to get uncensored information about local apartment complexes. Although many reviews are actually gripes, this type of site can help reveal the hidden flaws of an apartment complex: Do the apartments have bug or pest problems? Is the plumbing good or so old it often leaks through from upstairs apartments? How safe are the apartments? Are the walls seemingly made from two-ply toilet paper? This site will help you to find out.

Once you decide whether you want to live on or off campus, check out these sites and find what suits you best. As for the next important step - finding somebody with a truck who will help you move - you are on your own. Finding housing happiness is not impossible. In fact, with the resources above, it's pretty likely. Good luck!

Bits&Bytes is produced by the IET department. Send comments to science@californiaaggie.com.

Bits & Bytes Archives

2006-2007

2005-2006

2004-2005

2003-2004