Real EstateTips for Students when Searching for Off-Campus Housing in Charleston

By Hogan Willis, Realtor, & Digital Marketing Specialist

College of Charleston now has over 10,000 undergraduate students with only 3,400 living in on-campus housing. That leaves more than 6,000 CofC students in search of off-campus housing, which is limited due to the challenging geography of the Charleston, SC peninsula. When it comes to finding the perfect apartment for the upcoming year, there’s a lot to be taken into consideration.

This can be a highly competitive and oftentimes overwhelming task, but with the good planning, and following the tips below, everything will go smoothly.

Here are a few pointers to help you locate your apartment for the upcoming year.

1). Begin your search early

Searching on the web is a great way to start, I have used Charleston Craigslist or a Rental Property site when searching for my own apartment. I suggest starting your search as early as possible because the better apartments get leased fast. Many apartment advertisements will begin to be advertised in January for the upcoming August lease.

2.) Location, Location, Location

Most CofC students prefer to live downtown because it is convenient to walk to class, and to be close to the shopping, dining and nightlife on King Street. For this reason, my focus and advice reflects the downtown area only. If you don’t mind commuting back and forth, West Ashley, James Island, and Mount Pleasant all have great rental options to consider. One bedroom apartments in the downtown area (below the Crosstown) start at $950, and three bedroom apartments in the same area start around $2000. These prices can go up depending on the location on the peninsula, the proximity to the college and quality of the apartment. There are many neighborhoods that make up the urban landscape of Charleston, each having their own key features. The East Side is becoming very popular with students currently because it is the most affordable area below the Crosstown. Don’t be concerned about the distance because it is only a ten minute bike ride to the center of campus and very close to the nightlife in the popular lower King St. corridor.

3.) Find your roommate(s)

Find people who have similar lifestyles, likes, and dislikes. Finding a good roommate is important because you will be living together for at least a year. If your friends stay up all night while you plan to be getting up early every morning, you should consider living with someone else. Conflicts with your roommates can really add day-to-day stress you just don’t need on top of all that goes along with doing well at school.

4.) Determine what you will need

How many bedrooms and bathrooms will you need in your new apartment? What is the budget, not just for yourself, but for everyone living in the house? Will you or your roommate have a car in town? What type of amenities do you require? After my experience of living 2 years without a washer and dryer I suggest you look for an apartment that includes them! 

5.) Ask the current tenants the right questions

When you go to see the apartment in person, ask the current tenants as many questions you can. Their answers are very important because they have lived there for a decent amount of time. Questions to ask include safety concerns in the neighborhood, general cost of utilities, and ask about the landlord if you have a concern. Other good questions to ask about are off-street parking, how they get back and forth from campus, and any complaints they have about the apartment.

6.) Involve all parties

Everyone should be involved in the decision on which house fits best.  Oftentimes that includes your parents, your prospective roommates and their parents too.  Let your parents know the locations you are looking into, as they may have concerns about safety and distance to the campus.  Make sure everyone, including roommates and their parents, remains on the same page. Understanding the true cost of what rent, utilities, parking and laundry will add up to on a monthly basis will eliminate anxiety and conflict when splitting the bills is not clearly defined up front.

Note: Luxury Simplified specializes in renovating homes around the college, and provides a lot of the inventory that students have to choose from around the downtown peninsula.  Their inventory of student rentals are some of the most highly sought after among students.  We are lucky to live in Charleston and attend the CofC. While finding a great place to live might be a hassle, if you have done your research and applied some of these tips, it might be easier than you think.