Probable new UBC student: rental housing advice

Hey,

I've been accepted for a Masters program at UBC and am hoping to get some info on the rental market.

What can I expect to pay to rent a room in a decent place that is within a reasonable distance to commute by bus (less than 30mins)?

Any neighbourhoods that are more likely to have good finds?

Good websites to search for housing?

Anyone know of someone looking to rent to students or wants to fill another room?

If I wait until the end of July or August to find a place to start in September, will most of the good places be taken?

Any good/bad experiences with renting near UBC would be good to hear./ Any advice?

Cheers

Welcome the 2nd round of school (I'm currently doing mine too)

The area within 30 minutes of UBC is pretty large and differs between areas. Your best bet is to start looking on the AMS Rentsline website and start gauging the selection.

Craigslist is pretty good too.

From personal experience, nailing something down in May or June would be best in terms of selection out here and not worrying. It gets pretty competitive beginning in August.

UBC also has grad housing that it 'pretty' reasonable when you factor in the whole being on campus thing. Plus you meets tons of other people in the same boat as you. … however the website escapes me right now…

Past that, I can't really add any more, if you can, spend day checking various areas to gauge shops, buses and overall feel. There are really good places out here, just don't expect it to be any younger than 25 years old. It just comes down to not getting hosed because you're rushing to find a place.

PM if you got questions on a specific area. I've spent a lot of the last 8 years out here in some manner.

Congrats on getting in on a Masters at UBC. Tough admission standards there.

What will you study?

yeah im going to be needing a place for september as wellll

funfunfun

one year or two year program?

If one I would say try to get on campus housing, it is fairly reasonable and lots of the places include all furniture… not great furniture, but if its only a year you'll be happy to not have to deal with moving your stuff.

If you want off campus there are usually some nice basement suites in the Point Grey/Dunbar area that rich people rent out to students for reasonable.

Kitsilano is full of students and the closest community to UBC.

Congrats by the way.

Student housing has worked for me for my master's and now my PhD.
Decent, cheap and no undergrad "distractions"

Student housing has worked for me for my master's and now my PhD.
Decent, cheap and no undergrad "distractions"

you're too smrt to be on the forum

you're in luck. i happen to have shared acommodation available that's maybe a 20min bike to ubc, at 14th and mcdonald. rent is $575, includes everything and is available pretty much right now. it's a 3 bedroom basement suite shared with two females at the moment. lemme know if you're interested.

this may help:

http://www.rentsline.com/page/off-campus-housing

What will you study?

I got into the architecture program. Its going to be a long haul. 3.5 years since I am coming from a non-architecture background (mech. engineering).

If one I would say try to get on campus housing, it is fairly reasonable and lots of the places include all furniture… not great furniture, but if its only a year you'll be happy to not have to deal with moving your stuff.

If you want off campus there are usually some nice basement suites in the Point Grey/Dunbar area that rich people rent out to students for reasonable.

Kitsilano is full of students and the closest community to UBC.

Meeting more people makes on campus housing tempting, but I dont know if I can go back to doing the residence thing.

you're in luck. i happen to have shared acommodation available that's maybe a 20min bike to ubc, at 14th and mcdonald. rent is $575, includes everything and is available pretty much right now. it's a 3 bedroom basement suite shared with two females at the moment. lemme know if you're interested.

The distance sounds great because I love biking to school. Although I'm not sure what it would be like during such a wet winter. Please send me a PM with some more info. Photos would help. I like to cook, does the basement have a full kitchen? Are there windows? Are the girls bearable? What are the rough dimensions of the room I'd be renting? Would there be somewhere safe I could stow my commuter and potentially Shore bike? One issue might be that I don't think I'll move out there until the end of July or start of August, unless I can find a summer job.

Thanks for the advice. More is appreciated!

you're in luck. i happen to have shared acommodation available that's maybe a 20min bike to ubc, at 14th and mcdonald. rent is $575, includes everything and is available pretty much right now. it's a 3 bedroom basement suite shared with two females at the moment. lemme know if you're interested.

Great location in terms of buses too, walk a few blocks to 10th or 12th and you can pretty much catch a bus to UBC every 5 minutes.

Congrats on getting in on a Masters at UBC. Tough admission standards there.

What will you study?

it really cant be that hard if i got accepted.

it really cant be that hard if i got accepted.

Program specific…

There's nothing wrong with living off campus, especially if you treat your Master's like a job. I.e. get up, go to campus, do 8 hours of work and go home. The trick to this is to recognize that working out in the afternoon and going for coffee doesn't count as work.

it really cant be that hard if i got accepted.

yeah we are all surprised as hell too