University of California - Santa Barbara - Off-Campus Housing

Quick Stats

College Prowler Take

After awhile, one room for all of your belongings gets old. Venturing into the town of Isla Vista to rent a house can be quite intimidating, so here is a cheat sheet to guide you through the process of finding a house in Isla Vista:

1. Start looking in January, and try to sign a lease by March. Pick some friends and walk up to houses you like, knock on the door, and ask if the house is available to rent for the upcoming year.
2. Some houses will have applications available right away, while some are in a lottery.
3. Go to the rental companies like Sierra and Meridian Group and get their rental lists in order to apply for the houses they own. The Housing Department in the UCen has a good list of “who not to rent from.”
4. If you are late in doing all of the above, turn to the Daily Nexus and answer some ads. Sometimes housing cooperatives, such as an all vegetarian house or an athletic team house, are a good way to meet people like you and to find a place to live.
5. Get used to expensive rents, but if you start early enough, you can find some deals. Houses on Del Playa, although pricey, have great balconies and decks that sit on a cliff overlooking the ocean. Most people say it was worth living on Del Playa for a year, just to experience it.

Goleta and downtown are also good areas to rent in. Goleta is mostly residential neighborhoods, a short drive from campus, and fairly quiet—reminiscent of the neighborhoods some students may have grown up in. Rent can be cheaper in Goleta, as well. Downtown is as expensive as Isla Vista. Many students live downtown during their senior year, once they are over the Isla Vista party scene and old enough to go to the downtown bars. Plus, lots of jobs and internships are downtown, but it’s a 15-minute drive to campus. Overall, Santa Barbara has enough housing options that students will most likely find the type of arrangement that best suits their interests—it’s only paying for that “perfect place” that can be the problem.

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Students Speak Out

Anonymous says:

It’s not hard to get housing in... It’s not hard to get housing in Isla Vista, but if you want a cool place, you have to be persistent. 12345 Off-Campus Housing Report

Anonymous says:

Isla Vista is an ideal place for... Isla Vista is an ideal place for students to live. Compared to other campuses that I have visited, the way Isla Vista is set up is really unique and special. It’s very cool that all of your friends live really close, and that you can run into so many people you know as you bike or walk around. Just stopping by a friend’s place or meeting for dinner is so easy in this community. 12345 Off-Campus Housing Report

Anonymous says:

I definitely recommend living in... I definitely recommend living in Isla Vista for a few years, even though it can get pricey and some places are run-down. You definitely have to look early and find a group of people to sign leases with. Living downtown can also be fun, and since the bus system is efficient, it’s also convenient, depending on your schedule. 12345 Off-Campus Housing Report

Anonymous says:

I had much more luck renting from... I had much more luck renting from private landlords who just owned one or two properties, than the bigger rental companies who owned half the houses in Isla Vista—they love the fact that there’s no rent control. My places were cheaper because the private landlords didn’t raise rent by a huge amount every year. 12345 Off-Campus Housing Report

Anonymous says:

I have two comments about renting:... I have two comments about renting: it’s easier to get a place if you are a girl, and definitely try to get your own room, but expect to pay a lot for it. 12345 Off-Campus Housing Report

Did You Know?

The best time to start searching for your apartment is in January, in order to beat the rush of students who will soon be looking for a new place to live. By March, you should sign your lease; you’ll be ready to move in to your new home by June or July.

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