Written by Emily Sugiyama
Off-campus housing feels a little like gambling. Like games in a Vegas casino, there's a wide selection, but you could lose a lot of money. For the most part, Seattle real estate is not cheap, and if it is, then there's a reason. But multiple neighborhoods lay just a bus or car ride away from campus, and a myriad of living options exists in the University District alone. Some students get a studio on the Avenue while others pair up and get a two-bedroom apartment around University Village. Others assemble a group of eight or nine and rent a house in the Greek area.
Whatever the size of the group, a prime home probably exists in the vicinity; it's just about hunting it down. High demand is the reason landlords can charge so steeply, so if you don't nab that dream house while it's still available, it might be gone. Like so many other things about UW, the size of the school determines a lot. Because there are so many students in need of housing, a wide selection of houses and apartments exists, but because such a demand for housing exists, it may be difficult to get a place. It's all about timing, though-get a group together early and start looking. Many UW students choose to live off campus sophomore year, after establishing some solid relationships in the dorms. For many, moving off campus is a welcome salvation from the closed-in feel of the dorms, and they love the freedom and space of a place of their own.