The UW has more than 40,000 enrolled students. Only one-fourth of these people live in residence halls and the Greek community. Everyone else either commutes from home or rents a place off campus.

Finding a new place to live takes time and effort. By signing a lease, residents are committed to staying for a set amount of time and abiding by certain restrictions. Because housing that meets all requirements can be tough to find, students should start looking early to find the right place.

The ASUW recognized the importance of housing issues and started a service almost 30 years ago to help students find a place to live. Off-Campus Housing Affairs (OCHA) provides students with listings of places to rent, general information about the renting process, and information about landlord-tenant rights and responsibilities.

“The most important things for students to remember is to account for every expense and understand the terms of a lease before you sign it,” said Catherine Palpallatoc, director of OCHA. “Find out which utilities are included and ask for a breakdown of fees and deposits.”

Palpallatoc said many apartments and houses in the U-District are already preleasing for fall, and that students should start looking now to keep their options open because housing becomes increasingly competitive over time.

Amanda Moloney, resident manager at Campus View Apartments in the U-District, is already preleasing to students for autumn quarter.

“The main thing we look at is the background check,” Moloney said. “It involves screening a person’s credit, criminal and employment history. If their income isn’t at least three times their monthly rent, then we require either a cosigner or an additional deposit.”

Moloney said the process begins with a tour of the apartment. If the student is interested in living there, she has them fill out an application for a background check. After passing the screening phase, she’ll accept the person’s deposit and have them sign a lease.

Most leases in the U-District begin Sept. 1 and end Aug. 31, Palpallatoc said. Shorter lease terms are sometimes available but usually at a greater cost.

“I had fun living in the dorms, and the location was convenient,” said Stephanie Thomas, a graduating senior. “But I missed having my own bedroom and being able to cook. Finally, I decided it was time to look for a new place, and I found a house with two other friends.”

Residence halls and Greek houses offer full room-and-board services to students and are usually billed in a single payment at the beginning of the quarter. Apartments and houses allow for more flexibility by letting a person choose how to spend their money on food and other amenities.

Students can minimize the effects of tuition increases by cutting back on living expenses.

Thomas said living in an apartment or house is usually more cost-efficient for people who are good at budgeting. She said people should be willing to make trade-offs to minimize their rent but still live comfortably enough to stay there for the length of their lease.

One of the most common ways to save on rent is to live with other people. A two-bedroom apartment usually costs less per-person than living alone in a studio. Houses can cost less than apartments if students want to live with two or more people.

“If students want to save money on rent, they can look for a mother-in-law suite or exchange work for rent,” Palpallatoc said. “Some landlords call us to offer discounted rent for tutoring, babysitting, language exchange and household chores.”

As a final word of advice, she said everyone signing a lease should take pictures of the unit’s condition before moving in. Digital cameras are easy to come by, and taking a few pictures can help renters save money when their lease is up.

Reach contributing writer Ryan Boulanger at specials@dailyuw.com.