Though it may seem way too early to start thinking about next year, the upcoming winter break is a perfect time to start searching for housing off-campus. Whether you prefer an apartment, a townhouse or something within walking distance of campus, West Chester University’s Off-campus Housing website provides the opportunity to search for student housing in the West Chester area. You may access this website by going to http://www.wcupa.edu and clicking on the heading, “Current Students.” This will bring you to a page where you may click on the heading, “Offcampus Housing,” to begin your search. Some search options include smoking preference, students with housing needing roommates, and students needing roommates and housing. Average rental costs per month are located on WCU’s Off-Campus Housing and Commuter Services website. For example, a one-bedroom apartment costs about $670 a month. A house with two to three bedrooms costs about $1366 a month, and a townhouse with two to four bedrooms will average around $1190 a month. These averages are general and are not per person. It is imperative to know that the listings are provided to the University’s website as a service for students; WCU is not responsible for the approval, investigation or endorsement of these listings.
Before signing the lease for your new off-campus housing residence, it is important to ask the landlord a series of questions to ensure your living situation is suitable. Some questions to consider asking are is there access to a washer/dryer and dishwasher, has there ever been a pest-control problem, the cost of location of parking, does the housing come with its own phone line already installed, who cleans the common areas, like the kitchen and bathroom(s), is there an Internet connection, and is it furnished?
The Resident Hall Association, along with the Council of Commuting and Off-campus Students sponsor a lawyer service for students to assess leases and tenant rights. Information on this service can be found at the Sykes Information Desk or by calling 610-436-2984.