Need help locating off-campus housing? Looking for a roommate with similar lifestyle habits? Retriever Support Services provides Off-Campus Housing Resources to support you in your off-campus transitions, including a housing listing service and roommate finder at no charge for the UMBC campus community. If you have transportation needs, many local apartments and housing complexes have been matched with UMBC Transit’s shuttle lines for your convenience. They can help with information about signing leases, creating productive landlord/tenant relationships, and other technical topics such as local housing policies.
Visit the Off-Campus Housing Resources page of the Retriever Support Services website and watch a video about their services!
Tips from current international students:
Student from Russia: Try to find housing at the shuttle line. Check UMBC Transit website to get the schedules and the maps. The closest streets where you can leave are Linden Ave, Circle Dr, Gloria Dr, Shelbourne Rd, Poplar Ave, and Westland Blvd. Try to pay approximately $300-550, not more than this. I would give $600 only for a spacious room in a nice house or a 1BR apartment just for myself.
Student from Ghana: Make it a point to reach out to current students from your native country or region of the world if any, and explain your housing preferences. You want to be able to get to school on UMBC shuttle lines which will be at no additional cost to you. If you are a graduate student who will be conducting research on campus, think about the possibility of getting to school on public holidays or even when UMBC is closed. You might have to still get research going and the shuttle lines will not work. Decent housing, a 2 bedroom apartment with a kitchen, living room and rest room can go for about $450 per person. You can scale that up or down, plus or minus $100. Always inquire about the leasing arrangements. Know whether you are jointly responsible with your roommates for the lease and whether it is binding for all. Put thought into when you are getting here, hope to sing the lease and what the penalty is if any for breaching the terms of the lease(if you want to leave early for example). Try to sign the lease so that it ends at the end of the school year. Many students change housing or leave for home or internships in the summer. Know whether the agent or landlord requires a security deposit(meaning you will pay $900 up front if your housing costs $450 for example) and the deposit is supposed to be returned to you, sometimes with interest at the end of the leasing term (minus anything for damages or repairs while you lived there). Some may indicate that your deposits are non-refundable. Proceed with caution. Know whether you’re dealing with a Realty Firm or a landlord. There are varying advantages and flexibilities with either. (whereas your landlord may understand your leaving early and being a day or two late with rent, a leasing firm might not). Depending on your individual circumstance you may want a furnished or non-furnished place. Some families may have rooms for rent, consider whether that is suitable for you or you would rather rent with fellow students and also what kind of access and or restrictions will apply of any