High demand for affordable housing is now motivating Syracuse University students to begin searching for next year’s housing earlier than usual, spurring competition between students trying to get the best housing and landlords trying to persuade them to invest.

Ben Tupper, of Tupper Property Management, said that as of Oct. 1, all of his leases have been signed except for a one-bedroom apartment. Tupper said the lease season has moved at a rate of three weeks faster than last year, and the demand for his housing has increased over the years.

“My trend line has been sooner, faster and more for the last 10 years,” he said.

After students arrive back at school in August, most begin looking for next year’s housing the following month, Tupper said. While groups begin talking to landlords in September and October, some people have begun to start the process in late July, Tupper said. This has resulted in leases being signed earlier than usual.

“Usually by the end of August, I have already signed 30 or 40 leases,” Tupper said. He added that when it is all said and done, he will have nearly 400 tenants leased for next year.

Emmanuel Fasuyi, leasing marketing manager for the University Village Apartments on Colvin, said the rates of leases being signed for next year have been steady. Fasuyi said there has been high demand for two bedroom apartments at University Village and that those apartments tend to be leased the fastest.

With high demand for housing options, and some leases being signed earlier than usual, students now face pressure to act quickly.

Ying Chen, a sophomore broadcast and digital journalism major, said she discovered how fast the leasing process moves.

“At first when I looked for apartments, I didn’t know that I had to do it very early,” she said.

Chen, a transfer student from China who had enough credits to live off campus as a sophomore, said she has already signed a lease for next year. She began her search on Orange Housing, an online website that allows students to search off-campus housing.

For Chen, there are several difficult aspects of searching for housing that she has encountered. Chen said the varying types of housing, locations and pricing all are factors that went into her search.

In addition, the price increases of housing have made the searches even more difficult for students.

“The biggest problem is the housing rate,” Chen said. “We have to pay more year by year.”

As the leasing season is quickly coming and going, Tupper said students must begin searching before October, despite how early that may seem.

“If you want to get a good place with a good landlord, that is when you have to start doing tours,” Tupper said. He added that he would advise students that when going on a tour of a house, do not be afraid to ask plenty of questions.

Finally, Tupper said ringing the doorbell of houses you are interested in and talking with tenants will give a clear picture of what the house and landlord are really like.

“They will give you the real deal. They won’t give you a sales pitch,” he said.

Chen said she warned her friends that they must begin looking at houses right away.

“When they try and look for housing next year, they don’t realize it has to be done early. I have to tell them ‘please do it right now,’” Chen said. “More and more people will realize we have to find housing early so we have to act early.”

Published on October 27, 2014 at 12:01 am

Contact William: wrnorris@syr.edu