Here are five tips to consider when searching for your new place to live off campus:

1. It is cheaper to rent off campus.

Renting an off-campus apartment is less expensive than renting an on-campus apartment or dorm room. Our Grandview I and II Apartments are located just over a mile south of the University of North Dakota campus and rent options start at $525 per month. Divide that between you and three roommates and you could be paying less than $150 a month. For the 2008-2009 fall semester at UND, room and board for a single room with ten weekly meals costs $761 per month for one person, according to UND’s web site. You will save money by living off campus. Other apartments within a few blocks from UND’s campus include our Park Place Apartments and Park Place Townhomes. Our St. John’s Block Apartments located in downtown Grand Forks are within two miles of the Northwest Technical College campus.

2. Some off-campus apartments are within walking distance from UND.

You don’t have to live on campus to be within walking distance from your classes, campus events or the Alerus Center. Our Park Place Apartments are conveniently located at 715 North 42nd Street, right next to UND’s campus. They are within walking distance of the Alerus Center, Ray Richards Golf Course, the Chester Fritz Auditorium, the North Dakota Museum of Art and several area parks. There is even a free shuttle bus that can take you from your apartment to campus during those winter months when it’s too cold to walk.

3. Off-campus living gives you more freedom and privacy.

Living off campus gives you more independence and personal space. Our Park Place Apartments and Park Place Townhomes have patios, balconies and grilling areas for when you get together with your friends. Also check out our Southview Apartments that are only a few minutes drive from UND. Located at 2249 30th Ave. S., Southview is within a mile from Columbia Mall and Grand Cities Mall.

4. Your lease can continue through the summer.

It’s no fun to move in and out of a dorm or campus apartment every fall and spring, but if you rent an off-campus apartment, you can stay put through the summer and live in the same place the following semester if you desire. Our apartments currently offer one-year leases.

5. Consider the amenities our apartments offer.

Our Park Place Apartments located within walking distance from the UND campus provide grills and picnic tables, a free shuttle bus to campus, free parking, available high-speed Internet, balconies, large patios, air conditioning, a storage area and dishwashers. Our Grandview Apartments located about a mile south of campus offer air-conditioning, garages, patios and balconies. You won’t find all these perks when you live on campus.