Searching for an apartment for rent while studying at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire (UWEC) is a project. Whether you're a student moving off-campus or a parent helping your student, finding the right apartment for rent can be challenging. Here are some useful tips to help you find the perfect apartment rentals.
The Best Way to Find the Right Apartment Near Me
Google.
The author's perspective is very different from a UWEC student or parents perspective. Because of this different perspective, data was used to find the best search results for Google. We turned to a free trial of Answer The Public and got good information. You can find more about Answer The Public here: https://answerthepublic.com/users/sign_in.
When testing the searches that seemed appropriate with Answer The Public the results produced way too much information for you to process. When “apartments for rent” was tested the search test result was 1,000,000. By being more specific and testing “apartment for rent near me” the search result only improved to 673,000. You are still looking for a needle in a haystack. Search tests had to be very specific, such as, “apartment under 500”, “apartment 4 bedroom”, or “apartment eau claire”. With these more specific searches you could get into the thousands and even hundreds of results. Now you have something you can work with to find a place to live.
Zillow.
This was written August 20, 2024. At this time a Zillow search https://www.zillow.com/homes/for_rent/ found 237 listings of apartments for rent. Most of these 237 were located very far from UWEC. When narrowing this list of 237 by drilling down into a Zillow Neighborhood Search to get apartments for rent near UWEC, the only Zillow Neighborhood Search near UWEC was for Third Ward, Eau Claire, WI. Here is the website for Third Ward Neighborhood Association: https://thirdwardeauclaire.org/. The majority of student housing is not in the Third Ward, but is located to the west across the Chippewa River to Water Street. This west of the Chippewa River Water Street side is The Historic Randall Park Neighborhood Association (HRPNA) https://www.randallparkec.org/. HRPNA does not offer a Zillow Neighborhood Search option. You better use time by skipping Zillow altogether search on Google for your specific apartment needs. Most of the softwares used by property owners syndicate to Zillow making the information found on Zillow is not as current as the actual specific property owners websites.
College Pads.
College Pads is a platform that helps students find off-campus housing, available at 368 campuses in 42 states, including College Pad’s exclusive rights to advertise through the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire's website. This exclusive right is evident when comparing the identical content on both the College Pads website and the UWEC off-campus rental page. This means using the UWEC off-campus housing rental page you miss out on seeing most of the options of apartments for rent.
Property owners pay thousands of dollars to list on College Pads, which means they often leave ads up even after their units are rented, limiting your options. Property owners limit the property they place on College Pads to control advertising costs. College Pads also has a featured property owner that pays extra in advertising to get extra advertising exposure on the platform.
Choosing the Right Location is Important
When choosing an apartment as a 20-ish-year-old college student, finding the right location is key. As parents and students, you want to ensure you are close to UW-EC to save on commuting costs. Look for safe areas with good lighting. Consider proximity to grocery stores, pharmacies, and other essential services. Apartments rented near bus stops or bike routes are a plus. Check out the neighborhood’s vibe—is it quiet enough for studying, or is it too noisy? Balancing convenience, safety, and comfort will help a UWEC student succeed while giving parents peace of mind.
Crime Data.
Be sure to use available crime data https://cityprotect.com/map/list/agencies?id=642d9c35a4d87e0ccaf1eca3&latitude=44.80817442792805&longitude=-91.5025920834591&zoomLevel=13 and keep in mind that petty crimes that spike data around campuses, such as stealing a seat off of a locked bicycle, or urinating in the bushes, are much different than murder and mayhem seen in other areas larger than the University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire and metros that are much larger than the good old EC.
Wisconsin Sex Offender Registry.
Look at the Wisconsin Department of Corrections Sex Offender Registry where you can search by geographic area in 1, 2, 3 mile distances from an exact address for registered sex criminals. The specifics of their crimes and a photo of the sex criminal is posted here as well. Here is the link: https://appsdoc.wi.gov/public
Property Owner’s Apartment Lists.
Most property owners keep an apartment list that summarizes key features including distance from UWEC. Contact these property owners and ask them specifically what you are looking for in that perfect apartment. UW-EC students and parents should be careful to use “street” and “avenue” with the name because near UW-EC you have 1st Avenue through 10th Avenue which runs perpendicular to Water Street. When you get north of Luther Hospital you have 1st Street through 10th Street that runs perpendicular and north from Cameron Street. The closest the “streets” get to UWEC is about 1.5 miles. This can make that search for cheap apartments near me disappointing. Cheap apartments are usually associated with a further distance from the UWEC campus.
Other Considerations.
It is important to consider your budget and how much you can afford each month, including utilities. Choose an apartment size that suits your needs and offers enough space for comfortable living. If you have a car, make sure parking is available. Visit the apartment before signing the lease to inspect the space. Roommates can help with costs, but shared living means discussing expectations and responsibilities. Finally, read the lease carefully to understand all terms before committing.
Conclusion.
The best way to find the best apartment for you is to use specific search terms on Google to tell the internet exactly what you want. Try a few times until you have a good sampling of what is out in the market of apartments for rent. Compare what you get at UWEC from on-campus housing, room and board, to what you get from off-campus housing to get a good sense of value for your dollars. Then search for crime data. Get a vibe of the neighboring properties from what you see. Use your common sense to solve other considerations. Students and parents should collaborate on the best apartment for rent. Parents have many valuable real life experiences to assist the student in his or her best apartment choice. Balance convenience, safety, and comfort.
Disclaimer
Hey there! Thanks for reading our stuff. We want you to know a few important things:
We're General Property Management LLC, right here in good old Eau Claire, WI. You can make an appointment to visit us. Our office is located at 703 5th Avenue #1, Eau Claire, WI 54703 or send written correspondence to General Property Management, LLC, P.O. Box 283, Eau Claire, WI 54702.
If you need to reach us, our email is contact@ec4rent.com and our phone number is 715-832-1200.
We try our best to give you good information, but we're not lawyers. If you have a serious legal problem, it's best to talk to a real attorney.
If you spot any mistakes in what we've written, please let us know! We'd love to fix it or take it down if needed.
We always welcome your comments and thoughts. Your feedback helps us do better!
Remember, when we all do our little part, the world is a better place. So let's work together to make things awesome!
References.
Answer The Public https://answerthepublic.com/for/consumer-research
Third Ward, Eau Claire, WI https://thirdwardeauclaire.org/
Historic Randall Park Neighborhood Association https://www.randallparkec.org/
College Pads https://www.rentcollegepads.com/
UWEC Off-Campus Housing https://off-campus-rental.uwec.edu/listing
City of Eau Claire Crime Data https://cityprotect.com/map/list/agencies?id=642d9c35a4d87e0ccaf1eca3&latitude=44.80817442792805&longitude=-91.5025920834591&zoomLevel=13
Wisconsin Department of Corrections Sex Offender Registry https://appsdoc.wi.gov/public
