Deciding where to live when you move off-campus is a very important decision - take your time! Many students feel pressured by peers or rental agencies to rush into lease signing because of a lack of available housing options in Oxford. There are, in fact, plenty of available houses and units available.
Start your search by determining your priorities. A couple questions to consider include:
When considering your off-campus housing options, it may be wise to start with your personal budget. While the "sticker price" of an off-campus house or apartment may appear to be lower than the cost of living on campus, you may be surprised at how quickly additional expenses add up.
When considering your living options for your third and fourth years at Miami, Oxford has three primary options for students: Residence Halls, Apartments, and Houses.
The housing market in Oxford is competitive, but not as competitive as students tend to think. There are more than enough places for students to live and shopping around will provide the most options and, often, the best prices.
A rental permit is issued by the City of Oxford to every approved rental house in Oxford. This permit states the occupancy limit for the unit indicating the number of people that are legally allowed to reside in that unit.
It's important that you take time to talk to potential roommates about their study habits, lifestyle, and conflict style. In addition, you should figure out if anyone is planning to study abroad or co-op and if your property manager allows subclasses.
If you will not be able to live in your house or apartment for the entire duration of the lease (e.g. a semester of study abroad or internship in another state), you may have the option to find another student to "sublet" your room and take over the payments while you are away.
