Caution: Be careful of rental scams! Some tips can be found here: https://www.usa.gov/housing-scams#item-211837
Scroll down to find information regarding the following topics:
- Where to find listings
- Things to consider
- Types of rental housing
- General renting terminology
- Student housing, homestays, and corporate housing
Where to find Listings
The rental sections of Craigslist – San Diego, PadMapper, the San Diego Union Tribune, Zillow Rental, the San Diego Reader and Facebook housing can be useful places to begin your housing search and to get an idea of the rental prices.
The city of San Diego has numerous neighborhoods. When searching on any of the websites above, it helps to enter a neighborhood name or zip/postal code as a keyword. If you are looking to be close to the University of California San Diego (UCSD), Golden Triangle, and Torrey Pines Mesa areas, the closest residential neighborhoods (with zip codes) are:
- UTC, University City, La Jolla, Bird Rock – 92037
- Del Mar – 92014 ~ Carmel Valley/Torrey Hills – 92130
- Mira Mesa – 92126
- Clairemont – 92117 ~ Pacific Beach – 92109
- Sorrento Valley – 92121
To find rental opportunities specifically for UCSD and partner (e.g. Salk) communities, you may also visit the UCSD Off Campus Housing Directory. Visitors to UCSD and/or Salk should send an email directly to offcampushousing@ucsd.edu to request an access code.
Things to Consider
- Cost of Housing
- Transportation: San Diego’s layout is conducive to automobile transportation.
- If you do not have a car, make sure you find an apartment that is close to public transportation. Neighborhoods within the zip codes of 92037 and 92122 are the most accessible to the areas above by bus.
- If you plan to bike, check-out the route between work and home to evaluate sidewalks and/or bike lanes.
- Childcare/Schools
- Laundry: Many apartment complexes have onsite laundry rooms, but some do not. If the machines are coin-operated they typically accept quarters only.
- You may wish to consider purchasing rental insurance to protect your belongings in case of damage or theft. Some landlords may even require the purchase of rental insurance at the time of signing the rental agreement.
Types of Rental Housing
- Unfurnished Apartments/Houses: Many rental apartments/houses require a lease or contract of 6 months or one year, but some will do month-to-month agreements. Often the landlord requires payment of first and last months’ rent, and/or a security deposit on or before the move-in date.
- Rooms in private homes: These often include bath and kitchen facilities, either for shared or private use. Ask when you view what access is permitted.
- Apartments and Houses to Share: Generally, when you are going to share an apartment or house with roommates, the rooms that you rent come unfurnished.
- Sublets: Sometimes renters who wish to move out earlier than stated on the rental contract will try to sublet (take over their apartment and lease for the remainder of the agreement period or while they are not living there).
General Renting Terminology
- Landlord: The owner or operator of a property for lease.
- Tenant: The person renting the property.
- Property Manager: Some landlords do not operate their own rental properties, but instead have an individual or company do it for them.
- Rental Application: A form completed by a prospective tenant so the landlord can determine the creditworthiness of the applicant and other information relevant to the landlord’s decision of whether or not to rent the unit/house/room.
- Lease/Rental Agreement: Many landlords or rental companies will ask you to sign a lease before moving into an apartment or shared housing. A lease is a binding legal agreement that outlines the rental agreements and rules/regulations.
- Credit checks are commonly requested by landlords before leasing an apartment.
- Security Deposit: On or before your move-in date, most landlords or rental companies will ask you to pay a deposit – often equivalent to one month’s rent – in addition to your first month’s rent.
- Pet Deposit: An additional fee required for pet owners in the event of damage to the property.
- Walk-Through Inspection: A tour upon move-in with the landlord to identify any currently existing damage or problems with the apartment.
- Utilities: This refers to electricity, gas, water, cable, telephone and internet for your apartment. Most renters are responsible for paying most of these utilities separately from their rent. If this is the case, you will be responsible for opening an account with the various utility companies and telling them what day to start billing you for service. If certain utilities are paid by your landlord, they should be outlined in your lease agreement. Foreign nationals who do not yet have a Social Security Number yet may be asked to pay an extra deposit when opening an account.
- Electric/gas: San Diego Gas and Electric (SDGE)
- Water: City of San Diego – Water (some landlords will pay for water, but be sure to ask)
- Cable/telephone/internet: You have a few options in San Diego. Here are the three largest companies that offer all three utilities: Spectrum, Cox Communications, and AT&T. Not all of these options service all parts of San Diego, so be sure to check before beginning the account process.
Student Housing, Homestays, and Corporate Housing
- Student Housing: You may try one of the student housing companies in San Diego. One company that is often used is San Diego Student Housing.
- Homestays: If you would like to stay with a family that hosts international students and scholars, you may want to look into a homestay company in San Diego. The homestay often includes a furnished room, bathroom, and breakfast and dinner. One company that is often used in the San Diego area is San Diego Homestay. Be sure to call or email beforehand to check on prices and what is included in the price.
- Corporate Housing: Corporate housing is generally a furnished apartment that is rented similarly to a hotel. This options is usually for short-term visitors and is often much more expensive than a standard apartment rental. Oakwood is a commonly used, worldwide company for corporate housing. An internet search for “corporate housing san diego” may provide additional options.
