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Rental vacancies are advertised in a variety of places.
Campus Information Center, Iowa Memorial Union Provides listings of current or soon-to-be available rental housing in the Iowa City area including efficiencies, apartments, condos, houses, and roommate housing arrangements. Many of the units advertised are in close proximity to the campus. The service also provides extensive housing-related resources.
University Apartments offer low cost apartments to registered students. Eligibility application information may be obtained by contacting University Housing at 319-335-9199 or visiting their website:
Glossary of Advertising Abbreviations
| BR | bedroom | |
| Eff | efficiency | |
| Pkg/o/s | off-street parking | |
| A/C | air conditioning | |
| C/A | central air | |
| W | water | |
| E or elect | electricity | |
| G/E | gas and electricity | |
| H | heat | |
| Utils/incl | utilities (W, G/E) are included in rent | |
| +Utils | utilities are not included in rent | |
| Bus | the rental unit is on a bus line | |
| D/W | dishwasher | |
| W/D | washer dryer in the rental unit | |
| WDhook/ups | connections only. provide own machines | |
| Lndry | coin operated laundry facilities on site | |
The University of Iowa does not inspect or offer any guarantee for the condition or quality of the rental units listed. The University does not endorse any of the listed properties. Arrangement and responsibility for rental contracts are solely between individual tenants and property managers.
Most area apartments and houses rent for one full year with leases beginning August 1. Nine month leases and no-lease situations are available but are not common.
Fall vacancies begin advertising in January with the most selection during the months of January through May. Fall housing is still available in June and July but choices become limited as August approaches.
Advertising for spring semester housing begins in November. Many of these listings aresub-leases offered by December graduates.
Sub leases for summer only are advertised as early as March. Summer sub-lets often offer reduced rental rates and flexible lease periods.
2006-07 Estimated Rental Rates
Iowa City and Coralville Area
| Rooming Houses | $322 |
| Efficiencies | $530 |
| One Bedroom | $600 |
| Two Bedroom | $695 |
| Three Bedroom | $1024 |
| Four Bedroom | $1606 |
| Roommate-own room | $350 |
*Security/Damage Deposits are typically one month’s rent
1. Location and size of unit. Rates are usually higher for units close to campus.
2. Number of occupants. Per person cost may vary by the number of occupants sharing the unit.
3. Utilities. These costs may or may not be included in the rent. Heating bills can add considerably to the monthly total. For prior year heating costs for specific addresses, contact Mid-America Energy at (1-800-427-5632)
4. Amenities. Off street parking and laundry on site may or may not be included in the rental rate. Telephone and cable costs are rarely included in the rent.
As a tenant, it is important to remember that rent and deposit are not your only expenses. Your lease should explicitly outline for which utilities you will be responsible for. Some utilities require a deposit before service will begin. If you want an estimate of the average utility costs for a particular address, you can contact the utility company. You will soon realize that fees vary widely. While some landlords' fees are fairly reasonable, it is not unusual for others to charge up to $10 a day up to $40 a month (the most a landlord can charge under Iowa Code 535.2(7)).Here is a partial list of costs that the tenant should consider when budgeting for the rental unit:
Rent
Damage Deposit – maximum of two months rent
Heating – electric or gas
Water, sewage, and garbage – deposit and regular bills
Electricity
Telephone – initial hook-up, and monthly service
Parking/garage fee
Transportation costs
Late rent fees – up to $40/month
Sublease fees
Additional roommate fees
Cleaning costs
Rental Insurance
Is there an "escalation clause" permitting the landlord to increase the rent because of rising costs of taxes, heat, water, or other utilities? Did the escalation clause result in utility increases in prior years?
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