What UC Davis Transfer Students Need to Know About Apartment Searches

What’s the average cost of housing in Davis, CA?

You can share a room in a Davis apartment rental for a couple hundred dollars a month (here is the city’s list of affordable housing in town), or you can pick up your own McMansion for a million and change. The choices for Davis student housing in between are infinite. A good place to start your UC Davis housing search is www.DavisApartmentSearch.com.

How do I make sure I’m renting some place safe with a reputable landlord?

Check out any potential landlord at the Davis Wiki. We’re proud that the people at Davis Wiki seem to think of Tandem Properties as one of the most well-regarded Davis apartment management companies. If you want to check out the crime statistics for any potential Davis apartment community, look at theCity of Davis Crime Mapper.

What do I need to know about living on my own in my first Davis apartment rental?

The secret to living in Davis housing is to practice common courtesy. If you’re not polite to your neighbors and managers, they have the power to make your life a lot harder.

As soon as you sign your lease on your Davis apartment, call PG&E at (800)743-5000 to have the power turned on. They will ask you what date you want, buffer your schedule with a couple of advance days before you plan to move in. If your Davis housing comes with free high-speed Internet service, ask the management how to get it turned on.

You will need to pay your first month and a security deposit (and sometimes the last month, too) before you get the keys to your Davis apartment rental. Going forward, rent will be due on the first of each month. If there are any imperfections in your Davis apartment, take dated photos of them so when you move out you can prove that you were not responsible for that damage.

When you are buying supplies for your Davis housing, be sure to include necessities like a toilet plunger, shower curtain, trash can, cleaning supplies and toilet paper. Food waste goes in the trash, which should be emptied every day. Dumpsters are available at every Davis apartment complex for your convenience. You should clean your apartment every week: dust, wipe, vacuum, sweep, tidy, etc.

When dealing with your Davis apartment management, always treat them the way you want them to treat you. If you are rude and whiny, don’t expect them to put your special request at the top of their to-do pile. Respond to all of their communications within 24 hours. Observe their office hours and treat them with courtesy and respect.

Same goes for your neighbors. If the people next door have a new baby and you insist on hosting noisy gatherings every weekend, don’t expect them to jump through hoops to shush their little darling when it wakes up hungry at 3:00 a.m. the day of your chem. final. A little reciprocity goes a long way.

When you are ready to move out, you must do a white-glove cleaning job on your Davis housing. This means that all of your personal possessions are out and the manager can wipe a white gloved finger along any surface and not detect any dirt or dust. Most Davis apartment management offices are happy to provide a list of their cleaning expectations. They are not looking for excuses to charge you! It is much easier for them to move someone new in the next day than go to the trouble and expense of having your pigpen professionally cleaned.

If you have furniture or other Davis housing items you do not wish to take with you, do not leave them on the street. Sell them, Freecycle them, donate them to a worthy organization like the SPCA thrift store, haul them to the landfill, or throw them in a dumpster.