When it’s time to secure housing for the next school year, many ASU Tempe students are surprised at how early the leasing process kicks off. With a mix of classes, work commitments and a busy social life, the academic year can fly by, making it challenging to find time to focus on student housing.
At Rambler Tempe, we know how time-consuming the housing search can be. To make the search easier, we’ve put together a guide that highlights the best time to start looking and the essential first steps to take. With these tips, you’ll be ready to smoothly navigate the process and find the perfect place to call home.
In this article, we’ll dive into:
- The typical timeline for an ASU student looking for housing
- The pros of signing early and how it can help you save money
- The optimal time to begin your housing search
When Should I Start Looking for Student Housing in Tempe, AZ?
What does the housing timeline typically look like for an ASU student?
While each student’s timeline varies, many begin the leasing process as early as the fall semester of the year before their intended move-in. Incoming first-year students, for example, may find themselves considering or even signing a lease just a few months into their first fall semester.
Your specific timeline can also depend on where you want to live. Student apartment communities near ASU Tempe, especially new developments, often have earlier leasing periods and tend to fill quickly. New properties are especially motivated to fill units fast, frequently offering special discounts and perks to students who sign early.
If you’re interested in leasing at a new development, it’s best to start your search in the summer and aim to secure your lease by early fall of the preceding year. For instance, if you’re looking to move into an apartment opening in fall 2026, begin researching in summer 2025 and plan to finalize your lease by early to mid-fall 2025.
Will signing earlier get me a better rate?
When student apartment communities launch leasing for the upcoming year, their websites often showcase phrases like “lowest rates,” “don’t miss your chance,” and “sign now.” This may make you wonder: does signing early truly offer benefits and savings?
In most cases, yes! Rates for student apartments tend to start at their lowest during the initial leasing period, gradually rising as units fill and demand increases. By signing early, you’re often able to lock in a more favorable rate.
However, while early leasing can help secure competitive pricing, it’s not a guaranteed “lowest” rate. Some properties may offer flash sales or discounts closer to the school year to fill remaining vacancies. But waiting until late in the leasing season has its risks—it can limit your options, leaving fewer choices in terms of location, floor plans and roommates.
Leasing early has benefits beyond cost savings. It gives you a first choice of prime locations, preferred layouts and greater flexibility in roommate selection, all of which can greatly enhance your living experience for the year ahead.
Another benefit of leasing early is the option to secure block housing. Block housing allows you and a large group of friends to lease multiple units close to each other on the same floor. For example, if you and 15 friends sign up for a block, you’ll be spread across several units, but still only steps away from each other, making meet-ups and shared experiences easy and frequent. This setup is especially popular at new developments, where there’s often more flexibility to accommodate groups looking to live side by side.
If finding the absolute lowest rate is your top priority and you’re open to the potential risks, waiting to lease later in the season is an option. Just keep in mind that this strategy can limit your choices and flexibility. Ultimately, it comes down to how much risk you’re comfortable taking to try to secure the best possible rate.
How early should I start my search?
Now that you have a target time frame for signing your lease, the next question is: how far in advance should you start your search to give yourself ample time to make a confident decision?
Before committing, plan to explore locations and floor plans, tour a few properties and discuss options with potential roommates. To ensure you’re making an informed choice, set aside at least one to two months for this process. This timeline allows for thorough research, property visits and careful consideration of your options.
To give yourself plenty of time for these essential steps, plan to begin your apartment search one to two months before you aim to sign your lease. This approach will help ensure you have the time needed to tour properties, explore different layouts and coordinate with roommates for a well-informed decision.
If you have questions about the leasing process or want to learn more about living at Rambler Tempe, don’t hesitate to reach out to our leasing team. We’re here to make your student housing search as smooth and enjoyable as possible!
