It’s that time of year again when students begin the dreadful task of looking for new roommates or searching for a new home.

When you have to consider location, availability and affordability, looking for the perfect place to live in Sacramento can be a full-time job in itself.

Well, if you haven’t heard, listen up! Sacramento State’s Off-Campus Housing Services office, located in Foley Hall Room 238, offers free information to students, faculty and staff.

According to services coordinator Peggy Luers, the program, which runs under the Department of Student Affairs, has been very popular, especially considering that it’s only been available one year.

“Were starting to get very busy at this time with students moving out of the dorms and new staff coming into the area,” Luers said.

Anything you need to know about apartment hunting is available in their office or can be obtained on their Web site.

Off Campus Housing Services joined up with local property owners and managers to develop a database of available housing. Their goal is to make the process of finding housing that meets your needs easier and faster.

Resources they offer range from profiles and contact information of students seeking roommates to listings and contact information of apartment guides or home magazines. They also provide listings of local utilities, telephone, cable and public transportation companies.

A list of legal tips offers insight into things you ordinarily may not think about when you’re ready to sign a lease. Such as, if you’re a member of the military you may want to discuss the military clause in your lease agreement in case you may need to be released from your contract.

They also include tips on safety and advice for individuals who rent to obtain renters’ insurance. The coverage is usually available at a fairly low cost and can protect you against loss of your belongings.To obtain more information on Off-Campus Housing Services, feel free to give them a call at (916) 278-3766 or log onto their Web site at www.csus.edu/offcampus/.

“The more we get the word out to help people the better,” Luers said. And for potential home seekers, obtaining the information available to you at no cost could save students, faculty and staff a headache and a bottle of aspirin.

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