The housing development industry is hot in Canada right now and one of the most popular types of housing that’s being built is University of Calgary housing for students. Off-campus alternatives to dorm rooms are extremely popular and as the university’s population continues to grow, the demand is only going to increase. As a developer, here are the features that students look for most in off-campus housing.

Location

It’s probably obvious, but students want to be near their classes. Many times, they roll out of bed 15 minutes before their class starts and they need to be close enough to be on time. Not only that, but students desire housing that is also close to stores, reasonably-priced restaurants, cafes, parks, libraries, and other amenities. If many of these perks are built within the off-campus housing complex itself, even better.

They also need a fairly quiet place to study, so the housing complex needs to be located in a quiet area of the city or it needs to be built in a way that filters out the noise from the city so that students can study and sleep in peace. In fact, the quietness of an off-campus building is often what drives students away from the noisier dormitories.

Access to Public Transportation

Although many students own their own vehicles, it’s getting more expensive to do so, with the average cost of owning a car in Canada topping $1,000 per month, including interest, fees, gas, and maintenance. It’s far cheaper to use public transportation, but it needs to be convenient, which is why it’s critical for off-campus student housing to be built along public transportation lines. Easy access to bus tops, bike lanes, and the light rail rapid transit system in the city.

Safety

No parent will allow their student to live in an unsafe neighborhood while going to university. They will probably check out the area before letting their children sign a lease off campus, so if they feel at all unsafe in an off-campus complex, they won’t sign with it. And it’s more than just having a safe location. It’s also about having adequate locks and a video security system. Some newer facilities are also including alarms for each unit as well. These are great options for students who may be moving out on their own for the first time and need that extra security.

Affordability

Students who stay in dormitories beyond their first year often cite affordability as the reason. What they may not know, though, is that it is actually usually less expensive to live off campus than it is to live in a university dorm room. In fact, a study recently showed that it can be as much as $500 cheaper to live off campus than on. But, as a developer, affordability has to be foremost in your mind because students don’t usually make a lot of money and parents may not want to pay exorbitant fees, even for top-of-the-line complexes.

Conclusion

Developing an off-campus student housing complex in Calgary is an excellent business proposition these days. Just take into account these top features that students are looking for before you start to build.