Students who want to sign a lease for off-campus housing will have a limited chance of attaining an apartment for the 2006-07 academic year by the end of January.

Kristen Holzwarth, property manager at Associated Realty Property Management, said there are still places to rent all over town -- including the downtown area. "But usually by the end of January we are about 90 percent rented," Holzwarth said.

She added that the most popular months to sign a lease are December and January, and most people begin their search in November.

Factors such as roommates, proximity to campus and cost can create stress in making a decision, students said.

Keith Zielen (junior-math education) said he is still looking for a place that matches his needs for next year.

"I have roommates, but I haven't found a lease," Zielen said. "We have three people so it's odd."

Zielen said there were a number of places available in the downtown area before winter break -- but not as many as he had hoped.

John Hanna, property manager at Continental Real Estate Management, said the renting process usually starts in November and continues until August of the following year.

Hanna said the larger units that house more people are rented out sooner. "We have quite a few houses, and they are all leased," he said. "The larger units go sooner. After that the one- and two-person units [are rented]. That is generally how progression goes."

Mike Stanczak (freshman-recreation, park and tourism management) said that after his first lease fell through, he thought it would be impossible to still find something in his price range close to campus.

"We had to start from square one, but we found a place right before Christmas break," Stanczak said. "We were somewhat surprised that there were a lot more still available ... we thought they would be all taken by then."

Amanda Posteraro (freshman-accounting) said the stress of pulling together all of the aspects she wanted in an apartment turned her away from off-campus living for next year.

"Me and my friends wanted a big place with a lot of people, but there was a lot of confusion," Posteraro said. "First there were too many people, then not enough."

Posteraro said she felt the decision needed to be made early in the fall semester in order to get what she wanted. That is part of the reason she has decided to continue living on campus, Posteraro added.

"It was a long and stressful process, so in the end I just went with living in a dorm with a friend," she said.

Location also played a part in Posteraro's decision, she said. On-campus living arrangements have more convenient distances to academic buildings.

Zielen said he wanted nothing further than two or three blocks from campus, and an overall price that did not exceed $450 a month.

He had hoped to get everything settled before winter break; even though he did not, he is still confident he will find an apartment, Zielen said.

"Every place seemed to have a couple rooms close to campus," he said.