Finding suitable accommodation can be a daunting task when you decide to study abroad.
Dublin Business School offers some top tips to help international students find accommodation:
1. Be realistic in your search.
Open your mind to areas outside of the city. September and October are high demand periods each year for accommodation in Dublin, so you may have to consider an area outside the city centre. Dublin is a small county with many commuter towns that are well serviced by quality bus corridors and commuter rail lines.
2. Don’t be passive in your search.
If you have a smartphone, download the daft.ie app and set up email alerts so that you are notified about new lettings and properties that come on stream daily. Set up alerts via email on databases and check them daily so that you can stay ahead of the crowd.
3. Stay positive and exhaust all avenues.
A little bit of luck and a lot of hard work will get you the right accommodation at the right price. Advertise yourself as a potential roommate on offline noticeboards and online databases. Newspapers and online platforms can both be very effective.
Accommodation Search Strategy
Where to Look?
Newspapers Many landlords opt for the newspaper over online databases to advertise their lettings. The Evening Herald is probably the best newspaper for accommodation listings. It comes out at midday each day. The Buy and Sell magazine is also worth checking out. It goes on sale every Monday, Wednesday and Friday and can be purchased in most newsagents.
Online Accommodation Databases One of the most frequently used accommodation search engines is Daft.ie, so it is up to date and regularly monitored. The website also offers the “search by college” function within its “advanced search” function and allows you to post your own advertisement via the ‘Team Up Database’. Find a list of property search sites to help strengthen your search.
www.daft.ie
www.rent.ie
www.myhome.ie - Student section
www.collegecribs.ie
www.gumtree.ie
www.let4u.ie
www.propertycheck.ie
www.collegeliving.ie - a list of student residences
