What makes WWU Bellingham Apartment Buildings so popular to investors? It all starts with Western Washington University (WWU). With a total 2017 student population of 15,915, WWU students represent approximately 15% of the population of Bellingham WA. For students that want to live on campus there are limited options. In fact, WWU only provides student housing for less than 4,000 students.

WWU Bellingham Apartment Buildings

What Are the On Campus Student Housing Options for WWU Students?

For on campus residence halls, there are three areas of university owned housings with a total of 16 building complexes that house 4,000 students. They are the North Campus, South Campus, and Ridgeway Complex. The North Campus is closer to downtown and the Viking Commons. There are 5 residence halls at the North Campus; Edens Hall, Edens North, Higginson Hall, Mathes Hall, and Nash Hall. The South Campus is located closer to the sports fields and Haggen Grocery Store. The South Campus features 3 living areas; Birnam Wood, Buchanan Towers, and Fairhaven. The Ridgeway Complex is centrally located in WWU and situated on a hillside with many different buildings named after the Greek System; Alpha, Beta, Delta, Gamma, Highland, Kappa, Omega, and Sigma. There are no affiliated fraternity or sorority houses associated with WWU.

What Are the Off Campus Student Housing Options for WWU Students?     

While WWU only provides housing for 4,000 students on campus, that leaves nearly 12,000 students looking for off campus housing. There are currently a few different options for off campus students. The area directly south of the South Campus is one of the primary locations for WWU students to move off campus. There are several privately owned WWU Bellingham apartment buildings located in this area known as the Happy Valley Neighborhood. Most of the apartment buildings in this area of Bellingham were built in the 1970’s and the early 2000’s. For WWU apartment building developers, this area has the highest density zoning for student housing in Bellingham at 1 unit per 1,000 SF of land. It is common in this area to see buildings primarily consisting of 3 and 4 bedroom units with all of the tenants individually signed and co-signed to a single lease per unit. Currently rents in this area for 3 and 4 bedroom units lease for $500 to $600 per month per bedroom. Most of the private landlords and professional property management companies pre-lease the apartments near WWU starting in March and April for the following school year with leases starting in August and September.   

Lark Bellingham – Off Campus WWU Apartments

There are other options for students looking for housing off campus. The Lark Bellingham is one of these options. The Lark Bellingham offers a community style living located off campus near the WWU park and ride. For students that live at the Lark Bellingham, there is also a private shuttle service directly to campus. The apartment units at Lark Bellingham are individually rented per bedroom, but feature community kitchens with roommates. The rent at this apartment complex includes; high speed internet, one HDTV in the living room, cable TV, water/sewer and garbage, washer/dryer, and access to common area amenities. Monthly rents in Lark Bellingham range between $765 and $835 per month per bedroom.

Gather Bellingham – Off Campus WWU Apartments

Gather Bellingham is a similar style option to Lark Bellingham for students looking for off campus housing near WWU. Gather Bellingham does have a couple of advantages over Lark Bellingham when it comes to convenience and quality of life for WWU students. Gather Bellingham is located just a couple of blocks from the edge of North Campus. Also, many of the units in Gather Bellingham have beautiful unobstructed views of the city and Bellingham Bay. The units in Gather Bellingham are offered in studio suites, 2 bedroom, 3 bedroom, and 4 bedroom options. All of the units in this complex are rented fully furnished with very similar amenities to Lark Bellingham. Unfortunately, convenience and beauty comes at at price. Current rental rates at Gather Bellingham start at $725 per month for a bedroom in a shared 4 bedroom unit and go up to $1,100 per month for the one bedroom unit.     

There are other options for WWU students that are looking to move off campus. There are several WWU Bellingham apartment buildings that are not located near campus, but rent to students. There are also many private owners and professional property managers that rent houses to students individually or in groups. If you are interested in jumping into the Bellingham commercial real estate game and investing in an apartment building, the team at North Sound Commercial offers you decades of experience and can help guide you down the best path for your investment. 

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