WWW Fonahome online. This is pretty self-explanatory once you log on. It is completely free, so don't be aJanuary 17, 2007s (number of bedrooms, location, rental rates). It generates matches immediately, plus they'll send you e-mail when they find future matches if you "register" with them. You can use this service to search for house rentals as well as apartment searches.
Newspapers. NOTE: Many places require two months warning, so they do not really know what they have available until two months prior to your anticipated start date. Two places to start are The Minnesota Daily (the campus newspaper) classified ads and the January 17, 2007
Call Fonahome. Though they don't do house searches for you, they do a great job of searching for apartments. Call 1-800-362-4663. This is a FREE service. Give them your search parameters and they'll go to work for you. Your personal consultant gets cash from the landlord if they find you something, so they work hard.
Apartment Search. Similar in function to Fonahome, just a different company. Also free. Call 1-800-989-2456.
Roommate Referrals. Don't know anyone to room with but don't want to live by yourself? Contact Roommate Referrals at (612) 827-5565 or visit 1600 West Lake St. (in Uptown). There is a $40 fee but they do a great job matching folks up on a number of criteria.
Use "Find a Home." This service specializes in locating houses to rent for you. They do charge a fee ($95). Their data base includes 1300 rental properties (houses, townhouses, duplexes, etc. No apartments). You just give them your constraints, and they do their thing. They advertise a 90% success rate within 10 days. You can walk in at 5738 Nicollet Avenue or call (612) 869-3177. I suspect your best bet would be to call them early this summer, send them a check, and have them do their work for you before you visit town to look.
Campus Housing for Couples/Single Parents. The University of Minnesota has two housing complexes for students with families. Married or cohabiting students as well as single parents with children are eligible. Call right away:There is usually a waiting list of several months. For more information, contact the Commonwealth Terrace Cooperative at (651) 646-7526 or ctc@tc.umn.edu. The CTC is a self-governing community of 450 families from over fifty countries located next to the St. Paul campus, and is connected to the Minneapolis campus and our Department by free shuttle service. Couples without children can rent one-bedroom apartments at ($350 including utilities and free cable TV), families with 1-2 children a two bedroom ($450). Three bedroom apartments are available for families with three or more children. The other housing complex is the Como Student Community, where rates range from $434 for a 2-bedroom townhouse to $548 for a 3-bedroom townhouse. For more information call (612) 378-2434 or e-mail cscc@tc.umn.edu.
Good luck!