SU students brave open leasing, use connections to secure off-campus housing
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A line of eager students snaked out of an orange house on Harrison Street the morning of Sept. 8. A tent shielded them from the blazing sun, while orange and blue balloon pillars decorated both sides of the staircase. The first 100 in line had the chance to win a $50 gift card.
But this wasn’t a pop-up shop with an exclusive clothing drop or a viral sweat treat — it was Victory At Syracuse’s leasing office. Giulia Petti, a Syracuse University sophomore, woke up at 5 a.m. to wait in line, waiting to sign her lease for junior year — almost a year in advance.
“It wasn’t too bad,” Petti said. “It really did fly in the beginning, but it was freezing and dark out, and then it got really hot and sunny. And, four hours, that was crazy.”
Sept. 8 is the first day of open leasing for Victory’s off-campus properties. The office opened at 8:30 a.m., but students said Victory workers suggested they secure their spot in line earlier in the morning. But some students who have leases passed down to them never have to go to a leasing office until move-in day.
Properties like Castle Court and standalone houses are in high demand, Victory property manager Michael Wilson said. Students want to make sure they’re the first to snap up their off-campus housing of choice.
The event felt like a pop-up launch because of more than just the line; Wilson passed out water bottles and Bubbl’rs to those waiting, assuring them the leasing agents inside were “getting through it.” On open leasing day, the agents only let three groups inside at a time, so the line moves slowly.
“We want to reward the students who were so excited to sign a lease early,” Wilson said.
Though Victory also owns properties at schools like the University of Southern California and Michigan State University, Wilson said SU is the only place he’s seen students camp out for leases. The long lines have been a staple since Victory bought its SU properties in 2022, Wilson said.
But for some students, their leasing experience is far easier than camping out in the Victory line. SU junior Jack Kuper secured his lease for this year over text — he never had to step inside Victory’s leasing office.
Kuper’s the latest in a 10-year line of tenants who had their lease passed down to them through fraternity members. His lease for next year is sorted out, too: an apartment passed down from current seniors.
Club sports teams and student organizations like CitrusTV offer their members the same perks. SU junior Charlie Scott is part of the third generation of tenants to live in an off-campus house rented from an independent landlord.
Avoiding the open leasing process was definitely a factor in Scott’s choice to move into CitrusTV’s historic house, he said. For him, the process was easy and straightforward, allowing him to live in a spacious house close to campus at an affordable price.
When Victory acquired its SU properties in 2022, it connected with every group that historically passed down its properties and asked the current residents if they’d like to re-sign with Victory. Some occupants in the Campus Hill area had to move out while Victory renovated, then moved in again, Wilson said.
Of Victory’s 50 properties in the SU campus area, about half of the leases get passed down or re-signed every year, Wilson said. The other half are usually freed up when their tenants graduate.
Passed down leases reduce stress for leasing companies and students alike, Wilson added. This allows a leasing company to build relationships and rapport with tenants. And, Wilson said having guaranteed occupants is easier than starting every year with all new leasing groups.
It’s an experience some students who compete for leases covet.
“It definitely makes it more stressful because I know that they are guaranteed to have a house, and I don’t know if I’m gonna walk in there and they’re gonna be like, ‘Oh sorry, that’s already taken,’” SU sophomore Samantha Barnes said.
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Hoping to score a house on Madison Street, Barnes joined the Victory line at 10 a.m. on behalf of a group of four roommates. When selecting their first choice, the roommates considered price, number of bathrooms and demand from other students.
Barnes thought houses with more bathrooms would have higher demand, so she aimed for a spot with fewer bathrooms to maximize the chances of ending up with her first choice.
Students like Petti left the leasing office victorious and cheered with groups of roommates. Petti snagged her first choice on Harrison Street — ideal for its close proximity to Castle’s lively environment and her home college, the Whitman School of Management.
Barnes’ group didn’t secure their first choice of housing, she said. But, they ended up with a house she said is bigger and better. Wilson said that’s common — though telling students they can’t have the house they want is difficult, he’s usually able to provide an alternative option.
Petti said nobody warned her about the many components of a lease until right before it was time to sign. Teaching students what things like “utilities” mean and what’s in a lease for the first time is a big part of Victory’s job, Wilson said.
He enjoys working with parents to answer questions, especially because the questions students and parents have often differ, he said.
Now that Petti’s lease is signed, she said it’s a huge weight off her shoulders.
“It’s been three weeks on campus, and we’re already signing leases,” she said. “So it all happened at one moment, and it was super stressful. But I feel amazing now.”
SU junior Hailey Goldman was on an even earlier timeline; she signed her lease for one of Campus Prime’s white apartments in April.
Not all passed-down leases go through student organizations — Goldman worked her connections to find hers.
Goldman’s sorority big sister knew someone currently living in the unit she wanted for senior year, so Goldman sent him a text popping the question. Goldman said she’s wanted to live in Campus Prime’s white apartments since her freshman year, so finding someone to pass the lease to her so far ahead was a priority.
“We know that the white apartments are a very sought out location to live, especially senior year, because they’re nicer,” Goldman said. “They have the kitchen, their own rooms, their own bathroom, laundry units. So, we wanted to get ahead of it.”
Campus Prime wasn’t immediately available to comment on how it handles demand for its properties.
Passed-down houses come with some inherited nostalgia, too. Scott said a note from the first generation of CitrusTV tenants is still on a bulletin board in his kitchen, including congratulations for “crushing it” and doing great work. The previous tenants left furniture and a firepit in the backyard for the next generation to enjoy.
Rooms in Kuper’s house often stay decorated with furniture, posters and art from past residents.
“It makes me feel like it’s more of a home versus just a college apartment,” Kuper said.
