March 11, 2026
Summer 2026 Leasing Update – March 18th – FAQs – Update on 1BD / Studio Units
March 18th update from our leasing team!
Hi everyone, we will take a pause on all open house showings during Spring Break (March 23 – March 27). We will have more listings coming up when everyone returns so please check back on our main page for more fresh listings. We will have more units available.
LOW INVENTORY of STUDIOS and 1-BEDROOM units
Please note that these are the most compeitive type of units we have for any move-in date (between June – August).. We also have very limited #s of these unit sizes as most of our unit inventory is 2, 3, and 4-Bedroom unit sizing and these unit types may not exist at some properties at all. Less than 10% of our unit makeup is Studios and 1-Bedroom units.
Most studios / 1-Bedroom units will rent after the first open house showing. If you are interested in these units we highly recommend applying within (1) business day after the showing!
Here are some common questions we have from prospects
Why Rent from North Berkeley Properties?
- We have been managing properties locally for 20+ years in Berkeley
- Read testimonials from our past / current residents – Reddit Posts
- We believe in transparent pricing and do not price units by person by bed
- No hidden fees! We do not charge for amenity fees or pass-through utility billing or valet trash, etc. (see below)
- We do not charge up front application fees – application fees are only charged when an applicant group is offered a unit and accepts the offer
- Most of our properties are rent controlled
- Locally managed properties – We have a local Berkeley office you can actually visit and reach a live person on the phone or email! Not a corporate conglomerate / real estate investment trust owned property you can never reach a live person by phone with just a PO Box somewhere
- Dedicated resident portal for submitting repairs online / online rent payments
- Most buildings have parking on-site or at adjacent nearby properties. We prioritize our residents for parking space rentals and do not rent to non-residents per policy. New construction / furnished apartment buildings may not have parking available since they were built ‘car-free’ or with limited parking.
How do I attend an open house showing? What should I keep in mind?
There is no need to RSVP for any of our open house showings. Attendees just attend the showing and someone will be on hand to provide access and signs will typically be posted. Please note that you can arrive anytime during the scheduled time window (eg: 1:00-1:30pm showing – arrival 1:15, 1:20pm OK) but please note that we close up the showing at the last / end time so it’s advised that you may arrive a few minutes before then.
Please note that most apartments we show are occupied units with current residents living in them. These are not vacant model units. We ask that attendees be respectful of the personal belongings of the current occupants. In some cases we may ask for shoes to be taken off or leave food / drinks outside. Also, we may not be able to reschedule an open house or do multiple private showings since these units are occupied.
How do I apply for unit after viewing a unit?
We have a detailed section online about our application process here
Please note that there are application links for both AP Management and North Berkeley Properties – applicants should double check the listing to make sure they are submitting the correct application
Do you price units by the bed / room / per person?
NO, All our units are typically priced for the ENTIRE APARTMENT – unless otherwise clearly noted (eg: roommate search ads most common). We pride ourselves on transparent pricing and not doing ‘teaser rate’ pricing or luring in prospects in a listing for a 2-Bedroom saying $1200+/month but then only disclosing that’s its ‘per bed’ when someone shows up to a viewing.
If a 2-Bedroom is listed at $3,200/mo it’s for the entire unit. Occupants / leaseholders can choose how they wish to divide up the rent for their household / group living situation.
When will apartments be posted online for July / August 2026 rentals?
These residents may not give us notice until later in the season (30 – 60-days notice). However, lease end dates ending June and July are also a bit more rare so we do not have as many units with these lease start dates vs June move-ins.
Applicants should double check the listing to make sure they are not submitting an application for a June only apartment and listing August as their move-in.
Do you have any furnished units?
Most of our units are unfurnished at this time. UC Berkeley affiliates may qualify for a discount from certain companies – here
Are most of your properties rent controlled?
Yes, nearly all of our properties and managed properties fall under rent control. We guarantee that the first renewal will be at the same rate. Please see below for some other notes on rent controlled properties and non rent controlled.
Do your properties have parking spaces for rent for your residents?
Most locations we manage have parking on-site and those that do not have any or are full we can rent spaces to residents at buildings within the area. Parking spaces are typically rented separately specific to the vehicle user on a month to month lease agremeent not tied in with the apartment lease so it can be started / ended independenly when needed.
By early-mid August we can usually accommodate most residents that need parking into our properties. More information on our parking policies are listed online here – Parking Info
Contrary to information posted online or word of mouth we DO NOT rent parking spaces to non-residents. Due to limited parking for our own residents and recent trends with City policies re: removal of on-street parking spaces / construction of car-free buildings we no longer rent spaces to non-residents. This policy has been in place since 2017 and we do not forsee it changing anytime soon.
What are some common differences between rent controlled and non-rent controlled properties?
Rent Controlled Properties
- Rent will remain the same for the first renewal
- Avg rents are typically lower
- No utility pass-through billing for residents (water, trash, etc. unless they are separately metered cannot be split and shared as as a fractional utility with the entire building)
- Most rent controlled properties have rents regulated for the ENTIRE UNIT. The rent you see on our website is for the entire apartment – it is is NOT a per person amount, per bed, per room, etc.
Non-Rent Controlled Properties
- Rent can increase after the lease ends (no rent control / limit)
- Avg rents are typically higher
- Utility pass-through billing is allowable. Buildings may take the common area water bill and pass though the bill by dividing it up for every unit or person) – this may be a utility usage out of your control (eg: water leak, neighbor has higher usage, etc.).
- Fees / surcharges, Rents by the Bed – rent is often by the room, by the bed, or per person
Do you charge any additional amenity, renter’s insurance, amenity, valet trash, etc. fees?
NO! We believe in transparent pricing and do not charge or require these sorts of fees.
From one-time pet application fees and move-in fees to monthly pest control fees, utility administration fees, and amenity fees – the list goes on and on. Do you know what a monthly ‘master policy premium due’ fee is?
.
What are the average prices for upcoming units (rent controlled)?
Studios
$1,350-1,700
1-Bedrooms
1,700-2,500
2-Bedrooms
2,700-3,500
3-Bedrooms
3,600-4,600
4-Bedrooms
4,500-5,400
** Note these are averages from various units and buildings we manage across Berkeley in different buildings / neighborhoods (most within 1-mile of the Cal campus) **
Should I wait for an apartment or lock-in a Cal Housing / UC Berkeley campus apartment option now?
Whether you wait and defer looking for housing or lock in an option early can be a personal preference worth considering. Many prospects have been worried about finding an available apartment in years past but we note that we have been able to accommodate most prospects that apply with us to an available unit during each season.
Please note that most dorm/apt contracts signed with Cal Housing cannot be canceled unless you have certain extenuating circumstances. Just because you found a cheaper housing option elsewhere later on you are likely stuck with your housing option. The responsibility of finding a replacement may fall on you to either cover the remainder of the dorm / campus apartment contract or find a replacement to take it over.
Reddit Sources:
https://www.reddit.com/r/berkeley/comments/1ex2qa5/housing_cancellation/
https://www.reddit.com/r/berkeley/comments/1erjg1p/anyone_gone_through_cal_housing_cancellation/
https://www.reddit.com/r/berkeley/comments/1ekfyua/urgent_housing_problem/
https://www.reddit.com/r/berkeley/comments/1i9yp6t/cancelation_for_on_campus_contract/
https://www.reddit.com/r/berkeley/comments/1j5hfmq/chances_for_successful_housing_contract/
https://www.reddit.com/r/berkeley/comments/159xkwz/housing_cancellation/
From UC Berkeley Housing: Housing Cancellation Process
Housing contract cancellations are not automatically granted and depend on specific conditions. In most cases, a cancellation request can only be approved if an eligible replacement is found to take over the contract. The replacement must be a registered student, not currently living in University housing, and eligible for the assigned room type and location. If no students are on the housing waiting list or accept an offer for your space, finding a replacement is unlikely
Are you able to update me when units will become available? Can you contact me when an open house will be scheduled?
We are a small office and due to staffing / website limitations we are unable to reach out to every prospect about available units. We will post all our available rentals online here as soon as they are known.
How much do utilities cost for an average apartment?
This can be complex to answer since energy rates now vary seasonally and by time of use and also with various rate plans and ‘community energy / renewal energy providers’ now offered in the area.
The local electric and gas utility provider is PG&E and per the State of California customers are offered variable ‘time of use’ energy rate plans and in Berkeley they are also auto enrolled in Ava Community Energy’s ‘Renewable 100’ energy rate plan.
You may be able to compare / lower rate plans by going here – Ava Energy
PG&E’s time of use rate plans can be compared here – PG&E Rates
Are you able to assist me with finding an apartment / home?
We do not currently offer this service at this time. This is uncommon on the West Coast / California (vs New York / East Coast). We currently only know of one company that does this that we are not affiliated with and have no direct endorsement of below.