USC Columbia unfurnished rentals: what bring-your-own-furniture leases cost

Unfurnished places get overlooked by students who don't own much furniture yet, but they're often where you'll find houses, more space and more say over how your home actually feels. If you're looking at USC Columbia unfurnished rentals, we've pulled five from our Columbia listings page, and all five are marked as available now. That makes this a useful list for anyone planning a mid-year move or a spring-semester start.

Below you'll find each listing's price, bed and bath count, lease type and timing exactly as posted. Three of the five were posted by the property owner, one by a company and one by a student.

Begin your search at Off-Campus Universe, where you can browse current listings near Columbia.

2 Bedroom House in Rosewood Area is a 2 bedroom, 1 bath house listed at $1,650/month. It's unfurnished, listed as 5 to 10 minutes by car from campus, and offered by the owner on a 12-month year lease with timing of "10/10/2026". With a start date this recent and the listing marked available now, it's a good one to contact quickly if a small house suits you.

2 Bedroom 2 Bath Condo is a listing with 2 bedrooms and 2 baths, priced at $1,600/month. The listing is not set up to rent by the room, so that figure is for the whole unit, which works out to $800 each for two people sharing it. It's unfurnished, listed as under 5 minutes by car from campus, with timing of "8/1/2026" and a lease type listed as "Year Lease (12 Months)".

3 Bd/2.5 Ba House 127 Rosewood Hills is a larger house: 3 bedrooms and 2.5 baths, listed at $2,495/month. It's unfurnished, listed as 5 to 10 minutes by car from campus, and offered by the owner on a 12-month year lease with timing of "9/1/2026". Since that date has passed, ask the owner what move-in date and lease end they'd agree to now.

The Yards is the only apartment in the group and the only listing posted by a student. It's a 2 bedroom, 2 bath unit at $1,077/month, unfurnished and listed as under 5 minutes by car from campus. The timing reads "Now until July 2027" on an 11-month lease type, so ask the lister whether this is a lease takeover and, if so, how the landlord's approval process works.

Gervais Near Five Points / USC is a 5 bedroom, 2 bath house listed at $2,000/month. It's unfurnished, listed as under 5 minutes by car from campus, and the listing is set up to rent by the room with private rooms. The owner lists a 9-month lease type with timing of "10/1/2026". Ask how the $2,000 figure relates to individual rooms and how many are currently open.

Houses, rooms and an apartment: how these compare

This group leans toward houses. Three of the five are listed as houses, The Yards is an apartment, and the 2 Bedroom 2 Bath Condo has no property type listed. That's fairly typical of unfurnished rentals near campus, where individual owners rent out homes and expect tenants to bring their own furniture.

Lease lengths are where the real variety is. Three are standard 12-month year leases, one is listed as 11 months and one as 9 months. A 9-month lease that roughly follows the academic year can save you paying for summer months you don't need, while a full year gives you a stable place to stay if you're in Columbia over the summer. Decide which you actually need before you start comparing prices.

On distance, three are listed as under 5 minutes by car from campus and two as 5 to 10 minutes by car. Prices range from $1,077 to $2,495, but keep in mind that one of the houses is set up to rent by the room, so its figure isn't directly comparable with a whole-house rent. Ask before you compare.

USC Columbia unfurnished rentals: furnishing without overspending

USC Columbia unfurnished rentals ask a bit more of you up front, since you'll need at least a bed, a desk and somewhere to sit. That doesn't have to be expensive. Graduating students and people moving out at the end of a semester often sell furniture cheaply, and mid-December is a good time to find those listings. If you're sharing a house, split the common-area pieces with your housemates and agree in advance who keeps what when the lease ends.

Before you sign, ask the owner which appliances are included. Unfurnished usually means no beds, sofas or tables, but it can vary on things like a washer and dryer, a microwave or window coverings. Getting a clear list helps you budget and avoids buying something the owner already provides.

It's also worth asking about move-in condition. Request a walkthrough, take dated photos of each room before your things arrive, and send them to the owner by email. With an empty unfurnished space, it's easy to document everything, and that record is useful when it's time to get your deposit back.

Lastly, ask about the practical side of renting from an individual owner: how rent is paid, who handles repairs, and how quickly they usually respond. Owners can be flexible and easy to deal with, but every arrangement is different, so ask the questions upfront.

Timing-wise, late October is a smart point to start. Some of these places are open right now, which helps if you want to move before spring semester begins, and owners who rent out houses often start thinking about next fall early in the new year. If you already know your housemates for next August, have a conversation now about budget, the number of rooms you need and whether a 9-month or 12-month lease makes more sense for the group. That way you can act quickly when the right house comes up instead of scrambling in the spring.

Tips for renting an unfurnished place in Columbia

• Ask each owner for a list of included appliances so you know exactly what you'll need to buy or borrow before moving in.

• Look for second-hand furniture from students moving out in December and May, and coordinate shared pieces with your housemates.

• For room-by-room listings, confirm the per-room price, how many rooms are open and whether each tenant signs a separate lease.

• Match the lease length to your plans. A 9-month lease and a 12-month lease can work out very differently once you account for summer.

Ready to find your place? Browse all listings at Off-Campus Universe.

This article is provided by an independent housing resource and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the University of South Carolina.