USF off campus housing in Tampa: what's listed right now

Close to campus, short on time, and trying to sort out spring? This roundup of USF off campus housing in Tampa pulls five current listings from the Tampa listings page, and every one of them is listed as under 5 minutes by car from campus. That keeps the distance question simple, so you can focus on what actually separates them: the lease, the timing and the price.

Three of the five are subleases, which makes sense for late October. People who are graduating, studying abroad or moving for an internship start posting their spots for spring right about now. The other two are year leases starting in November, for anyone who wants something longer.

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

Derby Unit – The Standard At Tampa is a furnished apartment with 4 bedrooms and 4 bathrooms, listed at $1,250/month. It's a Sub Lease with timing listed as 10/1/2026, and the listing shows it as open now. Since you'd be stepping into someone else's lease, ask who you'd pay each month and whether the property needs to approve you before you move in.

Spring Sublease at The Standard is a furnished apartment with 1 bedroom and 1 bathroom at $1,200/month. The timing is listed as 1/1/2027 on a Sub Lease, so it's aimed squarely at the spring semester. A one-bedroom means no roommates to coordinate with. Ask when the original lease ends so you know whether you'd need a new place for summer.

Sunridge Palms Condo is an unfurnished condo with 2 bedrooms and 2.5 bathrooms, listed at $1,900/month on a Year Lease (12 Months). Timing is listed as 11/1/2026. The room type is a private room and the listing is set up to rent by the room, so ask the lister to confirm exactly what you'd be paying and which spaces are shared.

Pickleball Paradise is an unfurnished apartment with 5 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms at $4,000/month, on a Year Lease (12 Months) with timing listed as 11/1/2026. The room type is a private room and the listing is set up to rent by the room. With five bedrooms sharing three bathrooms, it's worth asking how the place is set up day to day and how the rent is split.

14500 N 46th St is a furnished apartment with 1 bedroom and 1 bathroom at $879/month. It's a Sub Lease with timing listed as January to July 2027, which covers spring and most of the summer. That's the lowest listed rent in this group, and the dates fit neatly if you're staying in Tampa for a summer class or job.

Subleases versus year leases near USF

A sublease and a year lease solve different problems. A sublease lets you take over the rest of someone's term, usually furnished, often for a single semester. A year lease starts fresh with the property and runs for 12 months. Both show up here, all listed as under 5 minutes by car from campus.

Subleases tend to be the faster route for spring. You can move in, finish the semester and leave without committing to another full year. The trade-off is that you're working with two parties: the person leaving and the property or landlord behind the original lease. Ask early how the handoff works, because a sublease that isn't approved can fall apart close to move-in.

Year leases give you more stability and more say in the details. They also mean planning for summer. If you won't be in Tampa from May to August, ask whether the lease allows you to sublease your own room later.

Notice that one sublease here, at $1,250/month, has a listed start of 10/1/2026 and shows as open now, while the others are dated for November or January. If you need somewhere before the end of the fall semester, that narrows things quickly. If you're planning for spring, you have more choices, but spots can get claimed before winter break, so it pays to reach out to listers in the next few weeks rather than waiting until December.

USF off campus housing in Tampa: questions worth asking

Before you commit to any USF off campus housing in Tampa, have the same short list of questions ready for every lister. That way you're comparing like with like, rather than relying on whichever listing has the best photos or the fastest reply.

Start with the dates. Each listing gives its own timing, from 10/1/2026 to January to July 2027, and those dates decide a lot. Ask for the exact move-in and move-out days, whether there's any flexibility, and what happens if your plans shift by a few weeks.

Then get clear on cost. Two of these listings are set up to rent by the room, and for those it's worth having the lister spell out what your share is and what the listed figure represents. For the rest, the price is the monthly rent for the listing. In every case, ask which utilities and fees are extra so you can compare totals.

Furnishing is the last big variable. Three of the five are furnished, which helps a lot if you're arriving in January with a suitcase. For the two unfurnished options, add the cost of a bed, desk and basics to your budget before deciding which one actually costs less.

It also helps to think about who you'd be living with. In a 4-bedroom or 5-bedroom place, you're likely sharing a kitchen and living room with people you haven't met. Ask the lister how many people currently live there, how chores and shared bills are handled, and whether you can talk to the current residents before you sign. A one-bedroom avoids all of that, and in this group the two one-bedroom subleases are actually among the lower listed rents.

Last, keep a simple side-by-side note for each listing: rent, lease type, dates, furnished or not, and what the lister told you about utilities. It takes ten minutes and makes the final decision much easier.

Tips for a smooth spring move near USF

• For any sublease, ask for a copy of the original lease terms and confirm whether the property needs to sign off on you.

• Put move-in and move-out dates in writing, especially for terms that start on 1/1/2027 or run into summer.

• Ask each lister which utilities, internet and fees sit on top of the listed rent, and compare totals rather than headline prices.

• See the place in person or on a live video call before you pay a deposit, and keep records of every payment you make.

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 Florida.