My parents purchased a beautiful house three years ago in a safe neighborhood about 2 miles off-campus. I live in one room, and the other three rooms are rented out to other UMBC students. The house pays for itself with rent, and we have saved a tremendous amount in housing costs with this arrangement. The house is conveniently located within a short walking distance of a UMBC bus line and grocery store, so owning a car is not a necessity.