Gene Dalton | The Roanoke Times

Incoming Virginia Tech students at summer orientation.

Now that freshmen coming to Virginia Tech have the option to live off campus, Blacksburg property managers are champing at the bit to lease to them.

"I would have loved to have grabbed a whole bunch of freshmen who would stay with me for four years," said Kathryn Oddo, a representative of Aspen Realty who also rents her own properties.

On Tuesday, Tech administrators notified freshmen that they could opt out of their housing contracts. Administrators made the same offer to upperclassmen June 13.

Although older students have snagged much of Oddo's rental property, including apartments in a large complex across from campus, she said she can't imagine it would be difficult for anyone to find living quarters in town.

"I see signs everywhere that places are available," she said. "I can't imagine there's not enough places. I think you just have to be resourceful."

But big-name leasing agents such as Price Real Estate say newcomers better hurry. That agency is nearly at 100 percent occupancy and only has about three places ready to rent for July, said manager Jennifer Davis.

On Wednesday, no students had called asking to be released from their housing contracts, said Kenneth Belcher, Tech's associate director of occupancy management.

This is just the second time in 25 years that freshmen, who are required by university policy to stay on campus unless they're married or older, have been given the option to leave. The university would be about 450 beds short if school were open now, administrators have said.

Students who want out of their housing contracts will receive a refund on their housing deposit as well as $150 they can use for campus dining.

The school's goal is to start the fall semester with about 100 to 150 students in temporary housing -- converted student lounges or shared rooms with resident advisers.

Belcher said the university plans to work with all students wishing to stay off campus so they can find a spot. They've already sent packets of information to students about where to look.

"There are a number of options for students who want to live off campus," he said. "We're not too worried about the availability. We will take care of them if they want to stay on campus, too."

To help serve those looking in and around town, the university is advertising its off-campus housing Web site, uusa.vt.edu/uusaServices/OCH/rentals/vtoch.htm, and promoting housing with printed books and message boards in the student services building.

Although Oddo said some real estate managers have opted not to advertise on the Web site this year because of increased fees, Belcher said other companies have asked the university to include them since Wednesday.

Oddo suspects that, either way, Internet-savvy students will be able to find abodes.

Housing group Raines Property Management still has more than 75 properties available, said office manager Fay Quesenberry. Raines has more than 700 properties in Blacksburg.

But people looking to live closer to campus better hurry. Those prime spots are usually the first to go, managers said.

Students might have better luck hunting with high-volume property managers, but even smaller advertising spots such as Craigslist boast handfuls of apartments.

One manager of sold-out properties who rents to college students said that's because even older students didn't seem to attack housing as early this year.

Typically, housing outlets sign leases as early as January and even in the previous fall, said Mark Roop, manager of Stonegate Apartments.

"Students are waiting longer this year to find a place to live because tragedy cut into their normal schedules," Roop said.