LOCAL REALTOR
Chris Barr
Broker | Team Leader, Keller Williams Legacy
UNC-area real estate guidance
The short answer
Separate school demand evidence from the economics and restrictions of the specific property you are considering. This guide organizes 25 sourced questions for University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Prepare your next decision
- Check the source date and scope of enrollment or housing-demand claims.
- Obtain property-specific rent evidence, operating costs and applicable occupancy or rental restrictions.
- Compare financing, vacancy, maintenance and exit assumptions before treating asking prices as an investment return.
What was UNC-CH total enrollment on the official fall 2024 reporting date?
32,680 students (12,931 men + 19,749 women).
Source guidance recorded on 2026-10-15. Explicitly stated source periods: 2024. Confirm the applicable policy year, cohort and property jurisdiction before relying on time-sensitive facts.
How many undergraduates were enrolled full-time in fall 2024?
20,124 (7,847 men + 12,277 women).
Source guidance recorded on 2026-10-15. Explicitly stated source periods: 2024. Confirm the applicable policy year, cohort and property jurisdiction before relying on time-sensitive facts.
How many undergraduates were enrolled part-time in fall 2024?
951 (430 men + 521 women).
Source guidance recorded on 2026-10-15. Explicitly stated source periods: 2024. Confirm the applicable policy year, cohort and property jurisdiction before relying on time-sensitive facts.
How many graduate students were enrolled in fall 2024?
11,605 (4,654 men + 6,951 women).
Source guidance recorded on 2026-10-15. Explicitly stated source periods: 2024. Confirm the applicable policy year, cohort and property jurisdiction before relying on time-sensitive facts.
How many first-time, first-year full-time undergraduates were enrolled in fall 2024?
4,632 (1,750 men + 2,882 women).
Source guidance recorded on 2026-10-15. Explicitly stated source periods: 2024. Confirm the applicable policy year, cohort and property jurisdiction before relying on time-sensitive facts.
What share of first-time first-years lived in college-owned/operated/affiliated housing?
99% in the CDS table (fall 2024 reporting convention).
Source guidance recorded on 2026-10-15. Explicitly stated source periods: 2024. Confirm the applicable policy year, cohort and property jurisdiction before relying on time-sensitive facts.
What share of undergraduates lived off campus or commuted?
57% in the CDS table; 43% lived in college-owned/operated/affiliated housing.
Source guidance recorded on 2026-10-15. Confirm the applicable policy year, cohort and property jurisdiction before relying on time-sensitive facts.
What share of first-time first-years lived off campus or commuted?
1% in the CDS table.
Source guidance recorded on 2026-10-15. Confirm the applicable policy year, cohort and property jurisdiction before relying on time-sensitive facts.
What was the published 2025–26 on-campus room-and-board basis?
$15,038 for a full-time undergraduate; room-only $8,570 and board-only $6,468.
Source guidance recorded on 2026-10-15. Explicitly stated source periods: 2025–26. Confirm the applicable policy year, cohort and property jurisdiction before relying on time-sensitive facts.
Are first-year students required to live on campus or Granville Towers?
Yes, for the duration of their first academic year; summer residency does not count.
Source guidance recorded on 2026-10-15. Confirm the applicable policy year, cohort and property jurisdiction before relying on time-sensitive facts.
What are the stated exemptions to the first-year live-on rule?
The official page says exemptions may be granted for qualifying criteria and requires a waiver form with supporting documentation.
Source guidance recorded on 2026-10-15. Confirm the applicable policy year, cohort and property jurisdiction before relying on time-sensitive facts.
How many residential communities does Carolina Housing list?
14 named communities are listed: Carmichael, Cobb, Connor, Craige, Ehringhaus, Hinton James, Kenan, Lower Quad, Manning East, Manning West, Morrison, Parker, Ram Village, Upper Quad.
Source guidance recorded on 2026-10-15. Confirm the applicable policy year, cohort and property jurisdiction before relying on time-sensitive facts.
Does Carolina Housing currently indicate new on-campus supply?
Yes. The homepage says construction is underway on two new residence halls at the former Jackson Hall/North Campus Recreation Complex site.
Source guidance recorded on 2026-10-15. Confirm the applicable policy year, cohort and property jurisdiction before relying on time-sensitive facts.
What apartment formats does Baity Hill offer?
1-bedroom/1-bath, 2-bedroom/1-bath, and 2-bedroom/2-bath apartments.
Source guidance recorded on 2026-10-15. Confirm the applicable policy year, cohort and property jurisdiction before relying on time-sensitive facts.
Who is eligible for Baity Hill graduate/family housing?
All full-time graduate students, plus undergraduate or graduate students living with family members.
Source guidance recorded on 2026-10-15. Confirm the applicable policy year, cohort and property jurisdiction before relying on time-sensitive facts.
What does Chapel Hill say its housing/code enforcement function includes?
Issuing permits, conducting inspections, and enforcing building codes and regulations.
Source guidance recorded on 2026-10-15. Confirm the applicable policy year, cohort and property jurisdiction before relying on time-sensitive facts.
Where does Chapel Hill direct applicants for permit applications?
To the Town Planning/Development Services permit-applications page.
Source guidance recorded on 2026-10-15. Confirm the applicable policy year, cohort and property jurisdiction before relying on time-sensitive facts.
What is Orange County’s official planning/inspection permit entry point?
The county Planning & Inspections page links to the central permit portal for residential and commercial permits and submitted development materials.
Source guidance recorded on 2026-10-15. Confirm the applicable policy year, cohort and property jurisdiction before relying on time-sensitive facts.
What does Orange County’s flood permit application require for flood-zone due diligence?
It requires the actual flood zone, map panel/index dates, regulatory-floodway status, and base flood elevation.
Source guidance recorded on 2026-10-15. Confirm the applicable policy year, cohort and property jurisdiction before relying on time-sensitive facts.
What elevation standard applies to new residential development in a special flood hazard area?
The reference level, including basement, must be elevated no lower than two feet above the regulatory flood level.
Source guidance recorded on 2026-10-15. Confirm the applicable policy year, cohort and property jurisdiction before relying on time-sensitive facts.
Is new development in the regulatory floodway allowed under the county flood application instructions?
No; the form expressly says new development within the regulatory floodway is prohibited.
Source guidance recorded on 2026-10-15. Confirm the applicable policy year, cohort and property jurisdiction before relying on time-sensitive facts.
What must be on file before occupancy of a permitted floodplain structure?
An elevation and/or floodproofing certificate signed by a professional engineer or registered land surveyor showing as-built elevations.
Source guidance recorded on 2026-10-15. Confirm the applicable policy year, cohort and property jurisdiction before relying on time-sensitive facts.
Where should an investor check Orange County parcel/land-record information?
The county’s GIS/Addressing/Land Records page is the official starting point; the county also links its interactive GIS search.
Source guidance recorded on 2026-10-15. Confirm the applicable policy year, cohort and property jurisdiction before relying on time-sensitive facts.
What occupancy limit should a Chapel Hill housing investor check before leasing to unrelated students?
UNC’s off-campus guidance states that Chapel Hill has a four-unrelated-persons occupancy limit; confirm the current ordinance and property-specific application before relying on it.
Source guidance recorded on 2026-10-15. Confirm the applicable policy year, cohort and property jurisdiction before relying on time-sensitive facts.
What current Housing Choices standards should an investor check for an accessory apartment?
For an accessory apartment, the Town page says there may be no more than one per zoning lot; if the house and detached apartment are on their own sublots, up to four unrelated people may live in each; and one parking space is required per accessory-apartment bedroom. The address must still be checked against the zoning map and use matrix.
Source guidance recorded on 2026-10-15. Confirm the applicable policy year, cohort and property jurisdiction before relying on time-sensitive facts.
Sources & editorial context
University housing information is organized from the linked sources, with its original review date shown. Rates, deadlines and availability can change; use the applicable academic year and check the source before committing. CollegeHousing.ai is independent of University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Get help with your next decision
Chris Barr, Broker | Team Leader at Keller Williams Legacy, is the local real estate contact. Matt Dean, NEXA Lending, NMLS #227603, is the financing contact.