The first annual Student Housing Fair aimed to help University of Wisconsin students answer one tough question: “Where am I going to live next year”?

The event, held in the crowded Great Hall of the Memorial Union, was presented by the Associated Students of Madison and the Apartment Association of South Central Wisconsin, who have been working together to create the fair for over a year.

ASM Legislative Affairs Chair Sam Polstein was pleased by the turnout of the fair.

“It has been going really great, there are a lot of students here who are really excited, not only for the prizes and food that we have going on here, but just for the amount of properties we have represented tonight,” Polstein said.

Polstein added after only one hour of the fair beginning, the number of attendees was already in the hundreds.

Many students at the housing fair came with questions to ask the property managers at each booth.

UW freshman Trent Nelson was especially concerned about utilities and parking available.

“I made sure to ask about utilities, since some places include them and some don’t,” Nelson said. “I also wanted to know if parking is available. I work off campus right now and it would be really nice to have a car instead of having to take a 40 or 50 minute bus ride.”

Each booth, surrounded in red and white balloons, was assigned to a specific property company or landlord. Over 1,000 campus area apartments were available to choose from.

Oakbrook Corporation Downtown Property Manager Kate Wierwill said she set up several showings and signed many leases during the beginning hours of the fair.

“I think it’s a really great way for both students and property managers to link up and get all the information in one place,” Wierwill said. “It has been really successful.”

Another UW freshman Allison Werner said she was glad to talk to the representatives from the apartments face-to-face rather than just reading descriptions online.

“”I was really curious about the availability that places still have because I know a lot of people have already signed leases around campus, which is a little stressful,” Werner said.

Wierwill added she would definitely plan on returning to the fair in the years to come.

ASM is planning to make the housing fair an annual event from now on, but is hoping not so many students will have already signed leases this early in the year.

The fair was a major step for ASM’s proposed housing ordinance, which would push back the time students can start signing leases until around February, according to Polstein. As of now, early fall is when the rush begins.

Polstein said he has been working closely on the ordinance and feels the fair serves as an opportunity for students to make a slower and more educated decision on their housing.

“Students rent so early because they think there isn’t going to be anything left,” Polstein said. “The purpose of the fair is to put all the properties in one place for students to see the availability and huge amount of options.”

Polstein also added that while organizing the fair ASM was forced to turn away many property companies because of a lack of space. They are hoping to get a bigger space next year after this year’s successful test run.