How to Find an Apartment in a New City
You're feeling adventurous and have decided to move to a new city, but finding an apartment can be an adventure all its own. Read on to find out how to make your apartment search a smooth one so that you'll be all set up in your new place in no time.
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Instructions
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Choose two or three main cities and several neighborhoods within those cities that you're considering living in.
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Decide on a price range for your monthly rent. Remember to factor in the cost of living in each city.
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Prioritize the apartment amenities: the number of bedrooms and bathrooms in the apartment, if the landlord allows pets and if the apartment is equipped with air conditioning, a dish washer, a washer and dryer, high speed Internet, a pool or a garage. Decide which of these amenities are necessary.
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Search Craigslist, Apartments.com and Rent.com websites for apartments in the different cities you're considering. All of these sites are free to use and provide a wide selection of apartments in various price ranges as well as lists of apartment amenities.
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Contact the owners or rental agents for the apartments that you're most interested in and schedule appointments to view them.
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Visit the top one or two cities that you're considering and tour many apartments in different neighborhoods.
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Inspect your top two to three apartments thoroughly before committing to one, and make sure that you fully understand the lease before signing it.
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Tips & Warnings
Keep your priority list handy while you're searching online and when you visit the apartments in person so that you can check if the apartments you're interested in include all of the necessary amenities.
When you call and visit the apartment complexes that you're considering, note if the staff is helpful or rude. A helpful staff will be more pleasant to work with if you have issues after you move in.
When visiting the apartments, pay close attention to the surrounding neighborhood to make sure that it's safe. Ask other tenants if they enjoy living there and if they have any major complaints about the building, the management or the neighborhood.
When inspecting the apartment, make sure that all of the appliances work, check the hot water, test the locks and locate the fire escape.
