If you are on the make for a mate, high-density living in a hot town may be all the right moves you'll need to find your heart throb.

High-density housing gives you better than a one in five chance that you are looking for love in at least one of the right places.

What's more, Cupid frequents certain towns more often than others.

According to recent survey by Apartments.com, more than 21 percent of renters say they have been in a relationship with someone they met while living in the same apartment building.

Forget, for a moment, that advice about what not to do in your own backyard.

Apartment, condo and town home complexes, with their workout rooms, spas, swimming pools, wireless stations and online groups, chats and other tech connections, may make for magnificent meet markets.

Just the close proximity with others gives you a parade of potential partners.

More than 16 percent said they currently have a secret crush on someone who lives in the same apartment building and more than 24 percent state they have had a crush on someone who works at their apartment community, according to the study.

The survey concedes, however, the general consensus among renters is against a relationship in such close proximity. If there's a break up, the relationship goes away, but those who split may not.

But, hey, who can hear over the din of a throbbing heart?

Three percent of those responding to the survey met their spouse while living in the same apartment building.

Perhaps you can improve your odds of finding your soul mate by choosing a high-density home in one of the nation's best dating cities.

Bert Sperling's "America’s Best (and Worst) Cities for Dating" study is based on a variety of factors including the percentage of singles ages 18-24, population density, and dating venues (concerts, coffee shops, bars, bowling alleys, etc.) per capita.

Certain cities associated with a night life, partying and hooking up -- Los Angeles and Miami -- did not score well as domains of dating, according to Sperling

Top towns for doing the town with a date were more likely to be heavy-populated college towns where it's easy for young singles to connect.

Where are those free love locales? The top 10 out of 80 towns examined for dating games, were:

Austin, TX; Colorado Springs, CO; San Diego, CA; Raleigh/Durham, NC; Seattle, WA; Charleston, SC; Norfolk, VA; Ann Arbor, MI; Springfield, MA and Honolulu, HI.

Keep in mind, just because someone hot lives nearby that doesn't mean you can stalk them into becoming yours.

Dating a neighbor requires a mix of flirtatious aplomb, crafty discretion and knowing when to back off.

Relationship expert Sarah Preston offers this advice for heating things up close to home:

• Play detective. You have a better chance of meeting someone in your community, around the community rather than at one of the nearby watering holes. Figure out his or her schedule, hang around the lobby when you know he or she's coming home from work. Be friendly, smile, hold the elevator, and make sure you look cute that day, but don't stalk them to their unit. Other common areas are good meeting places. Turn on the charm.

• Get a room. Keep your hands to yourself in common areas to avoid embarrassing (envious?) looks. You are just steps away from your own home. What happens behind closed doors can stay behind closed doors.

• Prepare yourself for the dump. If you can't handle seeing your ex with another lover, stay away from apartment action. Breakups are hard enough. Don't add hating your home to your grief.

Published: February 14, 2007

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A journalist for 35-years, Broderick Perkins parlayed an old-school daily newspaper career into a digital news service offering editorial content and consulting services. Perkins' San Jose, CA-based DeadlineNews Group includes the flagship news site, DeadlineNews.Com, offering real estate, personal finance and consumer journalism, and a backshop, the Deadline Newsroom.