How to Find an Apartment in a Different City When You're on a Tight Schedule

Written by Posted On Thursday, 21 December 2017 10:50

Have you suddenly been offered a job in a new city, with a month or less to make the move? Or is your current company relocating you on a schedule that will leave you just a few days to make a decision about where to live?

Quick moves can happen for several reasons. Maybe you’re getting married, but you and your partner’s schedules don’t leave much time for apartment hunting. Maybe you’re going back to school, but have to work until there are just a few weeks to spare to find an apartment.

Don’t panic. Yes, finding an apartment in a different city when you’re on a tight schedule can be daunting. But people do it all the time and live happily ever after. Here’s how.

1. Make a List of Desired Features

You need to whittle down the entire city to find the apartments you can comfortably live in. So the first step is to make a list of what you want your apartment to have in terms of features and amenities. First, brainstorm a list of everything you’d like to have. Is it pet-friendly, for example? Swimming pool and health club? Gardens on the roof? Historic charm? Washer and dryer in your apartment, or at least in the building? A commute of 30 minutes or less?

Then, divide this brainstorm list into two parts. The first is the features it must have. If you’re never giving up Kitty Boots, for example, you need to have a place that allows pets. The second is the features you’d like to have, but feel are negotiable. Maybe you’d love a swimming pool, but you’d also be willing to join a nearby health club if everything else about the apartment is ideal.

Armed with this list, you are one step closer to finding a place fast.

2. Determine Your Budget

There’s no point in looking at apartments — online or in person — you know you won’t be able to afford. To make sure you’re not wasting time that way, determine your housing budget. Does it need to be roughly what it is now? Are you getting a raise that can hike your housing expenses?

Be sure to factor in move-in expenses. Many apartments require first and last month's’ rent, plus a security deposit. Yes, these are not part of your monthly housing expenses, but they will be part of your yearly expenditures. Also, moving itself is expensive. For these costs, be sure to budget on the high side. Better to be pleasantly surprised that you’ve spent less than you budgeted than completely strapped for cash in your first few months.

sunny apartment building

3. Define Your Neighborhoods

It’s a very good idea to get a sense of what neighborhoods would work for you. Many city magazines and newspapers run features on neighborhoods, highlighting their history, charms and outstanding features. It’s a good idea to look at these. If you want a short commute or to be close to public transport, you’ll need to be in a centrally located neighborhood. If you like to hang out and listen to music after work, it’s good to be in a neighborhood with lots of nightly entertainment.

Be sure to look at everything that could impact your life. Are there parks in the neighborhood? Bike or hiking trails? What is the crime rate? Are there farmers’ markets or community gardens? If you have children, what is the school district like?

4. Use a Rental Agency

Fortunately enough, rental agencies exist to serve people like you: moving to a new area, but time-strapped. Armed with your desired features, budget and neighborhood(s), an agent scours the area to find places that meet those parameters. They can provide personalized, customized advice because they live in the same city.

However, many rental agencies, send out general lists that may or may not interest you. Find one that will give you personalized service you via email or online chat, or meet you in person if you prefer.

5. Look Online

Remember, apartment hunting is a form of shopping. And nothing has made shopping more convenient and efficient than online methods of searching and choosing. You can look at apartments that meet your parameters in 15-minute increments if you’re strapped for time, or spend an entire Saturday afternoon narrowing things down.

The real estate sector, including landlords and agents, have totally embraced the web’s ability to picture the product! You will likely find multiple pictures of both the exterior and interior of apartments. You can use Google Maps to find the location and get pictures of the surrounding area. Looking at apartments and areas online can really cut down your time on the ground.

Need to find an apartment in a new city, but don’t have much time to do it? Follow these five steps to establish the type of apartment you need, the features you’d like, what you can pay and where you’d like to land. Use a rental agent or look online. Happy hunting!

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Megan Wild

Hey there! I'm Megan, I'm a home improvement writer, blogger, and real estate investor and observer. Check out my posts for housing trends and latest happenings in U.S. and Pennsylvania!

www.yourwildhome.com

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