I am currently holding the keys to my new home. I will officially be moving in this weekend and Monday will be the big reveal! Here is a sneak peek at the outside of the building. This might be a dead giveaway for some of you apartment enthusiasts!
In the meantime, I figured I would share some tactics that ultimately led to me finding my perfect place. I used some old favorites and found some new resources. Here is the list:
- Craigslist: Tried and true, this is always my first stop. Your perfect place might not be here but it is a good way to get an overview of the market. Seeing an assortment of properties helps to narrow down your likes, dislikes, and set price points. My new apartment was not on Craigslist.
- Property management sites: While looking through Craigslist, you may notice a theme. Many of the properties that caught my eye were managed by the same company. Searching their sites will give you more information on your favorite places and could introduce to some similar ones. My new apartment was on a property management site.
- Boots on the ground: If you are dead set on a specific neighborhood, take a Saturday to simply walk around. You will be surprised by the amount of “for rent” and “now leasing” signs. This is a great option if you are local, but tough if you are coming from out of town. I spotted my new place while strolling through one of my favorite neighborhoods.
- Apartminty: Apartminty is one of the latest apartment searching tools. It is extremely simple and eliminates a ton of leg work. Simply put in a few specifications, hit submit, and Apartminity connects you with landlords that have available rentals, matching your criteria. They also have great advice on approaching the rental process. Seeing my new place on Apartminty was really the key to making my decision. I could not get this building out of my head! My new apartment was on Apartminty.
5. Urban Igloo: Urban Igloo is probably one of the most hands on options out there. They set you up with a renting consultant and line up showings for you. My new apartment was not on Urban Igloo.
