Loading ...Looking for an Apartment – When to Start
Knowing when to start looking for a new apartment is key. It will result in your getting a better deal, both with the quality of the apartment and the amount of rent you pay. Timing is everything in life, especially when you are looking for an apartment.
Management companies will be able to show you model units or similar units several months in advance.
Private owners tend to advertise 30 to 60 days prior to vacancy. The unit gets listed when they receive the 30-day notice from their tenants. Sometimes it is listed 60 days in advance when they have a vacant unit that will be renovated or when they already know the tenants are not renewing the lease.
For most moving dates I would recommend starting 60 days in advance.
For high-demand moving dates, especially September 1st, you can’t start too early. I would say start your search around February.
Starting your search early gives you a better idea of what you can get for your price range and it also gives you an edge on the rest of the competition when you get first dibs on units that have just hit the market for later dates.
Another advantage of renting early is price negotiations. Finding an apartment 30-45 days in advance puts you in the driver’s seat to negotiate the price down. As opposed to finding an apartment a week or two before your moving date which gives the landlord the upper hand.
Management companies will often have specials early in each season to try and entice early seekers to secure a lease. Take advantage and start early! Good luck.
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