Complete guide to finding an apartment

Finding a new apartment can drum up a whole range of feelings: excitement, optimism, dread, relief, or simply a sense of meh. No matter where you’re at, this handy apartment-hunting guide will help make exploring new apartments, neighborhoods, or cities feel totally manageable—and maybe even a little fun.

Explore our guide to learn how to find an apartment that suits your budget and give yourself the best chance to get the place you want. (Even if you are a first-time renter and have marginal credit, you can find a good apartment.) Read on to map out your budget, search for an apartment, learn about renters insurance, and gather the information you need to apply for an apartment.

While the housing market experienced some unique trends in 2020, those who watch the market believe that many high-rent areas will rebound. Zillow, for example, anticipates “a rental market resurgence in 2021, with rents increasing, concessions offered by landlords fading, and demand for rental housing strengthening.”  So, you may want to try to lock in good rates and terms now.

Maybe you moved “home” in 2020 and are ready to find your own apartment. Good news, now is the perfect time to start looking. Many areas are aggressively seeking new residents.

Finding an apartment: How to do it

You picked a good time for finding a new apartment. LCOL areas are offering incentives for people to relocate. HCOL areas are seeking renters to fill vacant apartments. Growing cities are adding brand-new apartment communities. Apartment renters have a lot of choices. 

Even if you have less than perfect credit or no rental history, you can still find a nice apartment in a trendy area in your chosen town. Explore our finding apartment topics to help you find the best rental that suits your lifestyle. Moving to a new city? Have a dog? Looking for a cheap apartment? We have answers for you.

How to find an apartment topics:

Set a realistic rental budget

First thing first. You need to figure out how much rent you can afford. Experts recommend that renters spend no more than 30 percent of their income on rent. For example, if you make $4,000 per month, you should set a $1,200 or less rent budget. 

While many people choose to pay more, it puts them at greater risk. Spending more than 30 percent means you may not have enough to consistently cover your rent, pay for other living expenses or build savings. If something goes wrong—illness, job loss, car repair—you could be in a really tough spot.

Rent Budget Examples

You make per hour	Monthly Income	Max Rent (30 percent of income)
$7.25	$1,257	$377
$15	$2,600	$780
$30	$5,200	$1,560
$60	$10,400	$3,120

How much the landlord can change may vary by your local housing laws. However, it’s usually just a few hundred dollars. Quite often, the cleaning deposit is for expenses such as professional carpet cleaning. 

However, they cannot charge you for normal “wear and tear.” Standard “wear and tear” includes things such as,

• Normal carpet wear
• Faded paint
• Aged appliances
• Faded window coverings
• Broken or missing light bulbs
• Replacement of smoke detector batteries

To better understand what the cleaning deposit covers, review the lease agreement.

Best apartment search apps for finding an apartment

Most property managers and landlords post available apartment vacancies online. Popular high-volume apartment search sites provide apartment information for locations in all areas.

The best offer unique search filters so you can find an apartment that suits your needs, such as apartments with gyms, pet-friendly units, apartments close to transportation, or apartment units with fiber optic internet available. Some even provide video “walkthroughs.”

Nationwide apartment search sites

• Zillow and Trulia: These are two large apartment search sites. Zillow owns Trulia.
• Apartments.com: This is a nationwide search site endorsed by Jeff Goldblum, so it has to be good, right?
• Zumper: Using Zumper, you can apply for apartments online and get real-time alerts if an apartment with your preferences opens up.
• Realtor: This website makes it easy to filter properties. You can look for pet-friendly places, units with washers and dryers, apartments with gyms, and more.
• Apartment List: Using this service, you can easily sort search results to match your needs. It sorts based on your most sought-after features first.

Locally listed apartment search sites

• Facebook marketplace: Here, you find local apartment listings. Since it is free to post, you may be able to find rent-by-owner units.
• Craigslist: This online classifieds site posts rentals from many areas. You can sort by state and city.
• Local online classified ads: Your area may have a local online “classified” section that posts local rentals.

Check out our apartment listing sites reviews. Here, you can find more information about popular apartment search sites.

Apartment search checklist

To increase your chances of snagging a place you love, create an apartment search timeline and follow this checklist so you don’t miss a step.

Finding an apartment checklist:

• Set your budget
• Create a needs and wants list
• Start saving money for moving
• Define your move date
• Find a roommate if needed
• Decide when you want to start looking for an apartment
• Research suitable neighborhoods
• Create an apartment research document
• Start searching
• Gather application documents
• Schedule and attend apartment tours
• Notify the current landlord according to your lease agreement

You might find it helpful to create a spreadsheet for organizing and planning your apartment search. When you start touring apartments, you can store images and videos with the document to help you make your final apartment choice. Include details like the apartment address, link to vacancy post, rent, deposit, possible move-in date, number of bedrooms and bathrooms, square footage, landlord contact information, commute time and distance, and covered utilities.

You’ll also want to include information specific to your living situation. For example pet requirements (Fido needs some green grass!), amenities (pooltime!), internet options (fast, please), accessibility features (welcome everyone!), security (well-lit), and floor (unit must be on ground floor: strollers and stairs don’t mix).

Before moving in, review our apartment move-in checklist.

Renters insurance plans can often be dialed up or down in terms of the amount of coverage, but most tend to offer protection for:

• Personal property. If your belongings are stolen or damaged, the insurance may provide financial compensation for covered items.
• Liability. This type of coverage helps protect you should the landlord’s property be damaged (and it’s your fault), someone gets hurt on the property, or if your pet injures someone.
• Loss-of-use. This term refers to additional expenses should you not be able to inhabit the property after an incident. Reimbursable expenses may include hotel and meal costs.

What kind of apartment are you looking for?

Before searching for a new apartment, ask yourself: What kind of apartment do I want? Do I want to live in the middle of downtown, close to shops and restaurants? Do I want to be able to ride my bike to work? Or, do I need an apartment with an elevator? 

Answering these types of questions can help you narrow your search. Looking at everything you want can also help you identify what to prioritize or where to compromise. 

Before moving, ask yourself a few questions so you can save time looking for the perfect apartment. 

• Do I need a roommate? 
• How long of a commute am I comfortable with? Or do I plan to work from home?
• How much can I realistically and safely afford?
• Do I need a roommate? 
• How long of a commute am I comfortable with? Or do I plan to work from home?
• How much can I realistically and safely afford?
• How much in moving costs can I afford?
• How good is my credit? Do I need a cosigner?
• Do I need special accommodations? Such as ADA or support animals. 
• What kind of parking do I need, if any.
• Would I feel safer with advanced security options?
• Do I want a balcony or personal outdoor space?
• How much storage do I need?
• How long do I need to rent?
• Do I want (or need) a washer and drying in the unit?
• How close are daycare or schools, if needed.
• Do I want to live in a bustling downtown area or a quiet neighborhood?
• How much privacy do I require?
• Do I need a smoking or vape okay unit?
• Do I need extra storage space or a safe place to store my bike?
• Would I benefit from a business center or community space?
• Could I benefit from an onsite gym? Or a playground?

• How much in moving costs can I afford?
• How good is my credit? Do I need a cosigner?
• Do I need special accommodations? Such as ADA or support animals. 
• What kind of parking do I need, if any.
• Would I feel safer with advanced security options?
• Do I want a balcony or personal outdoor space?
• How much storage do I need?
• How long do I need to rent?
• Do I want (or need) a washer and drying in the unit?
• How close are daycare or schools, if needed.
• Do I want to live in a bustling downtown area or a quiet neighborhood?
• How much privacy do I require?
• Do I need a smoking or vape okay unit?
• Do I need extra storage space or a safe place to store my bike?
• Would I benefit from a business center or community space?
• Could I benefit from an onsite gym? Or a playground?

There are many questions you can ask yourself. Once you figure out what you want, you can quickly find a suitable apartment. It may help to sort your answers into must-haves and like-to-haves.

Tips for finding an affordable apartment

If you cannot easily afford an apartment in the area where you’d like to live, you might have to get creative. 

To find a cheap apartment, try a couple of the following:

• Look outside your chosen area. Consider commute times or whether finding a job in the new location is a good idea.
• Consider finding a roommate. Getting a roommate can cut your housing expenses in half. 
• Search for a “cheap” or “low income” apartment using a rental app.
• See if you qualify for a housing assistance program.
• Consider a tiny home, studio, or small apartment. 
• Give up some frills. If you do not need an onsite gym or pool, look for an apartment without extra amenities.
• Consult your network. Ask your friends and co-workers for apartment or roommate leads.
• Trade work for rent. You may be able to find a landlord that will offer your lower rent if you provide services they have to pay for (i.e., lawn care).
• Look for “rent by owner” apartments in your local classifieds.
• Consider a live-in job such as being a nanny or hostel manager.

To help you obtain better lease terms in the future, work to improve your credit rating, establish a rental history, and increase your income.

Quick hint: Don’t try to keep an animal in your apartment without approval being noted in your lease. If your pet piranha, Pearl, is discovered, you’ll both probably need to relocate. 

If you are seeking accommodation for your emotional support animal, see our Complete Guide to Renting with an Emotional Support Animal.

What do I need to apply for an apartment?

Applying and getting approval for an apartment can happen pretty quickly if you’ve gathered all the required information in advance. In general, your potential landlord will be looking for you to prove who you are, your income, and where you have lived.

1. Identification. Most valid IDs are accepted, such as a driver’s license, passport, green card, or military ID. A social security number may be needed to obtain your credit report.
2. Proof of income. You can prove your income with bank statements, W2s, or pay stubs. They will also ask for your employer’s information.
3. Rental history. Most landlords will ask for your last few addresses. Or, they may ask for a few years of rental history.
4. References. You’ll need to supply your potential landlord with your previous landlord’s contact information.
5. Before you move in, you will also likely be asked about your vehicle and pets.

Be prepared to pay an application fee when you submit your application. In most cases, you will apply online or using an app. Some, especially rent-from-owner landlords, may ask you to submit information by paper or email.

Finding an Apartment: FAQs

What is the rental application fee for?

In most cases, the rental application fee is for processing the background check and verifying the applicants information. Usually, the fee is about $35 to $50 per applicant. Everyone over aged 18 who intends to live in the apartment has to submit an application and pay the fee.

What if I cannot afford the security deposit?

In some cases, your new landlord may allow you to pay your deposit in installments. Or, a security deposit alternative company may be able to help you.

When should I start looking for an apartment?

In a hot housing market, it may take months to find a suitable apartment. In this case, you’ll want to start looking for a new apartment about three months before your move date. In an area with many vacancies, you may only need a month or two to find a new apartment. Either way, make sure you notify your current landlord (check your lease about how much of a heads-up they need, though it’s usually 30 days).

What credit score do I need to get an apartment?

The required credit score to rent a specific apartment can vary by quite a bit. Most landlords prefer a higher score, but some may accept lower scores in the 600 range. However, you’ll find a better apartment with good terms if your credit score is over 700 accompanied by a suitable income. If your credit score is in the 500s range, you may be denied the most desirable apartments.

What is a virtual apartment tour?

A virtual apartment tour is an online tour of an apartment. It may include video, images, and audio. Often you can control the view and explore aspects of the apartment on demand. If you find an apartment you are interested in, you may be able to schedule a real-time tour with the property manager using an online meeting app.

If your credit score is under 600 and you’ve had applications rejected, finding an apartment may need a new strategy. A few ideas:

• Choose to take time to improve your credit. 
• Consider a less desirable neighborhood with looser requirements. 
• Get a landlord to accept you by agreeing to pay more upfront.
• Agree to automatic payments. 
• Find a cosigner or use a cosigner service. 

Know what you need to know as a renter and save money along the way! Check out these additional resources to help you meet your renting goals.