In some ways, finding an apartment these days is harder than it used to be, but in other respects it’s also more accessible. Though many desirable areas have high rent costs or a lack of open units, you also have more resources than in the past for an apartment hunt.
You could go the traditional route of asking people you know for referrals, or search online. Many social media groups focus on apartment rentals.
Sometimes there are downsides to either method, though. People you know might not have the appropriate network to locate what you have in mind, and unfortunately, some housing social media groups are infested with scammers.
One of the best ways to find the ideal apartment is to visit reliable websites. If you’re like most people on the go, you might hit pay dirt by trying some apps.
Rental Apps to Check Out
You may have heard of some of the more prominent apps. Each has its particular strengths and weaknesses. Here’s a bit of info about each of these rental and real estate apps.
Zillow Rentals
Most people know about Zillow, but you might not have tried their app. Zillow is best for comparing prices across a variety of regions and neighborhoods, which is especially useful if you’re moving to a new area you don’t know much about.
The app has millions of listings. The downside is that while the comparisons are helpful, estimates for specific properties aren’t necessarily accurate.
Trulia Rentals
Another disadvantage of Zillow is it doesn’t include access to the property manager for its listings, so Trulia is preferable if you’d prefer to connect with someone immediately. Trulia is also designed to provide potential renters with information about the neighborhood when they survey the locality. It’s a solid app that most people find easy to use.
Apartments.com
Given the name, it’s easy to see that Apartments.com focuses specifically on helping the user the right apartment. Its most significant virtue is that it shows what’s available as accurately as anyone can in an omnibus reference site online. It’s also easy to use the app’s various filters to isolate the particular amenities you desire.
Realtor.com
Realtor.com often provides some of the best pictures and video tours of properties of the most popular apps. Compared to some of the others we’re discussing, however, their total number of listings can be weak.
This app and its accompanying website list rentals of various kinds, but they also describe a lot of homes to buy. Another inconvenience is that realtor.com doesn’t provide as many filter options, so it can be more of a challenge to narrow down to what you really want with this one.
Final Note:
Consulting some of the leading apartment-hunting websites and companies is usually worthwhile, but you may also pursue further research and turn up more local websites and apps. Some larger property management companies have their own listings on their site; they may even have smaller apps you can use to pay rent or connect.
These can be worth looking into, especially as you get further along in your search and have narrowed down the options. The most effective way to find the apartment you crave–one that’s within your budget and fits your needs–is to investigate all the avenues.
It’s most fruitful to check every major site and app and do it repeatedly. Rentals can list and get snatched up quickly these days, so giving yourself plenty of extra time and being consistent in your search will help to reduce the inherent stress.
If you do that (plus, a bit of luck), you’ll find an apartment you’re going to love.
