Getting a great rental home within your budget is definitely easier these days. Here, we’ll help you find some of the most affordable apartments within your city of choice.
Due to the highly competitive market, finding the right home at the best deal has become easier. Pew Research Center reports that in 2016, over 36.6% of American homes were actually occupied by renters. Also, after doing a survey of millennials, results showed that 65% of them were living in apartments they were renting.
All across the United States, prices of rentals have been falling from San Francisco to Austin, with markets complaining of 25% or more in decreased rentals as well. For some of the individual landlords, they are resorting to giving incentives such as 2 months of free rent in certain markets.
Thankfully, because of technology, finding a home or apartment to rent is much easier these days. It’s as simple as opening up your browser and searching for your dream location and type of home. Before you know it, you’ll be able to find your ideal rental apartment or home with just a few clicks.
Simply remove the stress by using one of these six options offered below. They will surely help you discover your next great living space.
Craigslist
Craigslist may have a reputation, but it’s also the most popular platform when it comes to finding great and affordable options. In fact, almost 90% of renters share that they’ve found their rentals on Craigslist, or on Zillow.
Whether big apartment complexes, landlords renting out properties, or private owner’s subletting their homes, Craigslist is sure to have a huge number of these listings.
An added plus when it comes to Craigslist is that it’s also considered the biggest exchange of real-time information since homeowners and landlords are allowed to list their rentals for free on the site.
In addition, they also don’t have to worry about removing their rentals becoming unavailable since they aren’t charged. The only downfall is that there’s a chance that people looking for rentals will find outdated listings. But at least you have the option to look for listings posted on the day as well.
Here are a few tips when using Craigslist as a search engine, and a way to make it a seamless experience:
- Create a spreadsheet with columns for neighborhood, price range, size, transportation options and other important considerations you want to live. Be sure to makes space for notes as well.
- Remove areas that are at least 90-mintues away from where you work.
- Be sure to bookmark your favorites pages so they’re easier to go back to.
- Do searches every day, and be sure to respond to listing you like immediately.
Houses for Rent Info
HotPads
Zillow bought HotPads back in 2012, and today they offer a large list of house and apartment listings all throughout the United States. They also have tons of information on amazing deals and unique features when looking for rental listings. The website allows you to look for sublets, student, military or senior housing, cooperate houses, and rooms for rent.
It also has an option to search for properties with multiple pictures, as well as using keywords when searching for neighborhoods and amenities. The website is quite popular, having 90,000 ratings and reviews of neighborhoods, apartment complexes and individual units, giving users quite a wide array of choices.
Apartments.com
Another widely used website is Apartments.com. This site has an extensive list of apartment rentals, although most are in large apartment complexes. But there are also listings for townhomes and other single-family homes.
One of the best features of this site is the vast collection of filters, allowing you to search such categories as housing, income-restricted, military, etc.
It also has an overlay system, which means that you can look into neighborhood boundaries, local campuses, and transit lines when considering which neighborhood would best work for you.
While searches for particular details on certain neighborhoods are limited, there is a map provided that allows users to see the highlighted vacant complexes. When using the map, you can also indicate in your search which neighborhood amenities and borders you prefer.
If you happen to find a preferred rental apartment, you can also avail of their special deals and other incentives by using the website to rent the place.
Trulia
Trulia is another website owned by Zillow. What makes it unique is that the website works with other community-based sites like EveryBlock.com and SpotCrime.com in order to find neighborhood-specific information when it comes to schools, commutes, local businesses and even crime. It also shows the listings in grid, map or list format, depending on your preference.
Because the Trulia app can work on both iOS and Android devices, users have made it the popular choice due to it’s easy to use interface.
Always Consult an Expert
When looking for a new place to live, it’s always smart to seek advice from actual realtors. Real estate agents are a well of knowledge when it comes to listings, neighborhoods, and needs when choosing where to live. And even if you’re not looking to buy a property, they are normally willing to share their thoughts and ideas anyway.
Depending on your wants and capabilities, they can steer you in the right direction, no matter what you are looking for. They are also privy to the best news when it comes to listings that are recently vacated, giving you the best options on the market.
If you’re unsure where to look for an agent that can help you, try searching for a relocation specialist. Although they aren’t always licensed real estate agents, they can help you find a property with your specifications, as well as make it easier for you to move by doing the following:
- Help you arrange your movers.
- Arrange for your utilities.
- Help find schools or child care.
- Help you move your pets.
- Give you referrals for legal, medical and dental needs.
Plus, if you choose a specialist that is paid a commission by an agency such as Worldwide ERC. You won’t even need to spend on your relocation services at all.
How to Find an Affordable Apartment
It’s important to note that it doesn’t have to be incredibly costly to find a gorgeous apartment. By using the websites above, you are more than likely to find a vast number of listings that fit your budget. As a matter of fact, there are listings in some of the most desirable cities in America that go for as low as $650 or less, or even $579 or less.
Be Sure to Look Around Your Desired Neighborhood First
While the internet has loads of information that not only help you find good deals, you still need to keep in mind that it would be best to see them for yourself.
First, be sure to visit the neighborhood where you prefer to live. Check out small businesses and local supermarkets to see if they have listings as well. You can even go to particular apartments to see the spaces for yourself.
Some apartment offices offer waived fees or one month free rent when you go straight to them. Speak to local residents or talk to tenants in the property too, to see what they have to say. Be sure to check out the latest reviews of the place as well.
Head over to a local coffee shop in the neighborhood you’re considering and sit for a while and observe what’s going on. This might also help you decide where that’s really the place for you, especially if you notice more bad than good.
