How to Find an Apartment Online

Finding your dream apartment seems easy — and it can be — but that’s not always the case with rising rent prices and competitive markets. However, the key to a smooth rental search is knowing what to look for and where to find trustworthy rental listings.

To help you in the process, we outline how to find an apartment online and ways to save on application fees as a renter. 

1. Determine How Much Rent You Can Afford

As a renter, you’ll need to cover monthly rent, utilities, and the upfront costs of moving into an apartment. Most landlords require tenants to make three times the monthly rent to qualify for the rental, so that can be one way to gauge how much rent you can afford. 

Another alternative would be totaling all your monthly expenses, such as bills, student loan payments, and recurring bills to see how much income you have left towards rent. 

2. Explore Neighborhoods

Each neighborhood offers different characteristics, so it’s important to find options that align with your lifestyle and overall needs. For example, if you’re an active runner and prefer running on trails, you can explore neighborhoods nearby popular trails or lakefronts. The same applies for those looking for neighborhoods with local public transportation, grocery stores, schools, and parks. 

3. Find Available Rentals 

You can find available rentals in three ways: through rental apps, with a real estate agent, or in person. Rental apps like Realtor.com® can be one method to find trustworthy and accurately represented apartments online. Each listing is verified to ensure the source is known and trusted. You can filter listings by type, bed, baths, amenities, if they allow pets, and still accept applications. 

Listings include high-quality photos, 3D tours, and virtual tours to view out-of-state listings or determine if the property is worth seeing in person. However, if you prefer assistance, you can work with a real estate agent to alleviate the responsibility of finding options. 

Beware of rental scams that require deposits or credit card information before viewing the property. 

4. Reach Out to Landlords If You’re Interested 

Most rental apps will have a form for you to fill out if you’re interested in the rental and want to contact the landlord. The submitted information, such as your name, phone number, and email, will then be submitted to the landlord or property manager, who will follow up with your request.

Make sure to do this as soon as possible before it’s taken by someone else. After you’ve reached out, pay attention to how long it takes for a response. Ideally, you want to find a landlord who replies quickly, as it indicates that they are responsive and motivated to rent the unit.

5. Compile Relevant Paperwork

To get your application approved, get your paperwork together to simplify the rental application process. Landlords typically request proof of income, your residential history, employment, references, pet information (if applicable), and authorization for screening reports. 

While you can manually apply to each rental property, you can create an Avail Renter Profile to save on application fees, limit credit checks, and have control over our personal information. This can also make it easier to apply for in-demand apartments, since you can share your profile with a link that provides all the information landlords would request through an application. 

Certain states require landlords to accept renter profiles from applicants.

What to Look For In a Rental Listing 

As you click through rental listings, here are few important things to look for:

• Does the listing tell you everything you need to know about the property?
• How much does it cost?
• When is the rental available?
• The application process
  • Is there an application fee?
  • Will there be a credit and background check?
• How is the property managed?
• Does the listing include quality photos of every room?
• Did the landlord put effort into the listing?
• Does the landlord allow you to pay rent online?

Listing descriptions that contain all of this information can signal that the property is managed by a helpful, professional landlord.

How to Spot a Good Landlord From a Listing

When the listing has a good title, thorough description, and lots of quality photos, it means the landlord spent time trying to attract quality tenants like you. It shows that the landlord is professional and puts in the effort necessary when managing a rental.

If the landlord mentions their screening process, this shows you that they are upfront about their requirements and are taking the necessary precautions to find good tenants. 

Find Available Apartments With Ease

With these tips, you can be that much closer to finding an apartment online that can potentially be your next home. To help you along the process, create an Avail account to build your renter profile, add screening reports, and add the same information required through an application. 

Visit Realtor.com® to explore online rental listings, schedule property showings, and more.