City Year LA Orientation Guide May. 2015 | Page 48
What are the steps? There is no one way or one check list for finding a great apartment, but below are
a few common steps to consider:
Establish your move-in date
Figure out your must-have and nice-to-have list
Plan your budget
Research neighborhoods
Search for available apartments
Check the neighborhood and commute
Make appointments to view/visit
o (Try to view at least 3-4 a day to maximize your time, be proactive!)
Narrow your list
Check for your must-have list
Submit an application
Sign a lease/pay the deposit
Pick up your keys and move in!
Apartment Search Websites
There are countless websites and services that are available to find your next apartment. We’ve compiled a list
of resources of the most common places Angelinos, and our corps, use to find their next home.
Commonly used websites:
Craigslist is the most commonly used website in LA to find apartments. It’s updated constantly so
make sure you check early and often.
o
Housing Section — has listings of apartments, rooms in shared houses, roommate
requests or offers and much more.
o
Look at a variety of posts — to get a general sense of the time frame and what’s available.
Make sure you look for places with phone numbers, not just emails as they are less likely to
be a scam and you’ll have a quicker turnaround contacting them
o
Pictures in the posts are important but not a guarantee – many of the posts on craigslist
will have pictures of the apartment but don’t dismiss a place simply because there aren’t any
shown. Often times you can find a “diamond in the rough” going this route, but be cautious.
o
Meet in a public place — If you are meeting a roommate or landlord, ask if you can met in
a public place or during the day, for safety reasons. Bring a family member or friend if
possible.
West Side Rentals Is a close second to craigslist with lots of options, but charges a $60 fee for 2
months access to their site. If you can “borrow” someone’s account for a month, give it a try. Or, try it
for a month and if you’re out $60, then so be it. The potential reward (e.g., finding a place you love)
dramatically can outweighs the cost.
Rent is a bit broader rental search engine and not updated as frequently. However, it can still be useful
to get a general feel for demand and prices in your area.
The Rental Girl has fewer listings that are curated by a group of real estate women and organized by
area.
48 | C o r p s M e m b e r O r i e n t a t i o n & R e s o u r c e G u i d e
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