Learn 9 Tips for Renting Without Going Broke

Don’t worry if you don’t have any friends or siblings to move in with. Several young professionals are looking for housemates as well. It will feel similar to internet dating, but you are more likely to find true (estate) bliss if you discover the proper match.

 

Join housing groups on Facebook.

There are numerous Facebook groups where people submit apartment listings. I was encouraged to join a New York City group by a friend, and I’m very grateful she did. It makes apartment hunting more personal because you can look up the lister’s social media page and put a face to the name.

Look Google your city name plus “apartments,” “listings,” or “housing” to get a slew of organizations. Request to join them.

Place a roommate ad.

The more you publicize your search, the more responses you will receive. So, post what you’re looking for on Facebook and notify your pals. Of course, if you don’t want to reveal your specific pricing, you can always mention a range or use phrases like “on a budget.”

Join roommate matching websites such as Spareroom.com or Roomster.com, and consider placing a Craigslist ad for roommates.

 

Brooklyn, New York’s Fort Greene area.

Include your budget, preferable neighborhoods, a little about yourself, and what you’re searching for in a roommate in these posts.

Don’t reply to anyone who requests money or personal information to keep secure — these are red flags.

To ensure that the person is genuine, request various social media account connections from them. You might also set up a video call before you meet.

Create a post that you may use to respond to apartment postings.

It can be exhausting to respond to dozens of listings. To avoid apartment-hunting burnout, create a generic email response that you may copy and paste, with small changes, to each listing that piques your interest.

The response should contain information about yourself, your preferred move-in date, what you’re searching for, and any questions about that listing.

Keep yourself safe.

No matter what they say, never transmit money, your social security number, or other sensitive information to strangers. Seriously, there’s a thriving market of individuals out there looking to take advantage of you.

Do not sign any documents or hand over any money until you have conducted your investigation. To see if anything shows up, search the person’s name and company with the words “fraud,” “scam,” and “lawsuit.”

The more you publicize your search, the more responses you will receive.

When looking at apartments, always meet in a public place and notify a friend of your plans. Then, if you have any doubts, conduct more research or simply wait. There will be additional listings available tomorrow.