So today I started the apartment hunt.

[Initech]

Any advice for a first timer? I saw a really nice one bedroom that's a little out of my price range but not too much.

[AggieGal]

1. Aim for a free move

Search anywhere online, but use one of the moving websites as a referral. I used umovefree.com. It probably will not cover the whole move, but they will take care of the heavy or bulky items.

[hedgehog]

2. What do you want the apartment for? Will you spend your off-time there,

or is it just a place to change clothes on the way to somewhere else? Do you want access to a patio so you can have a grill, or so you want a spare room so you can work on a hobby? Is a larger bedroom worth a longer commute? Make sure the apartment works for you.

[Initech]

3. I live in my parents' house right now, it sucks.

Yeah a patio is definitely a key feature I'm looking for. And the commute isn't really that big of a deal since I'm looking at several places in and around North Orange County which is also where I work.

[Bertha Venation]

18. Don't be afraid to go over the line into L.A. county.

Many parts of Long Beach are very nice.

Good luck! :hi:

[Initech]

21. I was looking at the Long Beach / Cypress area actually.

If I could afford a place out there that would be an ideal location - my buddies live in Redondo so that wouldn't be too far off.

[Roon]

4. Do you have a car?

Make sure your stores and shops are within walking distance.Laundry? I do all of this when I move..(which is rare)

[Initech]

7. Yeah I have a car, in LA it's practically a necessity.

I'd like to live somewhere where there's a decent amount of bars within walking distance. Fullerton would be ideal for me in that respect but it's also pretty costly to live there.

[XemaSab]

5. I heard the Morningwood Apartments

have thin walls. :(

[Dyedinthewoolliberal]

6. If you have the luxury of time

use it wisely.
Investigate whether the building is full of party people (if that's what you want or don't want) either way it's important to know.
Try for an end unit or top unit to avoid being stuck in the middle. Just like flying, who ever wants the middle seat?
I like smaller complexes, it's easier to influence the 'culture'
If you have a car, see about off street parking....

[Initech]

8. Party people = my kind of people

[IcyPeas]

9. are you looking via craigslist?

check their apartment listings out. also Rent.com. they are free.

[av8rdave]

10. Where?

If you're in Texas PM me.

[Initech]

13. I'm in Los Angeles. Long way from Texas.

[av8rdave]

15. It was worth asking. Good luck with your situation!

[Tobin S.]

11. Get something that you can cover the rent on with one paycheck

I've owned 5 places and rented one apartment. Since I've started following that rule I have not had any money problems.

[Joey Liberal]

12. Make sure they have on-site security nt

[Initech]

14. All the places I've looked at are gated so far.

[Joey Liberal]

20. Security is a must nt

[suninvited]

16. If you use Craigslist

watch out for the scammers!

I am getting closer to moving to Mobile, and this whole time I have been watching craigslist to get a feel for the prices and such. Since I would see five or move every single day listed in my price range, I was feeling pretty confident about finding a good place to live pretty cheap.

I finally started sending some inquiries about these decent priced places, and they are all scams of one kind or another. They are listing non existing places at great prices to get you to

a)sign up for a credit reporting agency (that is where the scammers get their money, they get a payment every time they can lure someone into doing it).
b) wire them money, because they are out of town, and when they get the money they will fed-ex the keys (you wouldnt think ANYONE in this day and age would fall for that one, but I searched in online and found that they still get a lot of victims to fall for it)

My free time lately has all been spent on Craigslist flagging these scumbag scammers listings and having them removed. Only problem is, they (and they outnumber me) spend all of their time posting these ads

Some of them place the same listing with the same photos and same phony great prices in hundreds of cities a day.

I guess I am so pissed off about it because now I realize apartments are not going to be as cheap as I had previously thought when I move. I am going to have to figure my money out a little differently.

[zonkers]

17. Decide the areas you like and cruise them repeatedly until you find something or

someone.

[applegrove]

19. Stay away from dangerous neighbourhoods.

[Patiod]

22. Look at everything that seems reasonable

Dedicate a lot of time to it. I must have looked at 50 apartments before I found the one I'm in, which is a carriage house on a huge gorgeously manicured estate, for very little rent.

The more you look, the better the chance of finding an underpriced gem amongst the overpriced hovels.