Apartment-hunting can be a gargantuan task. Renters have a wish list of items—some luxuries, some necessities—but finding what you seek in the right place is perhaps the most important part of the journey.
Location is Everything
Everyone knows the most important part of real estate is location-location-location! Most renters have some idea about the geographic area where they’d like to live. However, cities and counties can be expansive and varied with older areas, new construction, and everything in between. If you’re new to that town, it can be more challenging to discern the right area to rent.
Google is a friend when it comes to basic consumer research. More than just searching, using mapping tools including Google Street View and even Google Earth allows viewers a closer look at a specific location. In some cases, you can view numerous images captured by Google Street View, allowing a look at the property during different seasons and weather.
Some go even further, utilizing AI tools like ChatGPT to make specific inquiries about geographic locations and what life there is like. Wildly popular and gaining credibility even among skeptics, users are cautioned to qualify AI content. AI answers are an aggregate of all it finds on a specific topic online. This means it is subject to error as not all web content is current or accurate.
Beyond Google: Using Trusted Local and Federal Data
Beyond Google, renters have a wealth of data available to them, to assist in choosing the best locale for their next apartment home. Chambers of Commerce are excellent sources for community information. While mostly business-focused, many chambers’ websites share what it’s like to live-work-play in that community. Information on schools, houses of worship, housing data, and much more is available. Many Chambers of Commerce publish e-magazines, making it easy to become familiar with life in that area.
Crime and safety are always a concern. Learning about these before relocating to a questionable or troubled area is of the utmost importance. Local law enforcement makes crime statistics available to its citizens. Again, everything is easily accessible online.
The Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) has a searchable site, the FBI Crime Data Explorer. Users can peruse detailed crime statistics on a national or local level, searching by state and other criteria. It’s a robust database and an excellent resource. Visit https://cde.ucr.cjis.gov/ to search.
Sex offender registries are public and fully searchable. Renters can enter an address and view on maps who’s who and in what proximity. It’s a sobering, scary thing but wholly necessary to be fully informed and safe.
These online registries are available by State, but a Federal database is also available. The U.S. Department of Justice maintains the Dru Sjodin National Sex Offender Public Website. The free, searchable site is found here: https://www.nsopw.gov/
Similar to Chambers of Commerce, Convention and Visitor Bureau websites are excellent resources for newcomers. Most have searchable websites and e-zines telling the story of the town they represent. The information is comprehensive and a great way to get to know an area before visiting in person.
Hearing From the People Who Live There
Social media platforms aren’t to be overlooked. Facebook groups exist for everything. The more geographically oriented Nextdoor is about neighborhoods and communities. Perusing these sites specific to the city of interest should yield helpful information for future renters.
The nice part of Facebook and Nextdoor is that you get input from real human beings—not just glossy paid advertising. On social media, people are typically generous with assistance, answering questions and offering suggestions and advice—the good, the bad, and sometimes, the ugly!
Renters should know they don’t have to go this alone. These resources will help them make informed decisions about the area where they choose to settle. Nothing replaces experiencing a place firsthand, but consuming a breadth of information from several reliable entities is a good start.
Leverage your contacts, personal and professional. Nothing beats a recommendation—or warning—from someone who lives in the location you’re considering. What do they like and dislike? How long have they lived there? Why did they choose that community? Information based on personal experience carries greater credibility.
Using Data and Demographics to Choose the Right Area
If you like to geek out on population, demographics, and other stats, facts, and figures, the U.S. Census Bureau, data.census.gov, is the source you need. Their information includes housing data. Useful (and cool) online tools include “Virtual & Visual Exploration: YouVisit provides immersive 360-degree virtual experiences of cities worldwide. There’s also Walkability & Urban Planning: City Access Map provides interactive maps to explore which cities allow residents to access services within a 15-minute walk.”
Non-government websites like https://www.city-data.com are clearing houses for all of the above data and then some. Like the others, they’re searchable databases. You can even learn median gross rent costs for specific cities. Be sure to check the dates and double-check what you find, as some of their content isn’t year-to-date current.
Research is good for renters, but assembling their personal list of priorities will help them narrow down their options. Choosing the right area depends on what is important to their lives. Are you a city slicker or a country mouse? Factors like commute, proximity to shops and restaurants, entertainment, schools, medical services are all worth considering when it comes to choosing the right rental.
There’s No Substitute for Visiting in Person
Last but never least, there is no substitute for visiting in person. Exploring an area of interest, shopping and dining there, talking to locals, and experiencing the community firsthand are valuable. Experiencing the traffic, noise, vibe—these are possible only by being there.
This applies to the apartment itself, too. In an era of virtual tours and video chats, nothing beats seeing it with your own eyes. The full sensory experience—sight, sounds, smells—cannot be replicated via electronic means. Visit at different times of the day. Visit when it’s raining. Talk to residents. Satisfy your curiosity.
Renters don’t always have to fly solo. Some real estate agents work with renters to help them navigate the local market and find the apartment that’s right for them.
Commission fees vary. It behooves renters to discuss this up front.
Don’t Let Naysayers Derail Your Search
When doing all this neighborhood and market research, an interesting phenomenon renters might experience is the “Not Here” or “We’re Full” response. This is a defensive posture taken by some current residents who wish to discourage additional population growth in their community.
AnUrbanRenewal.com says current residents feel protective of their communities—sidewalks, roads, sewer lines, schools. Using alternative language such as, “We aren’t quite full, but we’re struggling to keep what we’ve got. What can we do that gets us to some stability?” is a better expression of that than “We’re full.”
It’s interesting because sometimes the same folks actively gatekeeping a neighborhood or an apartment complex were recent newcomers themselves!
Don’t let the naysayers discourage you. Let your research, education, and needs determine the apartment that’s the best fit for your life.
