Taking Care of the Tedious

It's easy to get caught up in the excitement of looking at new apartments, but it is important not to forget the details that tend to be prime causes for procrastination. These issues can easily be overlooked when you are concentrating on finding an ideal apartment. Getting organized with your apartment search time line is just as important as being persistent with tedious details.

Security Deposit

Make sure you let your current landlord know the date that you plan to move out as far in advance as possible so that you can arrange for a time to walk through your old apartment and get your security deposit back.

Check out our article on how to Get Your Security Deposit Back for tips on how to get all or at least most of your deposit back. It is nice when you get back a security deposit, having forgotten about the initial cost after a while

References and Letters of Recommendation

Letting your landlord know when you plan on moving out of your apartment will put you on good terms with your old landlord so that you can ask for a reference. Having a short letter of recommendation from previous landlords that includes when and where you rented and your landlord's contact information will ease the mind of a potential new landlord.

You should also get a letter from your employer that simply states that you are employed so he knows that there will be no problem with paying the apartment's rent. This letter can be very simple and should include your employer's contact information.

If you have a pet, it may also be helpful to have your former landlord include a note that recommends your pet as well behaved and friendly.

Check your Credit Scores

Almost all landlords will check your credit report before they accept you as a new tenant. It's a good idea to make sure that there are no surprises and that you have a clean credit sheet.

You can use an online credit check, at either freecreditreport.com or annualcreditreport.com. More information on credit reports is available from the U.S. Federal Trade Commission at ftc.gov.

For more information check out our article on how to Rent Apartments with Bad Credit or our overview of Credit Scores and Apartments for Rent.

Getting Prepared

Now it is time to get ready to lay out the features of your new apartment. This apartment rental guide will take you step by step through the process of looking for your new place to live. In our next article, Your Ideal Apartment, we'll lay out some guidelines that will help you with the first part of your apartment search.