Whether it’s your first time renting or you are coming to the US for work or school – this guide is for you. Renting can seem confusing for people who aren’t familiar with how things work here or if they’re just setting out on their own with no help.
American English Vocabulary for Renting
Landlord: Person who owns the property
Property Manager: Person who doesn’t own the property, but collects rent and handles customer service
First and Last: First month’s rent and last month’s rent amount.
Deposit: Money you pay to secure the rental in your name (is refunded after your lease is over, or sooner depending on the place)
Lease: The document you sign saying you will live in the rental for a certain amount of time and pay a certain price
Co-signer: Person who signs your lease to financially back you if your income can’t qualify you for the apartment
Apartment: Rental unit in a bigger building
Townhouse: Attached or detached house. If these or a house are for rent, it will usually be from an independent landlord
Condo: Apartment that is for sale versus rent. If you see one for rent, it will be from the person who owns the condo. In other words, an independent landlord.
Listing: The advertisement for and information about an apartment you find online or on a flyer.
Types of Rental Properties
First, you should know there are two main types of rentals out there.
Property Management Company Owned
I’m not sure if this is the official name for this, but it usually means an apartment building that is owned by a corporation. In other words, they will have their own leasing office and team behind their rental process.
Since these properties are professionally managed, the standard of customer service is typically higher. For example, maintenance requests can be sent online, rent can be paid online, private gym, pool facilities, and more amenities will be offered. The units are typically in better condition and you can always go down to their office if you have questions.
The downside is that they are usually a bit more expensive than renting from an independent landlord.
Independent Landlord
An individual, not a company, who owns property that they’re renting. They can be a bit disorganized and not know the laws as well as a company. Most scammers will claim to be these and you should be cautious when dealing with one.
Usually you can get a better price from them since they cannot offer the amenities of a professionally managed place. If you want to rent a house, these are typically your only option. Sometimes an independent landlord can pay for a property management service to collect rent or answer questions for you – but that’s it. No additional amenities are offered.
Where I search – Recommended Websites
I would avoid Cragislist if I were you (does anyone still use this?) there are usually tons of scammers on there. I’ll talk about how to avoid scams in a bit. But let’s take a look at my personal favorites. There’s really no need to bookmark a million sites, these 3 have always gotten the job done for me:
Best for finding curated, high quality apartments
Best for finding houses, townhouses or condos. Most will be independent owned.
Best for finding cheap. professionally managed apartments.
The Rental Process
The process for renting an apartment in the US is usually the same, regardless of who you’re renting from.
Contact
Yes, you need to contact the apartment! If you’re using one of the sites I mentioned earlier, there is usually an option to send them a message from the site.
I don’t recommend you do this if you’re seriously looking. If you want a quick response, you’ll need to call them. These landlords probably get a billion messages a day from unqualified renters. If you want to show you’re ready, willing and able to rent – give them a call.
Their numbers are almost always included in their listing.
Showing
Most people won’t rent “sight unseen”. This means that you have to physically go see the apartment. The reason for this is to avoid scams and renting to “fake” people.
Some places will let you rent unseen and will mostly be professionally managed companies. (They don’t really care if you live there or not, as long as they get their money)
The showing is just when you go to see the apartment. It’s a good idea to go see it in real life anyway since pictures can be misleading.
Application
If you like the place, apply for it! In general applications will ask you for your personal information and income proof. We’ll go over what you need to apply to an apartment in the “requirements” section.
When you ask for an application you don’t usually fill it out at the showing, so no need to worry about carrying documents with you. They will usually give you a piece of paper to return later or a link to fill out a form online.
Deposit
If you’ve been accepted by the application, congrats! Now it’s time to pay. Most apartment require a “security deposit” that they will give back to you at the end of your stay.
If you damage something in the unit, they keep the money. Otherwise, you get it back.
Usually the deposit amount is equal to a month of rent.
The deposit also shows the landlord you are serious about the apartment, since if you back out of the agreement they might keep it. Some give it back, others don’t so you’ll want to clarify this before you apply.
Keys + Move-In
Fast forward to your move in day and you’ll likely pay some more fees. At minimum, you’ll have to pay the first month’s rent. Then you’ll receive the keys to your new place.
Read the next section about “upfront costs” if you want to learn what it might cost you to move in.
Upfront Costs
Not all landlord will ask for the same amount of money upfront. In high demand cities, they tend to charge more because they can.
In both Boston and New York City, something called a “broker’s fee” exists. I haven’t seen it anywhere else I’ve lived so not sure if it’s only in that region.
It is a non-refundable fee due on move-in and equal to one month’s rent. Ouch.
The most common move-in costs you’ll find will be the deposit and the first month’s rent.
Some places will charge you first, last and security. You’ll need to fork over 3 months worth of rent in this case.
It can be costly to move into an apartment so make sure you have enough saved up to do so. If you’re lucky, some places waive the deposit or allow you to pay it monthly as an incentive.
Requirements
Income
The number one requirement is money. You’ll need to prove you can afford the place. Some places will allow your monthly income to be 2.5x the rent, but most require you make 3x the rent.
For more premium places, they might require even more than that. In order to prove your income, you’ll need to show pay stubs, salary information or bank statements. This will depend on the place and they will tell you which documents are acceptable or not.
If you can afford the place but don’t meet income requirements, you’ll need a co-signer. This is a person who meets the income requirements that will sign your lease saying they will pay for you if you miss a payment.
Identity
You will also need to prove you can legally live in the US. You’ll need to show either your driver’s license, passport or green card to them. You’ll also need to provide the info of anyone who will be living with you.
At this time you’ll also have to let the landlord know if you’re bringing any pets with you. (They will charge you an additional pet rent.)
Credit
You’ll need to provide your social security number in order for the landlord to run a background check on you. They will check if you have good credit. If you don’t have good credit, your application could be denied unless you have a co-signer.
Credit is a huge topic, so I’ll go over that in another post.
Avoid scams
There are tons of rental scams out there and they love to take advantage of people who are new to renting. Here are some things you should look out for:
Renting Sight Unseen
You really really should go see the place before renting. If you don’t and send money to a stranger, you’re probably going to get scammed. The place probably doesn’t exist no matter how convincing they sound. I would say the exception to this is super high end places. But in that case, you probably have someone to go tour the apartment for you.
Deposit Too Soon
Unless you’ve filled out an application, don’t give anyone deposit money. Sometimes scammers will ask for a deposit just to see a place, which is ridiculous. This is very clearly a fake landlord.
Get Clear on Amenities
This isn’t really a scam but more of a mismanaged expectation problem. If you don’t see an amenity the landlord promised you on the lease contract, guess what? They won’t provide it.
You should really take the time to read the fine print since these are the only enforceable things the landlord must provide you. This could include parking, garbage service, which utilities are covered, and package delivery fees.
You’re Ready!
If you keep all these points in mind I don’t see you having any issues when renting an apartment in the US. Good luck on your search! If you want some more info, I’ve included some frequently asked questions I get down below:
FAQ
Do you need an agent?
You don’t need a real estate agent to rent an apartment. If you get one, you’re likely going to pay a broker’s fee. In Boston and NYC, this is kind of unavoidable. Every other major city I’ve lived in doesn’t do this, so I would just go straight to the landlord myself.
Can I rent an apartment for someone else?
Yes and no. You cannot rent an apartment using your identity and have someone else live there. However, you can go to an apartment showing on behalf of someone else. You can also help someone qualify for an apartment by being a co-signer.
Can I rent an apartment remotely?
Yes, you can. It isn’t recommended because you could get scammed. If you do this, try to stick with professionally owned buildings.
How long does it take to tour + rent a place?
Depends on the city. Some cities have shortages of affordable units, such as Boston, Los Angeles and NYC. If you’re in a smaller place like, Boise or Nashville – then you’ll have an easier time. For high cost cities I would say prepare for a month. For mid-size or small cities, you can find a place within a few days.
How much will I have to pay up front?
Depends on the place. Usually it will be equivalent to two month’s rent. (Security and First).