When you’re moving to a new city or country, you won’t always have the luxury of touring rental properties in person, and you may have to choose one without visiting it. For example, professional risk manager Agnes Choi decided to move from South Korea to Los Angeles, California, in 2019, but the distance meant she couldn’t visit potential properties in person.
Agnes took advantage of the many online tools and checklists available to examine apartments in Los Angeles while still living in Korea, and using her apartment complex’s virtual tour function, she found an apartment that met all her needs. Unfortunately, not being able to visit the unit before moving in meant she was stuck with a less-than-perfect view: “It was actually facing a really ugly parking structure. That was something I couldn’t verify before moving in.”
Agnes has moved several times since this initial move to the US, and when she and her now-husband moved from Des Moines, IA, back to LA, she had to go through the virtual touring process again. At the time of writing, her only complaint is where her unit is located within the building: “Our apartment right now is super far from the elevator that takes us outside and to other amenities (in the complex).”
Despite these “little things”, as Agnes puts it, she’s been happy with the results of using long-distance tools to choose an apartment without being able to visit it in person. In this article, we’ll help you learn about some of those tools yourself and determine how to use them to find the right apartment for you.
How do I find an apartment that meets my needs from a distance?
If you are able to physically visit an apartment before making a rental decision, do so. However, if you can’t, there are plenty of places to research listings and take a virtual tour before making a decision. Some of the most popular sites for seeking out available apartments include:
- Apartments.com
- Craigslist
- PeopleWithPets (for pet-friendly home rentals)
- PadMapper
- Trulia Rentals
- Zillow
- Zumper
Many of these sites and services will let you create a profile and save potential apartments to a list before narrowing your options down. From there, you can make inquiries and get in touch with leasing offices to help you get a sense for what each place looks like. Most complexes have some form of virtual tour, whether a video walkthrough or a detailed slideshow; you may even be able to video call with a leasing office professional or a local friend who can show you the unit through the phone.
To get a sense for what the location and lifestyle around the complex are, try using Google Maps Street View to take a virtual walk around the neighborhood and surrounding areas. Maps will also help you determine walking and driving times to work, school, and other important areas.
Agnes cites Google’s review function as her main source for other renters’ opinions on her potential apartment complexes, but sites like Zillow, Yelp, and RentLingo also have renter feedback and reviews that can help you figure out which apartments have the best reputation. Sites like Neighborhood Scout and Area Vibes are useful when determining how safe and secure an area is, and WalkScore will help you figure out how walkable a neighborhood is.
Should I hire a realtor to examine an apartment for me?
Plenty of renters, such as Agnes, can find success looking for apartments without help. However, in larger cities with many different districts and neighborhoods, you may want to pay a realtor to give you an expert opinion on your potential new home. Consider it a valuable investment, especially in states like Massachusetts, where property owners won’t show homes without a realtor on hand.
How do I avoid rental scams?
Just as the internet makes it easier to find apartments from a distance, it also makes it easier for scammers to find vulnerable people to prey on. Most reputable sites will vet listings for scams, but if you’re using an unmonitored resource like Craigslist, you’re much more likely to run into scam listings. Keep an eye out for the following red flags, as compiled by Massachusetts-based realtor Kevin Vitali:
- Advertisements with lots of typos
- Unrealistically low monthly rent
- Advertisements with no pictures
- Homes where “the owner doesn’t allow tours”
- Homes and apartments with no screening process for tenants
- Property managers who will only communicate by email and won’t give a phone number
- Property managers who ask for rent or security deposits (especially by wire transfer) before the lease is signed
Kevin is no stranger to scams like these: “I have had Craigslist scammers stealing listing photos of a house I have had for sale online to use as a fake rental. This has happened many times over an 18+ year career as a listing agent.”
Aside from technical red flags to look out for, Kevin suggests trusting your gut when something feels off that you can’t quite put your finger on. “Most people who have been part of a rental scam on Craigslist said they felt something was not right. Follow your instincts,” he says.
Should I look for a storage unit to help with my move?
If you’ve followed this article’s advice, you’re well-equipped to find, tour, and move into a new rental without having to visit it first. Once the lease is signed, you’ll have to consider moving costs and needs; fortunately, self-storage units can help, and SelfStorage.com is the perfect place to find the right one for you. Use our built-in search tool to compare units near your potential new home and find the features you require.
