Renting a living space allows you to avoid the costs associated with purchasing property, appliances, and occasionally furniture as well. Apartment living can be pretty pleasant, but apartment hunting is almost always exhausting. So how can you find an apartment without losing your mind?
Fortunately, we live in a digital age, and there are plenty of websites that can help you find an apartment without tearing out your hair.
1. Craigslist and PadMapper
Craigslist is the classified pages of the internet, and though it often gets the side-eye for its seedier corners, it can be a great tool for finding an apartment. Searchers can easily filter listings by area, price, and number of bedrooms along with several other factors.
But for those who want that experience to be even more interactive, you can also find an apartment on PadMapper, which places listings from Craigslist and other sources on a map layout. PadMapper allows you to jump down to a street view, view photos, and filter your options all on the same website, which is even optimized for mobile. You can also set up alerts for new listings.
2. Hotpads
Hotpads is a good alternative for apartment hunters who don’t like Craigslist and aren’t crazy about Padmapper’s interface. Hotpads pulls listing information from major listing services, including craigslist, and places it in a smooth interface that allows you to search maps, save favorites, and check street views. You can also take advantage of apartment buying guides and search specific maps for foreclosures or low income housing. You can even use the app if you’re looking to buy a house.
Hotpads allows users to contact properties and landlords right from the map screen, and highlights important features of each listing like prices, photos and other information.
3. Lovely
Lovely is another map-based search tool that draws information largely from Craigslist, but it’s equipped with a few extra bells and whistles that set it apart. It has all the standard features (filters, map tools, alerts etc.) but when users click on a listing, they get a full page of information including photos, and you can apply for the apartment on the same page.
The benefits of Lovely don’t end after you sign the apartment lease agreement. You can even pay rent through Lovely if your landlord supports it.
It’s still a good idea to visit a space before you decide to rent it, but these tools make it easier to know which apartments are worth your while.
