How to rent an apartment will walk you through the hunt from start to finish.

• Ready to rent? Under ideal circumstances, finding a new place to call home can be a fun experience. Unfortunately, circumstances are rarely ideal. If you're in a new city, shopping in a competitive market or are under a deadline, apartment hunting can make for a stressful few weeks. So, before you step into the world of rentals, arm yourself with as much knowledge as possible. If you stay organized and come prepared, you'll have the keys to your happy new home in no time.

• Thanks to the Internet, there's no shortage of ways to find your new digs, but that doesn't mean circling ads in your local paper or pounding the pavement won't lead to success as well. Cast a wide net, and check out a few of the following resources:

1. Web sites such as Craigslist, Rent.com and Apartments.com offer comprehensive local searches. These sites let you search by location, price, amenities and more.
   • Don't forget the localized online services offered by your city's alternative newsweeklies or premium sites like WestsideRentals, which serves the Los Angeles and Orange County area.
2. Lifehacker has a number of bright ideas for searching online and off.
   • Some of these ideas include using a service like Bloglines to check your Craigslist RSS feeds from your mobile phone, or just pounding the pavement in whatever neighborhood strikes your fancy.
3. If the World Wide Web isn't your thing, you can always check your phone book or look in the classifieds section of your local newspaper.

• Are you and your dog attached at the hip? Do you need a cool dip in a pool to survive the summer? Are building entry codes a hassle or a must? While amenities are always a good thing, they aren't free. Make a list of the following issues and prioritize them to help you make a selection:

1. Parking: Are there assigned spaces? Do you mind a short walk? Is the area well-lit? Do you care if the lots are covered and/or indoors?
2. Security: How accessible is your front door? Do you mind entering an access code? Are there city emergency services in close proximity?
3. Conveniences: Is there a washer and dryer in the unit or somewhere on the premises, or will you frequent a laundromat? Is there a fitness center, swimming pool or dog run?

• In the midst of all the excitement, it's easy to start envisioning your stuff in your new nest while putting money matters on the back burner. Don't.

1. Think about your budget. Some financial advisors suggest spending no more than 30-35% of your monthly expenses on rent. Figure out what you can realistically spend, and target your search from there.
   • Visit Mahalo's How to Make a Budget for additional advice on creating and sticking to a personal financial plan.
2. Get a free credit report. When you find an apartment you like, you will need to fill out an application, which allows the landlord to run a credit check on you. Landlords are far less likely to reject your application if you have good credit. Do you even know what your credit score is? Time to pay a visit to AnnualCreditReport.com, the only website authorized to give out free annual credit reports.
   • Visit Mahalo's How to Get a Free Credit Report for information on how to procure your credit report.
3. Don't forget the upfront money. When you rent a unit, you'll in all likelihood be paying your first and last month's rent and a security deposit upfront. That's a lot of cash. Be sure you're covered.
   • You may be able to save some money upfront by offering to paint the apartment yourself after the previous tenants leave or by having the rent pro-rated if you start occupying the unit in the middle of the month instead of on the first.

• Ask yourself what kind of neighborhood best suits you.

1. Look around and see if the majority of your potential neighbors are college kids, retired individuals, young families, etc. Do you prefer a certain demographic?
   • Don't know an area at all? Use a demographic look-up service like Prizm from Claritas to find out who calls your potential new neighborhood home.
2. Next, check out the proximity of schools, grocery stores, emergency services, restaurants and more. If you know you'll be commuting to these places on a regular basis, you'll want them to be close-by.
3. To get an even better feel for your surroundings, knock on a few doors and ask tenants about their impressions of the neighborhood.
4. Once you've narrowed in on a place, ask your potential neighbors how they feel about the landlord and how he or she conducts business.

• Once you've set a budget, zeroed in on a neighborhood and found a few apartment listings, it's time to actually visit the apartments. Whether you go during an open house or make an appointment, you should always arrive prepared. In a competitive market, you may need to fill out an application on the spot to snag a place.

• While it can be fun to envision you and your stuff in a bunch of different apartments, trying to find a little place to call your own in a competitive market or under a deadline can make for one seriously stressful experience. Make things easy on yourself by showing up ready for rental action.

1. Checkbook: There is typically a fee attached to submitting a rental application. It covers the cost of the credit check your potential landlord runs on you and assures the landlord that you're serious about securing the unit.
2. Phone Numbers and References: Bring the contact information for your employer and your previous landlords.
3. Financial Documents: If you are currently employed, bring a copy of your last pay stub. If you're moving to a new city, but have secured a job, bring a letter from your employer stating your start date and salary. If you work freelance, bring copies of your bank statements from the past six months and your previous year's tax return. If you're a student or have never rented before, you may need to have your parents or another legally responsible adult co-sign your lease.
4. Cell Phone: If you're looking at multiple places, you'll want to have a cell phone with you to make and receive calls for potential landlords.
5. Camera: If you plan on seeing multiple apartments in one day, you won't remember them all. Take lots of snapshots so you can tell the units apart later.
6. Tape Measure: If you're closing in on a place, take a few measurements so you can think about getting your furniture in the place, buying window coverings, etc.
7. Roommates: If you're hunting in a competitive market, you may need to fill out an application on the spot. You won't feel comfortable making a decision for the other people living with you, and if they're going to be on the lease as well, you're far more likely to get the place if the landlord has met everyone who will be living in the unit.

• The combination of a landlord or broker standing over you and the other fifty people looking at the place, can make you feel pressured to apply on the spot. Take a breath, and calm down. You need to thoroughly inspect the unit and ask dozens of questions before you'll feel confident plunking down your cold hard cash. Make or download a checklist so you don't forget to check out the following:

1. Does the apartment match the written description?
2. What is the total square footage?
3. What is the actual rent amount?
4. When is the exact date of availability?
5. Is there a pest problem?
6. Do you have any special needs they can't meet? (i.e. pet ownership, allergies to furnishings, etc.)
7. How much storage space is available?
8. How is the unit heated and cooled?
9. What sort of utilities are included in your monthly rent?
10. What is the maintenance policy? What fixes are included in the rent and which ones are not.
11. Is renters' insurance required?
12. Is parking included?
13. Can you paint the walls or hang art?
14. How noisy is the neighborhood? Are the walls thin?
15. Who lives in the complex? Families, retirees, students?
16. Do all the lights turn on?
17. Does water flush and run properly?
18. Are the fire extinguisher and breaker box easy to find?
19. Do all the major appliances turn on? Are they fully functioning (i.e. all four stove-top burners)?
20. Are there stains in the cupboards or drawers?
21. Do all the doors and locks open and close with ease?
22. Is the paint chipped, or are there any large holes in the walls?
23. Test as many outlets as possible by plugging in a small appliance.
24. Does air seep through the windows? Is there evidence of outdoor leaks?

• Once your application has been accepted, you'll need to sign a lease. Before jumping in with both feet, be sure that your landlord is on the up and up and that you understand every word in your lease.

• The first and easiest step you can take to finding out whether a landlord is legit is to check with The Better Business Bureau.

1. Search for the rental company's name with the BBB, but remember that negative feedback is only recorded when complaints are filed.
2. While the absence of said company from the BBB's site does not guarantee their credibility, it's still a prime place to look for red flags.
3. You also may want to check out an online rating community like ApartmentRatings.com for additional information.

• The best thing you can do before signing your name to that lease or rental agreement is to actually read through it. Be sure you see and understand the following:

1. Terms of the Lease: Rental amount and due date, late-payment consequences, security deposit amount, start and end date of the lease, length of the lease, penalty for breaking the lease, notice for moving out, etc.
2. Special Policies: Specifically pertaining to pets, repairs, visitors, water beds, key duplication, noise restrictions, hanging art, painting walls, etc.
3. Suspicious Fine Print: There are a number of provisions to keep your eyes peeled for in the fine print. Nolo.com suggests you be wary of terms such as:
   • Shared utility meters
   • Automatic rent increases
   • Future rules of landlord
   • Absolving the landlord in advance of any liability for carelessness
   • Unrestricted landlord entry

• Take full advantage of your walk-through with the landlord. Revisit your original apartment hunting checklist, and don't be afraid to touch and test everything you see. Take photos of anything that may become a question later. If you miss a minor (or major) repair before you move in, there's no way to prove you didn't do the damage when it comes time to move out.