Apartment Searching

I don't think it would hurt. I'm always scrambling to find a place last minute haha. Plus some places stay booked so it wouldn't hurt to get your name on a list somewhere.

Depending on the area, apartments might go fast so if you find one you like, it might not be there in a year. On the flip-side, you could end up being able to put your name on a waiting list or something like that.

It's actually good you are looking at places now. If you plan on renting in the summer, that is the time a lot of people move (kids out of school, summer break). Better to plan ahead than wait until you're knee deep in wedding stuff.

That's a good idea. We have to be put on a wait list for the place we wanted and it took probably three months before there was an opening.

I’ve rented a lot of apartments and usually about three months is better. You can certainly take a basic tour but they can’t give you rates or availability that far away.

As a landlord I'd be fairly annoyed to show an apartment to someone who had no intention of moving in, for rentals you only tour them when they're available. Buying it'd be okay to look at open houses before hand. You don't know if the apartments will even be available a year from now. Looking to rent this far in advance is a waste of time for both you and the owner.
I'd suggest looking online and getting an idea of what to expect but don't see anything in person unless you're ready to move.

I don’t know what the rental market is like in your area but I would not expect specific units to stay vacant for a whole year, so what you see now would be unlikely to be available still when you go to rent (and quite frankly I’d be concerned there was something wrong with it if it did go unrented for that long!). You might find buildings that you like that may have a different, comparable unit available when you’re ready, but there’s a risk of getting attached to something now, setting expectations, then not being able to find something that competes down the road.

View Quoted Comment

This! And usually, rates are higher in the summer because that's when most people are looking to move.

It’s really good to have a list as when I went to get my apartment they legit only had one, one bedroom that was available when I needed it and it was way more expensive because it was the biggest floor plan. It all worked out and I love it to death but it’s definitely not weird to go look and make a list of your different options. Just so you know moving is very stressful so try not to do too much right before your wedding! It’s hard work within its self!

Girl when I say we are TWINS we are 😂😂. This is exactly how I felt about 3 months ago . I am a planner too and me and my FH are in the exact same situation as you guys . Plus we live in different states so what we did was my FH visited like 5 in his area (where I am moving ). Now together next month we will visit the top 3 and make a decision . I don’t think it’s too early personally bc I like to plan too . Also prices for apartments change per season so that’s why I wanted to have my top choices so I could watch them . In my opinion the earlier you start the closer you could get to getting the best option for the best price .

I would say no more than 2-3 month. Usually when you start looking they want you to rent soon not more than a month otherwise a place you like could be gone by the time you are ready to rent. My FH and I are like you (but probably older) he lives with his parents as he finished up grad school and got his first teaching job. I have lived on my own for years. We won't live together until after the wedding in October we got engaged last August. My lease it up July 31. So I started looking a little in March and looking vigurously in May. Since you haven't really looked before you could just go to see what you like and start building your list of questions you have set your budget for your first year together. Start saving for the rent and whatever security deposit or move in fee they ask for depending on where you leave the move in fee could be like $300+ per person. So my FH will help me move into our new place this weekend actually and he will continue to stay at his parents until we are married.

I planned on waiting till the month we decide to move out which is December! I am still looking right now but touring won’t happen till later since I’m scared I’ll like something that won’t be available when I do want to tour.

IMO it depends on if it’s an apartment complex or an apartment building (i.e. duplex). Apartment complexes in my area have leasing mgr that are able to show the apartment pretty simply, and they usually have a high turnover rate. Single apartment, duplexes usually rent out faster & a property mgr/owner needs to drive x distance to show it. I would be upset driving over & showing an apt to someone who wasn’t looking to purchase until next year, but wouldn’t mind if I was in a leasing office.

Hi, I like that you will try and get your own place like a month before your wedding to prep. We too are doing that and it's been very helpful. If you decide to tour places a year in advance then good for you! We kinda tried doing "virtual" tours when it was possible online. Especially since some places fill up quickly, it's like they have certain specials, but they want you to move-in right away! Best wishes to you

Are you looking at apartment buildings? Like 20+ apartments in one building or lot? If so, maybe give the office a call and ask what their thoughts are. They can tell you how often units open up etc.

If you are looking at smaller rental operations, 4-plex etc. I would wait until the month or two before hand.

In the meantime, I would definitely say to look at neighborhoods and pick your top 2-3! That could definitely help.

Thanks everyone for your advice!

We live in SoCal, about 30 minutes from the Disneyland area, so there's a lot of options around us. We're mainly looking at apartment complexes, so it wouldn't be just a single/duplex unit. I've got a spreadsheet going and have been doing all the online research already. I think I'm just anxious to see them in person. I'll get in contact with a couple and explain the scenario to see what they say!

Thanks again!