Lead time for apartments or rental homes? (Austin: apartment complex, condo)

[awakentransform]

We will be moving to Austin the end of September or beginning of October. What is a good lead time for finding a rental place? Is it better to secure a place well in advance, say a month? Or are places mostly advertised when they come up and maybe 2 weeks in advance would be better?

I ask this because I had a bad experience once when I moved to Boston and thought I could find a place one month in advance. They said 3 months in advance was standard! For most places though, I have found 1 month in advance to be best.

Thanks for your help.

[TexasHorseLady]

My observations (and looking at when rentals are available when they come on the market) say that one month is appropriate. But are you thinking apartment or house?

[readymade]

I just looked for and found an apartment today. Most of them wanted me to rent for August 1 (it's July 17)! In my application, I asked for August 15, so we'll see if they accept. I would say whenever you go, to plan for the 1st of the proceeding month.

[MJinAustin]

I have a rental condo and I advertise one month before the lease ends. You'll usually be able to find something within 2 weeks of your needed date. A month early is probably the outset of the time frame. As a landlord, I have a hard time signing someone a month-plus in advance if my property is empty...means another month of mortgage without rent when the possibility is greater that someone will come in and rent right away. I'd suggest coming 2 weeks prior to your move date...you'll find something. There's plenty to choose from.

This isn't Boston or NYC or SF where the vultures circulate and all converge on a scarce open apartment...

[awakentransform]

Thanks for the help. It sounds like 2 - 3 weeks would get the best results. It will be nice not to have to compete so much for a decent place. If possible, we would prefer a rental house but I know those are harder to come by.

[readymade]

Originally Posted by awakentransform

Thanks for the help. It sounds like 2 - 3 weeks would get the best results. It will be nice not to have to compete so much for a decent place. If possible, we would prefer a rental house but I know those are harder to come by.

You can find them. I just rented a house. Look on Craigslist, drive around, and contact a realtor (PM me if you need a really fantastic one that helped us find our house).

[TexasHorseLady]

They're definitely easy to come by. I've been taking folks around lately to look at them; it's just a matter of figuring out where you want to live and making a choice. Particularly with the market softening a bit here, folks are putting their houses on the lease market when they don't sell and waiting for better times.

[Marisa7]

Hi there, I'm moving to Austin from NY in the September time frame and I'm actually out here in Austin now looking for places. I just took a 1 bedroom in an apartment complex to be ready 9/15. The complexes require a 2 month notice on vacating apartments so right now they have what will be available through the middle of september so if you're looking for an apartment in a complex I say start now or by the end of the month if you're looking for september/october time frame... you'll get the pick of the litter. In fact, most of the available ones for july and most of august were already snatched up. Also, I've seen a few apartment complexes in the Arboretum/Northwest Hills area so if you're looking in that area and want some insight or advice direct message me and I'll be glad to let you know what I saw. I also used a rental locator so I can let know who I used too... they're free so I think its worth wild. Good Luck!

[readymade]

Originally Posted by Marisa7

Hi there, I'm moving to Austin from NY in the September time frame and I'm actually out here in Austin now looking for places. I just took a 1 bedroom in an apartment complex to be ready 9/15. The complexes require a 2 month notice on vacating apartments so right now they have what will be available through the middle of september so if you're looking for an apartment in a complex I say start now or by the end of the month if you're looking for september/october time frame... you'll get the pick of the litter. In fact, most of the available ones for july and most of august were already snatched up. Also, I've seen a few apartment complexes in the Arboretum/Northwest Hills area so if you're looking in that area and want some insight or advice direct message me and I'll be glad to let you know what I saw. I also used a rental locator so I can let know who I used too... they're free so I think its worth wild. Good Luck!

Honestly, this post surprises the heck out of me. Every house I looked at yesterday (7/17/08) was renting for August 1. Granted I didn't look at apartments, but on Craigslist I didn't see anyone renting ANYthing for September or October. If you come 2 months early, you run a very big risk of having to pay 2 extra months of rent just to keep it. I'm going to have to pay for 3 extra weeks, myself, as I don't want to move in until the end of August.

[Marisa7]

Originally Posted by readymade

Honestly, this post surprises the heck out of me. Every house I looked at yesterday (7/17/08) was renting for August 1. Granted I didn't look at apartments, but on Craigslist I didn't see anyone renting ANYthing for September or October. If you come 2 months early, you run a very big risk of having to pay 2 extra months of rent just to keep it. I'm going to have to pay for 3 extra weeks, myself, as I don't want to move in until the end of August.

Yeah I guess it depends on what you're looking for. All the managed apartment complexes told me they now require a 60 day vacating notice so they have what's available out by 2 months. So I guess if you want to rent a house or a privately owned building then give start looking later but if you want a managed complex start looking sooner.