Apartment advice for an out of state move (sublets, rental)

[legit]

Hello all,

I have a somewhat odd situation. I am going to be moving to the DC area due to a job, I have never visited there except once when i was 10yo. I also wont have a chance to visit there before I move there.

So my question is this: does anyone have any advice on how to get an apartment completely ready for myself before I arrive in my new state?

Basically I want to be able to move in the day I arrive in my new location but I have never heard of anyone getting a lease on an apartment without first doing a look through. Which is exactly what I want to do, so I was just wanting to get any advice that anyone is willing to give me.

All I've thought about so far is trying to get a 3 or 6 month lease, instead of a full year.

Thank you
- legit

BTW.. I might also mention that this will be my first apartment (gotta make it exciting)

[emh]

If you can, I'd suggest visiting DC first so you can get a feel for the city and figure out what area of the city you might want to live in. What is your budget for an apartment? DC is a very expensive city!

Anyway, I once rented an apartment in Wichita, KS over the phone. They mailed me the rental forms and I mailed them back. It might have helped that I knew someone living in that complex.

If you absolutely can't visit DC before your move, I'd suggest looking through craigslist under Sublets/Temporary. You might be able to find a weekly or monthly rental...that way you can settle in before looking for a more permanent place. You can also post under Housing Wanted on craiglist. Maybe landlords don't advertise and prefer to contact potential tenants directly.