Question about moving to a new apartment (renter, how much)

[inception937]

This is a question regarding the timing of moving to the new apartment.

I currently live in an apartment, no lease agreement signed so I would call it month to month.

I would like to move out and find a place closer to my job but I'm confused on the timing issue with the new place.

I know the proper procedure is to give my current landlord a 1 month notice, saying that this is my last month living here, so I can get my deposit back when I move out, but how can I do that when I have not found the new place?

My biggest confusing question is unless I find a place on the 31st, 1st or around that time of the month, how am I going to convince the new landlord to hold it for me for longer than a month?

For example, say I find a place on the 14th of September, and boom I like it, I want to take it....but I would not be able to give a one month notice to my current landlord until the 1st of next month (10/1) when I pay rent....so I would have to ask the new landlord if I could move in on 11/1....when that new landlord would want me to move in right away or on 10/1 (I would suppose)....that is too much time passing by, other people can easily come and take the place instead... I don't think most landlords would let me move in on 11/1... I could be wrong though.

A risky solution is to simply give a one month notice to the current landlord (on 9/1) THEN start looking.....but what if I can't find a place I like within that month? Then I have to settle on a new place fast, this seems the most logical solution but also risky.

Let me know what the standard procedure is to this type of situation. Thank you in advance!

[kayo_michael]

Once you find a place you want to move into, you sign the lease to move in 30 days from that date, and give the LL notice to vacate.

If it falls on an odd day, you would prorate it. Say for instance, you find an apartment today. You would sign the lease for your new place to move in on the 9/27. Then you give the current LL your 30 day notice.

You will not pay a full month rent for Sept. This is prorating. take your rent, and divide by the number of days in that month, and that's how much you pay per day for Sept.

Most of the time you would like to have a few days of overlap so you can move in over the weekend or something like that.

[James1202]

On a month-by-month lease it's 30 days notice no matter what day of the month you give notice.

If you give notice March 20th then your rent for April is to the 19th. Just take your monthly rent, divide by 30, and multiply by 19; that's what you will owe.

When you find an apartment you like it's up to you and your new landlord to negotiate your "move in date", however, to get the apt. you'll probably be asked to move in as soon as the apt. is cleaned, repainted, and repairs made. You should be able to reserve the apt. for a week or two with just a deposit of one month's rent (actually, upstate, $100 will do).

It's unusual, in my experience, that the new landlord will wait a full month before expecting rent. I've usually paid a week or two at both places unless I found a new renter for my old apt. (so the previous landlord doesn't lose any rent payment) or if the new apt. is occupied until the end of the month.

BTW, Be sure to bring a camera and notepad with you while apt. hunting and take pics and notes of anything you want addressed before moving in. Usually the camera and notepad will be enough to put the prospective landlord on notice that you're not a total push-over about getting things done. Include these items in the lease as a condition of the contract.