Best Rental Sites? How's the market in later Summer? (Portland: 2013, apartment)

[Sondeera]

What are the best sites for finding rentals? I've been checking Craigslist and Trulia, but I was wondering if you folks had a local site that you used.

My husband and I are heading up to PDX next week for five days to narrow down our favorite areas, visit his new office, generally take stock, and visit with family. If possible, I'd like to actually go check out a few rentals just to get an idea of what is out there when we move at the end of July. (No, I don't think those rentals will actually be available, just more trying to get a feel for what a rental in Portland looks/feels like).

Also - from your personal experience are there more rentals available during the summer months, or fewer? Some places I've lived there were quite a few more, while others had hardly any during that peak moving time. (Ideally, we're looking at renting a 3BD SFD in the SE area - Woodstock, Sellwood, possibly even outside of Portland in Milwaukie).

As always, thank you! I truly appreciate the advice.

[lalahartma]

Padmapper.com ?

[christiner81]

we use craigslist, padmapper and hotpads. I'd think there would be more to pick from in the summer, it seems that a lot of people tend to move then. There isn't a good local site - each property manager has their own site but there are tons of them. I've noticed more options in the area we were looking at popping up as we get closer to school being out.

[Nell Plotts]

And as you get closer to the start of school the vacancy rate drops precipitously. Just guessing here but the end of June may be a good time to move.

[coastaltrav]

+1 for Padmapper

In any case beware of the scams, there are plenty of them. Some listings seem "too good to be true" and that is still very sage advice.

[Sondeera]

Originally Posted by Nell Plotts

And as you get closer to the start of school the vacancy rate drops precipitously. Just guessing here but the end of June may be a good time to move.

Unfortunately, we don't have the luxury of changing our move date. It's etched in stone. Hopefully, we will still be able to find something suitable.

[coastaltrav]

Originally Posted by Sondeera

Unfortunately, we don't have the luxury of changing our move date. It's etched in stone. Hopefully, we will still be able to find something suitable.

You'll find something, it just might cost you more $$$ than it would have a month or two earlier.

[Minervah]

Here is an interesting article in the Portland Montly Magazine regarding rentals and vacancy rates. They give a disclaimer about the seasoned buildings that the rental price will depend not only on the age of the buildings but the location which is true. For example, the apartment buildings in my SE neighborhood, most one bedroom are all post WWII buildings which are seasoned rather than new and they go for around $1000 a month including heat and about $850 heat not included. The $600 amounts they are referring to are much farther away from shopping and the downtown area.

Rental Market Madness | Portland Monthly