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I just finished graduate school and am applying for jobs across the U.S.
If I get a job in another state, how do I go about finding housing?
How do I find out if I like the area if I cannot travel to see it?
Mainly, how can I secure an apartment before I arrive at my place of employment? (So that I don't have to spend days in a hotel while trying to find an apartment).
Honestly I would want to spend time in a hotel when I first move. Even if you have been to the area to visit before, you won't know the best neighborhoods for you yet. Why commit to a lease in a place you're not familiar with? I'm looking at extended stay hotels and most are about the same price as an apartment complex would be but you get a chance to settle into your job, explore neighborhoods on your days off, and be really sure about a place before comitting to any length of time.
I found my place via Craig's List. (Was emailed lots of pictures of the place)
I also spent a LOT of time "driving around" via Google maps street view. I did that so much with my neighborhood, it seemed familiar the day I got here. I didn't want to do the extended stay thing; I wanted a place to land when I got here and didn't want to have to move into a temporary place then move again. It worked well for me; I LOVE where I live.
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I just finished graduate school and am applying for jobs across the U.S.
If I get a job in another state, how do I go about finding housing?
How do I find out if I like the area if I cannot travel to see it?
Mainly, how can I secure an apartment before I arrive at my place of employment? (So that I don't have to spend days in a hotel while trying to find an apartment).
Thank you for any suggestions!
Once you get hired somewhere, go to the City-Data forum for that city and/or state, and request info from the locals. Besides Craigslist.com & GoogleMaps Streetview, some other online resources are
I have another important question: do most landlords need to see proof of monthly income from employment in order to rent an apartment to me? If I have just arrived at my job and have not been paid yet, how do I prove to the landlord that I will have paychecks coming?
I wouldn't secure an apartment prior to moving somewhere but utilize websites like Airbnb to temporarily stay somewhere (I rented a room for one month for $450.00 a month) until I found a place.
Yes, landlords do need to see proof of income from employment. In your case, it would be an offer letter. That is something I provided to my current landlord, and it worked just fine.
If you are just finishing graduate school I am assuming there is a good chance you are looking for professional positions. IF that is the case there is a decent chance your new employer will help with this. Many companies have relocation assistance beyond just a relocation allowance. My company works with a reputale realtor, for example. Realtors often won't work with renters but she did as part of the corproate account. That was relayy helpful because she could give advice regarding what the commute to the office would be like, whether the neighborhood was decent, etc. Another think I usually try to do is sign a lease that will let me terminte early after 6 months. That way I can use those 6 months to find my perfect long-term home.
Once you get hired somewhere, go to the City-Data forum for that city and/or state, and request info from the locals. Besides Craigslist.com & GoogleMaps Streetview, some other online resources are
padmapper.com and airbnb.com
So, the way it works is: I get hired somewhere and THEN look for a place, not vice versa? How long is the employer going to wait for me to find a place to live?
So, the way it works is: I get hired somewhere and THEN look for a place, not vice versa? How long is the employer going to wait for me to find a place to live?
That depends. I think 2 weeks is minimal. Request 4-6 weeks if you're moving more than a short day's drive from your current location. All they can say is "no". When I relocated from Albany to here, about 350 miles, I was offered the position in May but I didn't start until August. That was about 8 weeks, but it was a college, and they work off an academic calendar, so summer is their "slow time".
We just hired someone in our department who is local, but we're giving her five weeks to tie up loose ends at her current job, etc. Since this is a new position, getting somebody on board immediately is not critical.
I have another important question: do most landlords need to see proof of monthly income from employment in order to rent an apartment to me? If I have just arrived at my job and have not been paid yet, how do I prove to the landlord that I will have paychecks coming?
At my place, they just had me pay an extra month's rent. No proof of income.
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