Tips on securing an apartment from out of state? (Seattle: extended stay, apartment complexes) - Washington (WA) -Seattle and King County Suburbs - City-Data Forum

catycat · 06-09-2016, 02:55 PM

Greetings from Michigan!

My sister and I are moving to Seattle from Michigan this summer, and are looking for advice from people who have moved from out of state. It would be great to hear from any current or former UW students who moved from out of state to attend UW, but not into on campus housing. My sister will be attending grad school, so she is not looking for the dorm experience. Ideally, we would like to keep the budget under $2000 for a 2 bedroom apartment. Cat friendly is a must, and access to reliable public transportation is also very important since she will not be driving to her classes, and we're only bring one car to share. My biggest concern is getting approved for a lease prior to moving, and more than likely prior to having secured a job. Both of us have excellent credit, clean rental history, and enough savings to make it possible; but I do worry that not having jobs will make things difficult. We're not super picky about the actual apartment except that it's clean, in a decent area, allows pets (2 cats), and is in our budget--the cheaper the better. I'm curious if landlords will take into consideration that she is moving for school, and if that will help with not having an income right off the bat. Thanks in advance for any advice!

P.S. If you know any specific apartment complexes that pre-lease to students feel free to share! We are looking to move in August or 1st week September.

Edit: I'd like to clarify, that my biggest question is: Would it possible to secure an apartment from out of state, or is it necessary that we be in Seattle to in order to do so? I would prefer to find one remotely, so I don't have to spend money on another trip out there prior to moving.

CrazyDonkey · 06-09-2016, 04:24 PM

Look near UW: University District, Wallingford, Roosevelt, Ravenna, Green Lake, Bryant.

Rental Listings in Seattle WA - 24 Rentals | Zillow

tobester · 06-09-2016, 05:40 PM

I'd suggest North Beacon Hill ... right on light rail, so easy to downtown for potential jobs and easy to UW for grad school. The two cats might present your biggest problem ... there's been lots of chat on this site about difficulty in finding pet friendly rentals.

homesinseattle · 06-09-2016, 06:00 PM

Catycat, it's really hard to find a place from out of town. You might have luck in the Northgate area as there are more apartments in that area (added benefit of being on the UW side of Seattle).

CrazyDonkey · 06-09-2016, 06:06 PM

Northgate has excellent transit links to UW, Downtown, Wallingford/Fremont, and Ballard. For instance:

http://www.zillow.com/b/Park-at-Nort...122.318032_ll/

catycat · 06-10-2016, 12:57 PM

Thanks for the replies. We have already kind of narrowed down which neighborhoods we're interested in, but looking for advice from people who have secured and apartment from out of state. If anyone out there has any additional wisdom to offer please do! Thank you

CrazyDonkey · 06-10-2016, 01:57 PM

The main issue is that in areas where demand exceeds supply, landlords/property managers have less incentive to rent to someone sight unseen. Mainly, you need to sell them that you're better applicants than the ones they already have.

On the other hand, you're also taking the risk of being stuck in a lease in a property or neighborhood that doesn't meet your expectations. That could be costlier than coming out earlier and staying in an extended stay, vacation rental, or hotel while looking for a place.

Ruth4Truth · 06-10-2016, 03:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by homesinseattle

Catycat, it's really hard to find a place from out of town. You might have luck in the Northgate area as there are more apartments in that area (added benefit of being on the UW side of Seattle).

This is the best idea. Lots of apartment buildings out there along with a major transit center, plus rents out there have been dropping, so it's more of a renter's market than a landlord's market. The U District is one of the pricier markets in the city due to the student demand. The Northgate area also has less crime than the U District.

Contact a few of the Northgate listings from Craigslist yourself, and ask if they rent to out-of-towners who are moving to town. If you have plenty of savings and can fax your bank statement to prove you have enough to cover you for several months, that could make up for the lack of a job offer in hand. Who will be paying rent for your sister? People do rent to students who study full-time. Give it a try and let us know how you do.

catycat · 06-10-2016, 03:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth

This is the best idea. Lots of apartment buildings out there along with a major transit center, plus rents out there have been dropping, so it's more of a renter's market than a landlord's market. The U District is one of the pricier markets in the city due to the student demand. The Northgate area also has less crime than the U District.

Contact a few of the Northgate listings from Craigslist yourself, and ask if they rent to out-of-towners who are moving to town. If you have plenty of savings and can fax your bank statement to prove you have enough to cover you for several months, that could make up for the lack of a job offer in hand. Who will be paying rent for your sister? People do rent to students who study full-time. Give it a try and let us know how you do.

My sister will be paying her own share. She's actually in pretty good shape because she owns property in Grand Rapids and will be selling prior to our move. Between that, and student loans it should cover her share. She's taking an extended night program, so she will also have time for a part time job once she gets settled. I'm looking into getting a job at a Starbucks here in MI, so I can possibly transfer to a Seattle location. Not necessarily the dream, but it would be nice to have something to start out. I'll definitely check the Northgate area, and keep you guys posted. Thanks again for the help!

Ruth4Truth · 06-10-2016, 06:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by catycat

My sister will be paying her own share. She's actually in pretty good shape because she owns property in Grand Rapids and will be selling prior to our move. Between that, and student loans it should cover her share. She's taking an extended night program, so she will also have time for a part time job once she gets settled. I'm looking into getting a job at a Starbucks here in MI, so I can possibly transfer to a Seattle location. Not necessarily the dream, but it would be nice to have something to start out. I'll definitely check the Northgate area, and keep you guys posted. Thanks again for the help!

With assets like that, you don't need a job offer to convince a landlord of your rent-worthiness. You should be able to find someone who will accept faxed documents and would be willing to do everything long-distance. One thing I've noticed with SFH rentals is that many LL's specify they won't rent a place sight unseen by the prospective renter, but I think with an apt., that policy doesn't crop up very often.