– Income requirements: Most landlords won’t accept working professionals if the rent exceeds 33% of their income, and you must have a FICO score above 675. In most cases, you may also need a solid domestic in-state guarantor.

– Area: Narrow your search to your most desired neighborhoods prior to seeing apartments. If you are not sure about the areas that are best for you, ask us and we will help you. We know the city inside out.
– Pets: The majority of landlords will not allow dogs, and some won’t allow cats. Luxury rentals will allow them for an extra fee, but they have breed and weight restrictions. Be sure to let us know if you have, or plan on getting, pets.
– Price range: We will ask you your target rent and your maximum rent. The goal is to help you find something in your price range, but we will also need to know how flexible you are (e.g., if you find the dream place). The starting rent price that you should expect to spend in each neighborhood is shown below.
– The Boston housing market: All the good apartments around Boston rent quickly. Some get listed in the morning and are rented by the same night. The best strategy is to look at a bunch of apartments in one day and put down an application + holding deposit check to secure the ones you want.  If we work sight unseen, we can show you up to 3 apartments and you can lock in a rental without ever leaving your home. If we work in person, we may show you 5 to 10 apartments at once. The holding deposit is one month’s rent.

– Application: When you apply for an apartment, you will be expected to provide a photo of your ID, any proof of income (offer letter, residency paperwork, bank statements, etc.), your credit report (we will run it for you), holding deposit (bank checks, personal checks, money order, etc.). Be prepared and work on those ahead of time. We have done a showing, application, and lease in as little as 2 hours. This is possible if you are prepared and if the landlord’s team is responsive. Usually it takes 1 or 2 days.

– Scheduling: The best time to call us is whenever you know you will be coming to Boston (up to 3 months before you arrive). We will put you in our system to send you listings daily. The best day to pick the apartments you want to visit is 2-4 days before the actual showing. It gives us enough time to schedule them with the listing agent or the landlord. It also helps to give 24 hours’ notice to the current tenant, if the apartment is not vacant. The inventory will change daily. Most people come for a 3-day weekend to find an apartment. It is more competitive on Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday. Thus, if possible, we recommend you come on any of these days: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday.

– Rental fee: 95% of the apartments and privately-owned condos are due a rental fee. It covers the scheduling, the showings, any agency involvement, the lease generation, etc.  Some landlords may pay a portion of the fee if the apartment has been vacant, if it is unrenovated, or if you rent in a luxury rental building. Boston is one of many major metropolitan cities in the U.S. where the tenant generally pays the fee.  Most landlords will require that you are ready, willing, and able to pay upfront costs, such as First Month’s Rent, plus Last Month’s Rent, plus Security Deposit, plus Broker’s Fee.

– Our service: We specialize in relocation. We work with ALL of the luxury rental buildings and we have access to hundreds of individually owned condos. This represents over 50,000 apartments around Boston. We have helped thousands of tenants find their perfect home in Boston, in person and sight-unseen.

– Consider buying: If you will be in Boston for more than 2 years, you should consider buying. With 25% down, a $600,000 condo would require a $3,850 mortgage payment; based on current interest rates, call for details. After your residency you can either rent it out and make money every month or sell it. Boston’s market is very strong and even during recessions, prices go up. We can also help you with that.

– What we don’t do: Unfortunately, we will not be able to help you if you are looking for a weekly short-term furnished apartment. Most short-term rentals require a minimum of 3-Months stay.  Some of the corporate rentals will be furnished, but most apartments are not offered furnished.  If you absolutely need furniture for your one-year rental, we can refer you to a furniture rental company.