Bobbleheads and Bunnies: How to survive a marathon day of apartment hunting

My initial apartment-hunting trip for an out-of-state grad school was… an interesting experience.

The first apartment broker we visited resembled a bobblehead doll and quickly earned the nickname “Babbling Bobby.” He talked nonstop about everything except the apartments: his love of Snapple and the great deals you can get when you buy it in bulk, the conspiracy with the French advertising company that just landed a contract with the city, and how no comedian will ever be as funny as Bob Hope.

We left him with his pleather couch and case of Snapple and moved on to a potential landlady who gave us the wrong directions, reeked of beer, and showed us an apartment that had a live rabbit in the bathtub—the bunny was not included in the rent.

Our third and final stop also had evidence of rodents, but not the cute and fuzzy kind. The landlord tried to maneuver an empty pizza box to cover the…leavings, but we were already on our way out the door.

Eventually, I managed to find a studio apartment that I’m happy with, but like many things in grad school all you can do with such a stupefying situation is to take your lumps, learn what you can, and pass along any warnings or advice to others.

My six hard-learned tips on surviving apartment hunting:

1. Plan ahead, but be flexible. Organize several appointments for the day, but allow time to get lost, sidetracked, or simply to take a break. Make sure you have all the necessary phone numbers and addresses easily at hand, so you can let your appointments know if your plans have changed or if you need more specific directions.

2. Endurance is key. Take some water and snacks with you and wear comfortable shoes. If your stomach is growling and your feet are aching, you’re less likely to give an apartment a thorough examination.

3. Take pictures. If you have to decide between two or more different places, having photos of the apartment, building, and neighborhood can definitely come in handy. You may even notice things in the pictures that you overlooked in person.

4. Use public transportation. Even if you have a car for your apartment-hunting trip, park it and use the same public transportation you would if you lived in the city. This will give you a better idea of how long your commute will take, and what kinds of sacrifices you’re willing to make in terms of location. (Alternatively, if you plan on using a car in the city, use it for apartment hunting as well; this will let you know what kind of traffic and parking issues you may encounter in the future.)

5. Bring a buddy. Having a trusted companion for this trying day is very helpful. It can give you another perspective on each apartment, make you more comfortable when dealing with landlords and brokers, or provide you with a little more safety when traveling to new places. Just make sure your buddy can keep up and has a positive, supportive attitude.

6. Keep your sense of humor! You’re guaranteed to run into some interesting people and situations, but that’s part of experiencing a large city. If you can’t handle one day of craziness without being able to laugh about it, you may have bigger problems relocating than finding the perfect apartment.

For more information on finding the right neighborhood for you, check out Mimi’s Reloca-Phobia: A 6-Step Cure-All Guide for Finding Your New Neighborhood.