Occupied vs Vacant: why the timeline for renting has changed

So many things you need to know for renting an apartment are pretty consistent.

One thing has really changed this year.

How apartments are shown and how far in advance you should start looking for a straight rental. (Renting a co-op or condo is different.)

Back in 2019 I used to beg people to wait until about 3 and a half weeks before they moved, and not a day sooner.

We were primarily visiting VACANT apartments, and landlords want vacant apartments rented ASAP. People who looked to early found few options for their move date. Showing empty apartments is easier.

BUT. Few apartments are vacant these days. It also used to be by waiting until 2 weeks before your lease start you could gobble up some concessions. The short time line was power.

So now there are are two options. If you are looking at occupies exclusive listings, in hot neighborhoods, you may be looking at things that are coming vacant in 5,6, weeks or more. 3 weeks used to be an ideal time table, now its cutting it a little close.

CONVERSELY, if you are looking at a VACANT apartment, that landlord expects someone to start paying rent in the next 2 weeks. If you are working with an agent representing you, make that clear. Nothing is more frustrating than taking someone to the right apartment but having it slip away because they want to wait too long to start a lease. I really do think the key to this market is being flexible on move dates.

Again if you are renting a co-op or condo the time table is much more driven by that buildings approval process. Again a different sort of flexibility is key. Happy hunting! Suzanne