Come to our Office Prepared
If you find an apartment that you like, act quickly because it won’t last long. Know your budget, and bring your roommate.
If you have a roommate, make sure both of you come together to see the apartments since we cannot hold apartments without a deposit and also both of you need to sign.
Bring your check book with you and be prepared to leave a deposit to secure an apartment.

Furnished vs. Unfurnished
Furnished apartments are generally much more expensive than unfurnished apartments and are also harder to find. If you are staying for more than six months, our advice to you is to buy or lease your furniture. There are a number of companies around our office that lease and deliver furniture. Also, your can buy new furniture and have the store deliver it to your new apartment within a day or two.

Guarantor
Graduate students & newly employed may need a guarantor.

Why Are Apartments in Boston Area So Expensive?
The rents in the Greater Boston area are among the highest in the U.S. and the world. The reasons for high rents are:

• Demand is high because of the number of colleges and universities in the area
• High property prices because of the scarcity of land and no available space to build

Pets
When it comes to renting apartments having a pet is a liability. If you are a pet owner, you will have a harder time finding an apartment. Most landlords do not have a problem with a cat but there are not many landlords who will take someone with a dog because of liabilities invloved..

Apartment Cost factors
The Following factors affect the price of an apartment:

• Proximity to the metropolitan center
• Proximity to colleges and universities
• Distance to public transportation
• Type of neighborhood
• Safety and security of the neighborhood
• Public school system in the town
• Type of building (antique or modern)
• Amenities offered

Parking
Parking is rare and very expensive in the Greater Boston area including Cambridge and Somerville. In some cities and towns residents are permitted to park their cars at night in designated areas marked as “Resident Permit Parking” while in some other towns there is no overnight parking on the city streets. Parking spaces could also be rented in neighborhood garages and municipal parking lots in most cities and towns. The parking rates are anywhere from $100.00- $250.00 per month depending on the location and whether it is indoor or outdoor parking space.

Why do I pay a fee?
The fees the real estate companies charge pay for their many visits to different building, meeting landlords, and checking the security and maintenance of properties which at the end will make your new apartment search easier and a more enjoyable experience.

Costs Associated with Renting Apartments
The following are the most common requirements by landlords for rental apartments:

• First month, last month and security deposit (3 months rent)
• First and last month (2 months rent)
• In addition to the above, some landlords also require a key deposit and / or cleaning fee
• Brokers fees are typically, one month fee, ½ month fee or sometimes no fee (when the landlord pays the commission)

Security deposit is refundable at the end of the lease term if there are no damages to the apartment.

Rental Application
The rental application is available for downloading online.Your are required to fill out an application form to provide your personal information, as well as your previous landlord’s, and employment references. Employment verification or proof of enrollment in school may also be required.

Renting Sight-Unseen
If you are form another state or country and need to find an apartment, we are ready to help you. You can fill out the apartment request form telling us what you are looking for. We will find several apartments for you based on your requirements and email you the landlord’s requirements, rent details and pictures of each apartment.
If you decide to take one of the units we found for you, you can download the rental application and fill it out. Sign it and send it to us along with a bank check for the necessary amount by overnight service (FedEx or DHL). We will prepare the lease and send it to you.

Glossary
A/C = Air Conditioning
D/D = Dishwasher and Disposal
W/D = Washer/Dryer hookups or having Washer/Dryers in the building
HT/HW = Heat and Hot water is paid by the landlord
RFDK = Roof Deck
LDRY = Laundry
W-W = Wall to wall carpeting
HDWDS = Hard wood floors