About Our Service

Make It Easy on Yourself

Our overriding concern is to simplify your apartment search. So, we created a user-friendly website that gives you access to real-time apartment listings – with no “registration” required. And we placed our offices in convenient locations – all three are within walking distance of Red Line stops – and keep them open 7 days a week. When you’re ready to look, we make it easy to get in and out of units quickly. Drawing from our 15,000-unit database of apartments in the Cambridge-Somerville area, we show you up to ten units that meet your requirements the first time you visit us. And when you find the apartment that’s right for you, we do all the paperwork and leverage our longstanding relationships with landlords to close the deal. We’re Apartment Rental Experts. The easy way home.


Apartment Hunting Tips

Here are some tips on how to make the process of finding the right apartment for you easier and more successful.

Before you see an apartment:

  1. Consider what your top priorities are in an apartment. Location? Quality? Proximity to the T? Pet friendliness? Amount of space? Once you have a list of priorities, rank each item from what is most important to what you might be able to do without.
  2. If you’re looking with roommates, be sure you have all agreed on what things are most important in your new apartment. Often, people have different priorities, so you must pull together a list of requirements that everyone can agree on before you start looking.
  3. Ask friends who live in the area what neighborhoods they like/dislike and why.
  4. Consider where you need to commute every day. Is it important to be close to public transportation? Do you require off-street parking for a car?
  5. How much apartment space do you realistically need? For example, do you need that extra bedroom or would a small study space be okay?
  6. If you are a student or unemployed, you will probably need a guarantor to sign the lease with you. Before you start looking for an apartment, make sure the guarantor understands his/her responsibilities and is willing to sign.
  7. If you can, start looking for an apartment 30-90 days before you want to move in. Generally, you can find studios and 1-2 bedroom units in the 60-day time frame. For 4- or 5-bedroom apartments, however, it’s a good idea to look as much in advance as possible. For the most popular move-in date, September 1, you should consider looking 90 or more days out. Some landlords advertise their 9/1 listings as early as March-April, to beat the rush.
  8. To qualify for an apartment, your income should be at least 3-4 times the annual rent. It’s important to keep this in mind as you’re deciding what you can afford.

For your Apartment Rental Experts appointment:

  1. Leave enough time to view multiple apartments. We have many to choose from and will show you up to ten viable options. This can take between one and two hours.
  2. Bring your checkbook. If you find a place you really want, you will need to put money down in order to take the apartment off the market. A personal check is usually fine, but sometimes clear funds – in the form of a certified check or money order – may be required. If your move-in date is imminent – less than a month away – be prepared to get a bank check or money order.
  3. When looking at an apartment, think carefully about whether you really like it or not. Give your agent feedback. The more we know about what you like and dislike, the more we can help you find the apartment you want.
  4. As you are shown apartments, rank them in order of preference. When the showing is finished, this will help you recall which ones you’re most interested in.
  5. Bring the necessary documentation. You will need to provide the following documents to complete an application:
    • An employment letter that includes the name, address, and telephone number of your employer and a document that verifies your salary.
    • Your checking, savings account and credit card numbers
    • The name, address, and telephone number of your current landlord and any previous landlords
    • The name, address, and telephone number of at least one personal reference
    • Your driver’s license or passport
    • If you are self-employed or will pay your living expenses by some means other than a regular paycheck, bring your tax returns, bank statements, financial statements, trust fund documentation, or whatever documentation will confirm your ability to pay your expenses.
    • If a pet is involved, a photo of your pet and a written reference from your current landlord and previous landlords
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