First of all, if you decide to work with a real estate agent, expect to be asked a lot of questions.

What areas are you looking in?

If youre planning on living with roommates, do you know who they are?

And have you all agreed on what you are looking for in an apartment?

How many bedrooms do you need?

What is your price range?

What are you looking for in an apartment?

Do you have any pets?

Do you have a car and will you need off street parking?

Will you need to be close to public transportation?

If youre a student or have credit problems expect to get someone to co-sign for you.

Once you have all the answers to these questions straightened out, its time to start your hunt. The rental market in the Boston area is very seasonal and competitive. If youre looking to move in the summer, so is everyone else (September first being the busiest move in day). You can expect apartments to turn over very quickly, so the most important thing you can do is be prepared to act once you find the right place.

If you have roommates, go look at apartments together, too many people miss out on great apartments because they are busy scheduling a second showing for their roommates while the apartment is getting rented by someone else. Be sure to bring your checkbook, and be prepared to make a deposit of one months rent.

Once youve found the right place, youll need that one months rent to take the apartment off the market. Then expect everyone to have to fill out an application. Dont be afraid to negotiate the price or terms!!! If you have good credit, a good job, and good previous landlord references, you are a better candidate than most, landlords will reduce the rent or be more likely to pay a brokers fee for good tenants. Once the applications are done, the landlord or agent will most likely run a credit check, employment verification, and a previous landlord reference for every applicant.

Assuming that everything checks out ok, and the landlord accepts you as a tenant, you can expect to have to pay more deposits upon lease signing. Most landlords in Boston require First months rent, last months rent, and a security deposit (all of which are one months rent each). Keep in mind, that initial deposit of one months rent can be used for any of the required deposits. If you work with a real estate agent, expect there to be a brokers fee of one months rent as well, if the landlord is not paying it, you will have to. Real estate agents are required by law to tell you if the landlord is paying the fee or not before they show you the apartment.

Finally comes the lease signing. READ THE LEASE, it is a legally binding document that you are going to sign, make sure you agree with everything before you sign it. Most landlords use a RHA lease (Rental Housing Association), these are standard. Any changes that are made will stand out like a sore thumb. If your lease is not a RHA lease, you might want to scrutinize it extra closely.