Apartment hunting is enjoyable and stressful at the same time. If done correctly, the process can be fairly efficient and some pre-hunt intelligence gathering can greatly reduce the amount of driving involved.

Start by checking listings in newspapers and on the Internet. To narrow your choices down to good options, pick a few areas of town that are affordable and desirable to you. Location is usually considered one of the most important—and often the single most important—part of valuing any property. A location that is close to work or school can immediately cut costs by reducing transportation needs.

Next, consider how much space you really need. An apartment with its own yard can be a great place to live, but many complexes offer facilities with maintained grounds that serve as a common area for all the tenants. The latter option is often less expensive and may be particularly good for those who don’t want to spend time doing yard maintenance. If you need a spot to sit outside, look for a property with a balcony.

One or two bedrooms? It depends on your lifestyle. If you want to stay compact and mobile, renting a two bedroom will likely foil this as you’ll be motivated to fill up an entire room’s worth of space. However, if you happen to work at home, the extra room can serve as a handy office, allowing the living areas to be relaxing and work-free. Don’t take apartment listings literally. “Two bedrooms” really means that there are two rooms available in the property that can be used for whatever purpose the renter wishes.

If you happen to be moving into a new town and don’t know the lay of the land well, do some research on the various areas. Often, the areas with the cheapest rents are the areas where no one wants to live. Set a minimum you’re willing to pay for rent. If something falls below that minimum and isn’t in a particularly desirable area, skip it. Most leases are at least six months long and you don’t want to end up stuck in a bad area for six months waiting to move.

Last, don’t be afraid to ask the landlord for more than one tour. The first walkthrough tends to be characterized by some excitement  that may result in important concerns about an apartment being overlooked.

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Of all of the activities that we take part in on a semi regular basis, moving has got to be one of the worst. Not only is it physically and mentally exhausting, there are weeks of prep work to be done and all kinds of things that need to be taken care of once we’ve found a place and moved in. Utilities charge you money to switch your account and if you are moving in with a new roommate, you have to get to know a whole new person. Moving can be a downright terrible experience, so let’s take a look at a few things you can do to prep yourself in advance of your move.

When you move to apartment.There are simply too many things to do for one person to remember off of the top of their heads. From making the appointment with the moving company to meeting with your new landlord for a walk through, you will need the help of a list to get you through it all. Try to keep a moving diary that has everything you need to do divided up by day so you don’t get overwhelmed. The more organized you are, the smoother your move will be.

Many utilities and moving companies will now let you do what you need to do online. This saves you from running up your phone bill and spending hours on hold waiting to talk to someone. Simply create an account and you will be done in moments.

You can also use the Internet to try to find new roommates. You can search mega sites like Craigslist to find people in your city who need a place to live or a roommate to help pay rent. Gone are the days of using bulletin boards and newspaper want ads. You can really cut down on your time searching by utilizing new technology during your move.

The Internet is the best thing to happen to apartment hunting in history. Most apartment buildings advertise the fact that they have vacancies, either through city-wide or nationwide apartment hunting sites or through your local newspaper. This allows you to really organize and plan out your day of apartment hunting. Use sites like Maps.Google.Com to plan a route that will save you the most time on your hunt. You also want to consider calling ahead to see when you can come by as some buildings only show empty apartments for a few hours per day.

Be sure you don’t get carried away when apartment hunting. We all want to live in the nicest place possible, but make an effort to stick to your guns when it comes to how much you can afford for rent. A good way to keep your expenses under control is to always apartment hunt with another person. They can point out issues that you may be glossing over.

Always get business cards from every building you visit. It can be impossible to keep all of the places straight once you’ve seen 10 places in a single day. Try to take written notes once you’ve seen an apartment, as well. By the end of the day, you may only remember that nice place that had a dishwasher and in-suite laundry, while forgetting the fact that it was next to the railroad tracks or in the wrong part of town. Perhaps the biggest mistake apartment hunters make is that they get tunnel vision and only focus on the positives of a place while forgetting the bad things. You really need to stay as impartial as humanly possible if you are going to end up with a new home that you love.

Finally, make a note of the tone of the landlord. This is the person you are going to be interacting with on a weekly or at least monthly basis for the next year, or longer. If he or she seems surly, you may want to think twice about signing on the dotted line.