In this thread, the people of GC-Land explain apartment locators to texas*princess
 

For the first time ever, I'm utilizing the help of an apartment locator.

Can someone give me the lowdown on these people? I know they are paid by the apartments that their people end up leasing from.. but that's about it.

I think I'm wary because this lady seems really partial to one complex that I didn't really want to look at. Is there maybe something more in it for her or something?

Does anyone know how they operate?

I've attempted to use 2 different apartment locator services in the past.

The first one was in Atlanta and they didn't listen to ANYTHING that I said. I gave them a list of amenties I was looking for and a price range, and the idiots kept sending me lists of apartments that didn't met any of my qualifications. I wound up looking at various apartment websites and found one on my own.

The second one I used when I recently moved to Orlando. They were a little bit better in that they listened somewhat to what I wanted, but I actually found the place that I live in on my own as well.

So overall, I say, you probably would have a better experience if you did it on your own. It just wasn't worth it for me.

I agree. We used one this summer when I was thinking of moving out. They managed to find me really cheap apartments but forgot to mention that I wasn't eligible to live there unless I supported 4 dependants on my salary. Either that or they would find studios for like $3,000+/month.

I don't know anything about apartment locators but have you tried looking on the Internet on your own? www.forrent.com is a good site that allows you to look for apartments by rent range, amenities etc. Just a thought.

Typically a locator is paid a fee anywhere between half a month's rent to a month rent on move-in by the apartment community. Sometimes apartment communities will offer something above and beyond the standard fee, which could cause the locator to not have your best interests at heart. Back in the days before gazillions of apartment listings were just as close as the computer, locators had a logical place in the apartment search process. Now, it's easy for a consumer to do his or her own research.

Unless you are completely new to the area, or you are somewhere that most of the apartment stock is single units owned by private landlords (vs. apartment communities) you are best off looking on your own. As mentioned, forrent.com is good, as are:

www.rent.com (Mention that you saw the property on this website in your first contact and you are eligible for $100 if you move there. The property pays $375 per rental to rent.com)
www.apartments.com
www.apartmentguide.com
www.mynewplace.com (Simiar to rent.com's fee structure, though newer and not as many listings)
www.move.com

Who'd you use? The creeps on craigslist or someone like citihabitats?

-Rudey