Her Philly

A lifestyle blog for young women dining, shopping, playing & living in the city of Philadelphia.

  • About
    • Behind the Blog
    • Meet Emily
    • Disclosure Policy
  • Chit Chat
    • Philly Girl Life
  • Dining
  • Living
    • Moving to Philly
  • Playing
    • Travel
  • Shopping
    • Gift Guides
    • Emily’s Amazon Favorites
  • Shop my Instagram Stories
  • Contact
    • As Seen In
    • Work with Me
    • Get in Touch

August 25, 2015

So…You’re Moving to Philadelphia! {The Apartment Hunt}

Before I say anything else: welcome! Philadelphia is a city I am pretty much obsessed with in every way possible (except this one). If the journey of moving to a new city seems overwhelming to you, you are not alone. Since I’ve started blogging, the question I see most frequently always has to do with moving to the city, and it is: where. do. I. start? And the answer, hopefully, is here!

Moving to Philadelphia

Moving to Philly is a big (and somewhat confusing) thing. If you don’t have someone with a current understanding of the city (that means the advice from your grandparents that would never even step foot in certain areas is not really valid anymore), it can be tough. Armed with the knowledge of several apartment hunts, two official moves, and plenty of stories from friends, I’ve gathered a very informal list of my tips and tricks on making the move to Philadelphia. Please keep in mind: the advice on my blog is, as always, my opinion, and completely subjective. These are the guidelines I give friends/women who reach out to me and things that have worked for me (as a renter). For those of you who are ready to buy, I salute you, but I unfortunately do not have much grownup advice to offer in this post.

Timing is key

First thing’s first: timing is pretty important in Philadelphia. Unless you’re looking at a high-rise building that operates a little differently than your typical brownstone or apartment building, your entire process is going to last likely a maximum of three months. Unfortunately, being proactive and looking earlier than this is a waste of your very valuable time (a good use of this time would be decluttering your apartment or cleaning out your closet pre-move). I would say even two months is ambitious, so be prepared to be still looking the month you need to move. Yes, this is scary, but I have never had a friend who has not been able to find a place before the time was up, so luck is on your side.

Scouring the listings

To find your new pad, Craigslist is a good way to start. You do have to dig through all of the fake ads, so I would make sure you put a minimum (to screen out the ‘too good to be trues’) and a maximum price range. Select that you’d like to see photos on, and beware of the keyword search. (There is a very smartly named “Rittenhouse Hill” apartment complex outside of the city – used to get me every time). Stay away from words like “charming” and “adorable,” – they mean old and small. Send emails for the private rentals, but also take down any phone numbers.

Walk around your dream hoods

When you’ve exhausted your CL search and have a little bit of a better idea of the neighborhoods you’re looking for (open my advice for picking your first Philly neighborhood in a new tab now!), it’s time to take a little trip. Grab your cell phone and go walk around those neighborhoods. Snap photos of any and all rental signs you see, and take note of the addresses you like best. Some of these rental signs are not for actual properties, they’re just advertisements, but they’ll put you on the right track by getting you an up-to-date list of realtors and landlords in the neighborhood you’re falling in love with.

Spend some time on the phone

Once you have your list, make some calls during the ol’ 9-5 work week. I can’t stress the importance of this. I learned this the hard way: no one responds to email. If a potential landlord doesn’t answer or return your call, call again. It’s a competitive rental world out there, and if you’re not getting your name into the mix, someone else is. Even if the apartment you were grooving on is too expensive, explain to the landlord exactly what you’re looking for: budget, move-in date, and any special requests, like pets. Because they know you’re interested, they may call you when their next listing opens up (this is how I found my current place!). Schedule apartment visits whenever you can squeeze them in. Some owners can show their place in the evenings, but don’t feel bad about taking a half day off work and stacking five visits in one afternoon.

Make your tours count

When you are visiting an apartment, take a friend or family member with you. They can sometimes see things you don’t (because you’re blinded by finally finding a place somewhat livable). Pay close attention to counter space, how many outlets are available, and storage I also always check the shower and sinks, because, water pressure. Take note of the staircase leading up to the apartment and the doorway. Make sure you can get all of your furniture through while you’re there. If the current tenant is there, make notes of the things they may leave behind (which you can ask about later), like air conditioning units, and the not-so-nice things their posessions may tell you a lot about the apartment, like mouse traps.

Whether you’re feeling like this may be a winner or not, bring your check book with you on each apartment visit. Remember when we talked about timing? If your apartment tour happens to be shared, and you like what you see, chances are your tour companions will as well. You can do a little on the spot negotiating, but pull out your check book and put that security deposit down. When you get home, get the rental application started, because if you lose it, that apartment will always be the one that got away. (cue: Katy Perry and an excuse to look at Diego Luna)

Once you’ve got your place, I hope for your sake it’s spacious. But if not, I have plenty of inspiration for small city living spaces here on the blog. Do you have any tips & tricks that helped you on your apartment search? I’d love to start a discussion here and help other ladies take on the City of Brotherly Love. xx

Related Posts

  • Moving to Philadelphia - Finding Your First NeighborhoodSo…You’re Moving to Philadelphia! {Picking Your First Hood}
  • 11 Philly Ladies Share Why They Love Their Neighborhoods11 Philly Ladies Share Why They Love Their Neighborhoods
  • Your Guide to Having a Dog in PhiladelphiaYour Guide to Having a Dog in Philadelphia
  • Barbuzzo Meatballs // Her Philly{Philadelphia Restaurant Week} Barbuzzo
  • My Favorite Places in PhillyMy Favorite Places in Philly
  • Philly Parking ProblemsPhilly Parking Problems (That Really Grind My Gears)

Share this:

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)

Posted by admin 5 Comments
Filed Under: living, moving to philly Tagged: apartments, moving

NEVER MISS A POST

Hi! I'm Emily, a Philly lady on a quest to discover everything lovely, exciting, affordable, and beautiful about my city.

HER PHILLY, DELIVERED!

Join 331 other subscribers

What’s Hot on Her Philly

Your Guide to Having a Dog in Philadelphia
The 10 Hottest Men Wearing Philadelphia Jerseys Right Now
How To Spend A Weekend In Philadelphia With Your Parents
So...You're Moving to Philadelphia! {Picking Your First Hood}

Good Day Philadelphia

HP on the Gram

Happy Valentine’s Day, my friends! 🥰 I have b Happy Valentine’s Day, my friends! 🥰 I have been trying to do more things as a single lady that I’d like to do if I had a partner. And also recognize all the things that make me a good partner. I’m okay being solo today (well, with Putter of course 😉), but I deserve some love today, too. So here’s my love letter to me. 🖤

Emily, I love how you never go somewhere new without researching the best spots. I love how you’re not afraid of color and all. the. prints. I love how close you are with your family. I love how you’re pretty funny (if you do say so yourself). I love how you try new things, even when they scare you. I love how you truly have experienced growth as an adult since going to therapy. I love how you discovered “I’m doing the best I can” is really good enough. And I love how you are starting to learn what you deserve. Let’s get it. 🖤

#single #singlelady #soloday #valentinesdayoutfit #phillyblogger #curvyblogger #plussizeblogger #singledogmom #southjersey #loveletter #lovelettertomyself #vineyardvines #oldnavystyle
I still don’t know how to use reels but - we’r I still don’t know how to use reels but - we’re ginger again, bay beeeee! Trying to channel some vintage single Emily vibes. 😉 Thank you @kori_withthegoodhair for the fresh shade. ❤️ 

#njblogger #phillyblogger #njhairsalon #njhair #gingerlife #southjerseyhairstylist #southjerseyadventures #freshhair #capemaycounty #lifestylebloggers
Come take a peek inside the brand new @thirdlove C Come take a peek inside the brand new @thirdlove Center City store! #MyThirdLove #ThirdLovePartner 

I was so excited to hear ThirdLove opened a store on Walnut Street because, as much as you guys knowwww I love a good online shop & try on, bras do give me a bit of pause when I haven’t been measured in store. The new Philly location gives us truly the best of both worlds. 

If you are looking for a reason to shop, ThirdLove is offering Her Philly gals 15% off with code EMILY15 - either in-store or online - now through 2/15! Get those Valentine’s Day goods! 😘

Keep watching to see my experience with my incredible fit stylists & which ThirdLove bras were my favorite. I know a lot of you are fans of the brand - any pieces I must try next?! 

#phillyblogger #curvyblogger #njblogger #centercityphilly #phillylove #thirdlove #brashopping #walnutstreet #lovephilly #whyilovephilly #curvyconfidence #plussizeblogger
Load More... Follow on Instagram
PHLBloggers

Shop my looks

Shop more of my closet on Poshmark

Theme by 17th Avenue · Powered by WordPress & Genesis