It’s hard not to love San Diego. With burritos and sushi restaurants galore, plus perfect surfing spots and a nightlife, this city is a dream. So, are you ready to look at apartments for rent in San Diego? You’re in luck. Here are some tips to help you find that perfect place in this lovable beach town.
1) Know Your Area
San Diego is a diverse city, comprised of many different neighborhoods. If you’ve visited in the past and are excited about the prospect of moving here, make sure you do a little research on where you want to live. The main beach communities of Ocean Beach, Pacific Beach, Mission Beach, and Imperial Beach all offer different experiences. Party animals choose somewhere close to the Gaslamp Quarter and Hillcrest is perfect for no-frills pubs and LGBTQ hotspots.
2) Utilize Your Resources
There are a number of resources you can use to help you navigate the rental market in San Diego. The San Diego County Apartment Association is helpful as a local resource. Their website provides contact information for tenant rights, legal assistance, and mediation organizations, and the Fair Housing Council of San Diego. There are also a number of phone apps for renters that will also come in handy once you decide to start looking for an apartment or condo in San Diego.
3) Check Your Credit
Heading into the rental process, it’s important to know where you stand credit and income wise. Most people know their income readily, but their credit score sometimes comes as a surprise. Potential landlords will want to know about credit blemishes and can potentially deny you for outstanding collection accounts. If you know what is on your credit ahead of time, you can either correct the blemish, or at least be able to speak to it, as opposed to being caught off-guard.
4) Timing is Everything
San Diego is blessed with a long “summer season.” The nearly year-round great weather means that San Diego becomes a tourist hot spot in the early spring and late fall, when other parts of the country start to get a bit colder. Because of this, beach rentals are very popular around those times and they will take up some of the otherwise available inventory. March-May and August-October feature some of the highest rental rates in San Diego County, especially in the beach and college communities. If you have the flexibility, November-February is the best time to sign a lease.
5) Review Your Lease
Leases vary, but the standard California lease agreement has a lot of language that you’ll want to be aware of before signing. For example, what utilities are covered and which ones will you be responsible for paying? If you break your lease, will you be fined? Are you responsible for cleaning upon move out? Ask if you can get a copy at least 24 hours before signing, and spend some time reading through it. If you’d like something changed, ask your landlord to add an addendum detailing the change and make sure to sign the revised lease.
6) Follow the Rules
Most condo complexes and all apartment communities will have rules & regulations within that specific community. They may range from balcony restrictions to common area availability times. It’s important to know upfront what the rules of your specific community are in order to avoid a potentially costly fine later on down the road. Most leases will include a provision stating that “if you incur an HOA fine, you are responsible for the fine and an additional fee to the homeowner”, so be sure to read through your lease.
7) Be Detailed on Your Move-In/Move-Out Inspection
The move in inspection should be conducted within 3 days of your move in. Be extra cautious and include every knick, ding, snag that you come across at move in because the landlord will likely be doing that on the way out. Be sure to get a completed copy of your inspection as well so that when move out time comes, you’ll know what you’re on the hook for and what not.
There you have it, utilize these tips and you’ll be here in San Diego eating California-style Burritos and laying on the beach in no time. If you want to learn more about your new city, check out this moving guide to San Diego and see what’s in store. Feel free to search apartments for rent in San Diego while you’re relaxing, too!
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