An EA’s Approach to Apartment Hunting
The answer might surprise you! (Image featuring fish-friend from the new neighborhood bar.)
I know this blog is about art and business, but we all need a place to rest our heads, right?
My partner and I recently took on the endeavor of looking for apartments in a new city, NYC, to be exact. I was surprised by how much time and energy the process required. By the end, we were exhausted but also excited about starting a new chapter. We learned a lot along the way, and I thought it would be fun to recap our experience here—mostly as a resource for future me. If you find yourself apartment hunting, too, maybe this will help you as well.
1. Let your fingers do the walking, or as Adam would say, “We use the internet now!”
Don’t get me wrong—there are plenty of deals to be had by walking around your choice neighborhoods and checking out “For Rent” signage. But walking every street in the areas we were interested in wasn’t really an option for us. Instead, we scoured the internet, honed our search filters, and ruled out tons of places based on our findings.
We personally used StreetEasy, HotPads, Craigslist, and Facebook Marketplace while apartment hunting. When it comes to NYC, some filters can be a bit vague—a “2-bedroom” might actually be a 1-bedroom plus bonus space, etc.—but filtering for your priorities is still incredibly valuable.
After we found options we liked, we looked them up on a website called openigloo.com to see if there were any building violations or tenant reviews. This simple step brought us significant peace of mind.
2. Get crystal-clear on what you want.
“Shoot for the moon, and even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars.”
Okay, maybe a little corny—but true! I wrote a pretty lofty wishlist to guide me on this apartment hunt. It included some things I knew were aggressively hopeful, but I wrote them out anyway. I didn’t expect to get everything I wanted, but having a comprehensive list allowed me to analyze each space with a more scrutinizing eye.
3. Create a system to track your options.
I needed a simple way to capture details during apartment tours without juggling tools on my phone. While this could’ve been a spreadsheet or a shared doc, I knew I didn’t want to be fumbling with either mid-tour. A Google Form felt like the most straightforward, mobile-friendly option—and it worked great.
We were planning to see eight apartments in one weekend, and I worried I’d forget details or mix places up. So I took 2–3 minutes during each tour to fill out the form and keep everything straight. I’ll include photos below, and if you want to see the original form, you can check it out here.
Spoiler alert: I didn’t end up needing it—there was one clear winner among the 8 apartments we toured. But knowing I had everything documented gave me a lot of peace. Had it been a tighter race, I would’ve felt very grateful to have tracked everything along the way. 10/10 recommend if you’re even a little Type-A.
So… how many Google Forms does it take to find your next apartment? Technically, this time: 0. But next time, who knows?
Address & Neighborhood are vital! Your essential furniture/zones may differ 😉
Can you tell I’m a plant mom that loves fresh air?
I told you I was aggressively hopeful, but in the end, I was able to check 5 out of 7 boxes! It pays to aim high! Also, making sure the outlet situation isn’t going to be annoying is SO underrated! I’ve lived in places where I was sure my extension cord set-up would be the death of me.
A place to upload pics can be a great way to jog your memory on a space, or capture features that weren’t in the original listing.
4. Work independently and together.
If you’re going to have a roommate, I suggest doing some research separately and then coming together to review options. Adam and I each spent time nightly browsing listings on our own, then shared our top picks. Seeing where our choices overlapped was fun—and it helped that we’d both done independent research before comparing notes. Plus, we covered twice as much virtual ground working independently!
5. Gather paperwork ahead of time.
Moving into any apartment requires paperwork. Moving into an NYC apartment requires even more.
You’ll likely need proof of income/employment, tax returns, bank statements, credit reports, landlord referrals, and more. Before touring places, we got all our ducks in a row—saved everything, merged PDFs, and made it easy for potential landlords to review. Knowing we were prepared made the application process far less stressful.
6. Get boots on the ground.
Before signing a lease, we really wanted to see places in person. Apartment photos can be incredibly deceiving—between wide-angle lenses and AI furniture edits, it’s hard to know what a space actually looks like until you step inside.
Beyond that, you’ll want to hear the neighborhood, and yes…smell the apartment too. I say this from experience: a lingering mystery smell is something no listing will warn you about.
Seeing places in person also lets you check out common areas like hallways and stairwells. Even though you won’t live in them, you’ll interact with them daily, and giving them your seal of approval upfront can save future frustration.
We were lucky enough to have friends in NYC who even scoped out a few places before we arrived. If you can’t visit your new location yourself, having someone you trust—who understands your priorities—can be a huge help. If that’s not an option, working with a broker and sharing your wishlist & priorities is definitely worth considering.
We ended up doing a two-day sprint: three apartments one day, five the next. Exhausting? Absolutely. Worth it? 100%.
Huge shoutout to John & Skyler for hosting us and joining the tours—they made so much of this possible. 💖
7. Trust your gut.
As I mentioned earlier, there was one clear winner. The moment I walked through the door of our future apartment, it felt like home. From the deepest part of my soul, there was a resounding YES.
As long as there aren’t red flags, trust that feeling. Change is always a little scary, but the right apartment should ease some of that fear. Ideally, it should feel like home, even before it officially is!
8. Review your lease AND ask questions.
This part is tedious and a little intimidating. Adam and I reviewed the lease separately, flagged questions, and even had a few AI options scan it for anything unusual or risky.
We sent thoughtful clarification questions to the property manager, which led to a few amendments. Everything was handled with kindness and clarity.
It’s tempting to jump straight to signing, but slowing down here is a gift to your future self.
9. Share the good news!
We’re not superstitious…but we’re a little stitious! 😉 We waited until everything was signed, sealed, and deposited before sharing.
But now it’s official: we’re moving to NYC!!!
A dream years in the making is finally coming together. We’ll miss Philly, just like we miss St. Louis—every place we’ve lived together holds a special place in our hearts. But Brooklyn is calling, and we’ve gotta answer!
We’re so excited for what’s next. Yes, I’m dreading packing all of my stuff away and hauling my whole life’s collection up and down the stairs… but honestly, I can’t wait! Our move date is somehow too soon, and too far away all at once! We have a few busy weeks ahead of us. I’ll be looking forward to sharing more updates from our new home soon! 🌆😻✨
Wish us luck!
