How to pick an apartment locator

Using an apartment locator can be very useful, compared to online Do-It-Yourself apartment search sites and apartment booklets. The main reason is because you are working face to face with an actual person! One who will listen to your needs and match your requirements.

A good apartment locator understands credit situations and will only match you with the properties that can work with you.

A good apartment locator will save you time, save money, and spare frustration. No more spending hours calling up apartments one by one to see who has availability. No more going from website to website combing through countless floor plans, interior features, and amenities. What you do over a whole weekend or maybe even weeks, a good locator can do within a few hours! Need a firm move-in date? No problem! Foreclosure or bankruptcy? No problem! First-time renter? No problem! Large pets? No problem!

A good apartment locator can narrow all of these situations down to the correct properties just for you.
Now that you see how useful a locator can be, the only thing left to do next is to pick the right locator - But how?

All apartment locators are compensated by the apartment community where the client gets accepted – and all apartment locators only get paid when you are accepted. Unfortunately, there are good locators and bad locators. A good apartment locator will take you to places where you will qualify and be accepted, and eventually satisfied. A bad apartment locator would not only waste his/her own time, but yours as well.

How do you know which apartment locator is the best at what he/she does?
There are 100's of apartment locators and ALL offer FREE apartment locating service. All of apartment locators claim to have the most extensive database. Some even offer rebates, free move etc., which is irrelevant if you get declined. So what set them apart?

Here are ways to tell a good apartment locator:

• Reviews - Reviews are very helpful! Whether through word-of-mouth or online reviews, there is no other method that is more useful than feedbacks from past clients (see my past client reviews here).


• Do a test run - Pick up the phone and call an apartment locator (a lot of times you can determine whether he/she is worth your time just by talking on the phone). Meet up with him/her and see what he/she is about and what she/he has to offer. If you don't like what you hear or see, go with the next one on your list.
  


• When listening isn’t good enough… Most apartment locators are trained or told to be a ‘good listener’. In reality, listening to clients alone won't get them into a place they like. Quite a few times, clients have mentioned how disappointed they were with the apartment recommendations from their previous locators. As an apartment hunter, I'm certain that you have requirements whether it is floor plan, square footage, location, amenities etc.
  
  An apartment locator knows how to use the database. A good apartment locator shows you only the best options considering your requirements and your situations such as income, credit issues, etc. Though sometimes, I came across clients whose expectation is based solely upon Craigslist. Unfortunately, many of locators are not faithful about what they advertise on Craigslist. Therefore, a good apartment locator should be able to advise and educate you on what is available in what area and for what price range. Especially, when you have certain issues, your choices will be very limited.
  


• Using the wrong apartment locator can cost you time and money! You found an apartment locator who promises to help you find an apartment. You are happy because someone is willing to help you despite your terrible credit. One of the options excites you, so you apply…only to have the apartment decline you because of your credit! There goes your application fee and admin fees, not to mention the emotion and time spent!
  
  But this need not happen. The answer is simple; the locator lacked knowledge. Apartment locators don’t like turning down a potential client, and won’t tell someone the truth about their bad credit. So what is left to do? Research! Before contacting an apartment locator, find out about what his/her past clients have to say - online reviews can be very helpful!
  

REMEMBER...

An apartment locator can show you apartments pulling off his/her database and blindly go from there, but a good apartment locator knows to make sure which apartments you have the best chance of being approved based on your situation.

A very good apartment locator even knows which apartment will require the least extra deposit or is the easiest to get into.

An apartment locator depends on his/her database to be successful, but good apartment locators  use their experience and knowledge to be successful.

Choose wisely. :)