3. CONSIDER USING A BROKER

Once you have a basic idea of the neighborhood(s) you want to live in, you should decide whether or not you want to use a real estate broker. A broker is a person who does most or all of the apartment hunting for you. Not for free, of course - they're not morons. Brokers charge fees for finding you an apartment - usually some percentage of a year's worth of rent. In Boston, it's usually between half a month's rent and a full month's worth.

Using a broker has several advantages. Brokers will do your legwork; they will find apartments and make appointments to fit your schedule. A broker would probably be invaluable to an individual who is unable to take time off from work or to someone who lives out of town. Brokers also tend to have a wide selection of apartments to choose from, and they have access to apartments not available to the general public. If you do decide to use a broker, there are several ways to find one. Many brokers advertise in the newspapers or in online classified ads; you can also find brokers in the yellow pages. Finally, many companies have associated brokers used for relocating employees. If you work at a big company, ask your human resources person if there is a broker your company uses. Some areas, like the Back Bay and Beacon Hill have apartment brokers everywhere. One last possible resource is to visit web pages like the one for Sprogis Real Estate.