SOYOUWANNA FIND AN APARTMENT IN PHILADELPHIA?

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 (there's only one Santa Claus, and he ain't in real estate). Brokers' fees vary, but are usually some percentage of one year's rent.

Using a broker has several advantages. Mainly, brokers will do your legwork, 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 someone who lives out of town. Brokers also tend to have a wide selection of 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 representative if there is a broker your company uses. For an online list of Philadelphia area brokers, look here.

Using a broker can save you a lot of headaches since they do everything for you, but if you can't afford one, don't despair. Most Philadelphian apartment-hunters have found homes the old-fashioned way: looking on their own. So put the Advil back in the medicine cabinet and read on.