When you arrive in the United States, your company will provide you accommodation for a certain period. During this time you will have to look for a suitable apartment. Newspapers and local apartment guides, which are easily available and sometimes free, are helpful.

Glance through the Yellow Pages, or look up the following sites:

1. www.rent.net
2. www.apartmentguide.com
3. www.allapartments.com
4. www.aptsforrent.com
5. www.rentcheck.com
6. www.apartments.com
7. National Apartment Locator Service
8. www.Homestore.com
9. Search 4 Apartments
10. Metrorent (for SFO)
11. Citidigs (for NY, Chicago, Boston)
12. www.homerentals.net
13. www.rentals.com
14. www.rentwave.com
15. www.rentsearch.com

What is important, while selecting the right apartment?

• Location, Neighborhood, Type and Facilities
• Deposit and Lease period
• Lease Terms
• Get utilities on your name
• Maintenance
• Problem Reporting?

• Pay attention to location as it would affect your day-to-day life. It shouldn't be very far from your work place or to the nearest departmental store.
• First-floor apartments are comparatively cheaper than those on higher floors. However, consider security. Noise may also be a negative factor.
• Confirm that your rent includes basic facilities like hot water supply, and garbage expenses. Otherwise, you will have to pay for them separately.
• Find out whether electricity is also included in the rent.
• Every apartment should be equipped with a dishwasher, a refrigerator, cooking range or gas.
• Facilities like air conditioning, a fitness center, a swimming pool and a tennis court are attractive, but of course, in these places, the rent will be higher.
• In some apartments, individual washing machines are provided. At others, machines are placed in a basement or room, and residents can make use of them by inserting a coin in the machine when they need to do the laundry.

• You will be required to pay a security deposit before occupying the apartment.
• Apartments are leased for a month, three months, six months or a year.

• Discuss the lease terms in detail prior to occupying the apartment, so that you won't have any problems later.
• Before leaving the apartment you will have to give notice, usually between thirty and sixty days. In case you break the lease, you will have to pay a penalty, usually a moth’s rent.
• At some places you will have to pay the full rent, until someone else wants to rent the apartment. If they find somebody to rent the apartment immediately, then you won't have to pay anything. Clear up all these issues before signing the lease.
• If you are sharing the apartment, then the lease must be on the names of all the occupants. In case one person moves out then he has to inform the apartment management; if the management is not informed, you could end up losing your deposit

Once you moved in, inform and get the utilities like electricity, water supply, Garbage service etc on your name.

• Make a proper check of everything before you take the possession of the apartment. If equipment, fittings or furniture is damaged, inform the management before they deduct it from your deposit.
• Look after the carpet. Depending on its condition when you move out, a partial or full amount will be deducted from your deposit.
• Don’t hammer nails into the walls, try to use pushpins, blue tack, or any material that will not leave stains or marks.
• Keep your kitchen appliances clean.
• It is advisable to use aluminum foil to cover your cooking range to prevent it from getting oil stains. Clean the exhaust fan regularly as well.
• Before leaving the place clean everything, so that you can ask for your deposit back.
• Use plastic garbage bags in your garbage bins, as they are easily disposed when the trash is collected.

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