Apartments.com

Apartments.com is an apartment rental search website listed in Chicago, Illinois, and part of CoStar Group. It lets renters search apartments, houses and condos for rent in cities across the United States. It is a search service and not a landlord or a moving company, and it has no USDOT number.

What renters should confirm

Listings come from property managers and landlords, so confirm price, fees, lease length, pet rules and move-in date with the property directly. Ask which utilities are included, what the deposit is and when it is returned, and whether parking costs extra. If you cannot visit in person, ask for a video tour and check the street at different times of day.

Moving into a rental

Buildings often set rules for movers. Many require a reserved elevator or loading dock slot, limit move-in hours, and ask for a certificate of insurance from the moving company. In a city such as Chicago, where many leases begin on the first of the month and summer is the busiest season, elevator slots and trucks go early, so book as soon as you have a lease date. Walk-up buildings and third-floor units take longer, which affects an hourly price.

If your new place has a narrow stairway or no parking, tell the mover before the estimate. A mover can only price what it knows about. Once your lease is signed, the Movers Directory quote form can help you compare moving quotes for the date.