When Is the Best Time to Move Into an Apartment?

Whether you’re planning to downsize, move out of your parents’ house, or leave your current place once the lease ends, you’ll be looking for a new apartment to rent and move into – and you will, of course, want to get the best possible place at the best possible price.

That, however, may not be easy – in order to find a good apartment at an affordable price, you will need to employ clever apartment-hunting strategies. Picking the right time to look for a rental is, arguably, your best shot.

The rental market is seasonal, so apartments are cheaper and more abundantly available during some months of the year.

By choosing the best month to rent an apartment you may be able to land a great home at a very reasonable price.

So, when is the best time to look for apartments?

What time of the year are apartments cheapest?

When are you going to have the biggest choice of rentals?

And what about the actual move?

Here are all the answers you need to figure out the best time to move into an apartment:

The best time to move into an apartment from a financial standpoint

There is no doubt that money will be one of your main concerns when moving into a new apartment, so you need to focus on the financial aspect of the matter first:

When is the cheapest time to rent an apartment?

When planning to get an apartment, you will, of course, want the rent to be as low as possible. So, when are apartments cheapest to rent?

Rental rates vary throughout the year based on demand – the higher the demand for apartments, the higher the prices.

Since demand is lowest during the winter (as fewer people move during that time of the year), rental rates are lowest during the cold season too.

When fewer people are looking to rent a property, landlords may not be able to fill all their units – and may lose months’ worth of rental money.

To prevent that from happening and attract renters during the slow period (October to April), property owners and apartment managers lower the prices – they offer discounts and list their remaining vacant units for cheaper.

This makes winter the cheapest time of the year to rent an apartment.

In fact, statistics show that apartments are cheapest right after the holiday season – and it’s easy to understand why:

• Most people don’t have the energy – or the money – to deal with moving after the holidays;
• The weather is typically coldest in January and February – so people avoid moving house during those months;
• It’s already been a few months into the slow season, so vacancies have lingered on the market for a few months – and the longer an apartment stays empty, the more likely the landlord is to reduce the price.

Considering all of the above, it comes as no surprise that February is the cheapest month to rent an apartment. It is one of the cheapest months to move as well.

When is the cheapest time to move into an apartment?

So, you can get an apartment cheaper if you move in the winter. What about the cost of the move though?

Unsurprisingly, winter is the cheapest time of the year to move house. Since fewer people are relocating during the cold season, the demand for moving services is lower between October and April – and, therefore, moving rates are lower too (moving companies reduce the prices to attract more customers and secure more jobs during the slow period).

What’s more, it’s easier to secure quality moving services for a convenient moving date during the winter months – moving companies are not fully booked during that time of the year, so there is a greater choice of available movers.

All of this means that if you decide to move to a new apartment in the winter, you’ll be able to hire reputable movers at an affordable cost and for your preferred moving date.

Benefits of Moving During the Off-Peak Season

To sum it up – apartments are cheaper to rent in the winter and moving is cheaper in the winter. So, winter is definitely the cheapest time to move into an apartment.

Yet, the slow apartment turnover during the cold season means that there are fewer units available, so you’ll have a smaller choice and may not be able to find the perfect new home.

The best time to rent an apartment to get the perfect place for you

If you have specific requirements and want your new apartment to suit all your preferences, the slow season is not a good time to rent.

To find the right apartment for you (in terms of location, size, design, amenities, etc.), you need to have a wide choice – so, you need to look for rentals in the summer (between May and September).

The number of apartments available for rent is highest in the summer.

The reason for this is to be found in the cyclical nature of the rental market – a lot of people rent in the summer and since most leases are for 12 months, a lot of leases also end in the summer.

This means that many apartments come back on the market during the hot season and the choice of available rentals is quite big.

So, when renting during the summer months, you’ll have a lot of apartments to choose from and a good chance of finding just the right place for you. Rental rates, however, will be higher – and so will your moving costs.

How Much Does It Cost to Move an Apartment?

When is the best time to move into an apartment?

Considering all of the above, the best time to move into a new apartment is either during the winter (when rentals are cheapest and moving rates are lowest) or during the summer (when apartment turnover is highest and there is a wide choice of available rentals).

So, when planning to rent an apartment, you need to weigh your finances against your personal needs and preferences and decide whether you want to save as much money as possible or to get the perfect home for you:

Winter is the best time to rent an apartment when it comes to saving money

Demand drives the prices and since demand is lower during the winter, rental rates – and moving rates – are also lower:

• Rental rates may be up to 7% lower during the winter as compared to peak rental season (summer);
• Moving rates may be up to 25% lower during the winter as compared to the peak moving season (summer).

So, the cold season is the cheapest time of the year to move into a new apartment.

Besides, when renting in the winter, you may be able to negotiate not only lower rental prices but some other bonuses too – landlords will be more willing to yield to your demands during the slow season (to secure you as a tenant as it may be difficult to find another eligible renter during that time of the year), so you may be able to get perks like new appliances, upgraded window treatments, etc.

Another advantage of renting during the slow season is that you won’t be pressed to sign a lease as soon as you see a place – there won’t be many people looking for rentals, so the risk of someone else getting the apartment while you’re considering it will be very small.

This means that you will be able to do thorough research and carefully weigh the pros and cons of the apartment before making your final decision.

Keep in mind though that when you rent an apartment in the winter, the landlord will likely offer you a shorter lease (not a yearly lease), as they will want to get the apartment back on the market in the summer when rental rates are higher and it’s easy to find good tenants.

Summer is the best time to rent an apartment when it comes to choices

Apartment turnover is highest in the summer as many people move during that time of the year and, therefore, both rent and leave rentals.

As a result, there is a wide selection of rentals to choose from during the summer and you can easily find an apartment that perfectly suits your needs and preferences.

Since the demand for rentals is very high, however, rental prices skyrocket during the summer. Moving rates are also higher between September and May (it’s peak moving season).

Therefore, moving to a new apartment in the warm months won’t be cost-effective at all.

Besides, renting during peak rental season is much more stressful than renting in the slow season – a lot of people will be looking for rentals, so you’ll have a lot of competition and will need to act very fast when you find an apartment that you like.

There will be no time to ponder, research, or see other places before you make your final choice – you’ll have to make a quick decision.

Rash decisions, however, often lead to regrets.

To minimize the risk of making a mistake when renting under pressure, you need to know exactly what you’re looking for, how much rent you can afford, what is important to you, what compromises are acceptable, etc.

Bonus tip: When looking for rentals in the summer, it’s a good idea to bring all required documents, so you can sign on the spot if you find the perfect apartment for you.

When you take all of the above into account, it should be easy to find the answer to the question When is the best time to rent an apartment?

What about the actual relocation though?

When is the best time of the year to move into an apartment?

Needless to say, moving during the winter is much more difficult than moving during the summer – snow, ice, and subzero temperatures pose a lot of risks and make the relocation process even more challenging than it already is.

Yet, it’s cheaper to move during the cold season and you can easily find experienced and trustworthy movers for your relocation – so you’ll have peace of mind that your items are in good hands.

10 Cool Tips for Moving in the Winter

Moving in the summer comes with fewer challenges (though it may still rain on Moving day or the heat may cause damage to some of your more sensitive items, etc.) but your relocation costs will be higher.

Besides, it’s more difficult to secure good movers for your preferred moving date during this busy period, so you may get inexperienced movers who are more likely to make mistakes – or may even fall victim to moving scams.

10 Hot Tips for Moving in the Summer

The above moving-related considerations may not be of primary importance when determining the best time to get an apartment but you should still take them into account when making your final decision.

Once you’ve figured out the best month to move into an apartment, all that remains is to make sure that you find a suitable place in time. When should you start looking for rentals, then?

When to start looking for apartments?

Finding an appropriate apartment to rent can take some time, so you shouldn’t wait until the last moment to start looking.

Most leases expire at the end of a month, so you will most likely be able to move into your new apartment during the first days of the month. This means that you need to start looking for rentals the previous month – the month before the month when you want to move into your new home.

Does it matter what time of the month you begin your apartment hunt though?

Yes, it does.

Since leases usually require a 30-day notice to vacate, landlords know which units will be vacant about a month in advance. As it is in their best interest to fill vacancies immediately (so they don’t lose even a month’s rent), landlords list apartments for rent as soon as they get the move-out notice from the current tenant.

This suggests that there will be a lot of new listings at the beginning of a month – as tenants whose leases end at the end of that month will have just given their 30-day notices.

So, if you start looking for an apartment during the first days of a month, you’ll be seeing rentals right as they’re being put on the market and will be able to get the best apartment possible.

If you want to snag a better deal, however, you may want to wait until after the middle of the month – when landlords will be more eager to secure tenants and, therefore, more willing to negotiate.

Keep in mind though that you won’t have much of a choice as most apartments will already be rented.

Bonus tip: If you haven’t found an appropriate rental by the end of the month before the target move month, begin looking for apartments listed as “available now”.

These are vacant units that you can move into immediately – the choice may be quite limited, but you will likely be able to negotiate a very good price, as the landlord will want to get the apartment occupied as soon as possible.

So, when is the best time to look for apartments?

The last week of a month may be best from a financial perspective, but you’ll have more options and a better chance to find the perfect place for you at the beginning of the month.

Bonus: When is the best time of the month to move into an apartment?

The best time of the month to rent an apartment depends on whether you want the best possible apartment or the best possible deal. The best time to move into your new home, however, is a weekday during the second week of the month.

Most people move during the first or the last several days of a month – and most house moves take place during the weekend. This means that movers are very busy on weekends and at the beginning and end of months – so, it’s very difficult to secure quality moving services during these periods and moving rates are higher.

To get top-rated movers at an affordable price, you’re advised to schedule your move on a weekday after the 5th of the month.

Moving Into an Apartment: High-Rise Moving Tips

Ultimately, the best time to move into an apartment depends on the specific circumstances in your case: what you’re looking for, how much rent you can afford, and how flexible you can be with your move.

Just remember that choosing the right time to rent an apartment can help you find your dream home or save some money and make your decision accordingly.

Happy new life in your new apartment!