When Do You Sign a Lease For an Apartment?

If you’re new to renting, you’ve probably been asking your friends, family, and coworkers questions like, “When do you sign a lease for an apartment?”

This question is nuanced. You need to know how far in advance you should be looking for a place, and what criteria should be met before you sign on the dotted line.

You may be so excited about having a place to call your own or you’re so desperate to leave your current place that you haven’t even considered the semantics of it all—but you should! Resist the urge to jump into a lease too quickly and take the time to look into the details of your future apartment.

Whether you are searching for empty units or fully furnished apartments, this guide will outline everything you need to know about the lease signing process, and the 10 things to look for before you sign the lease.

When to make a decision

It may not seem like it, but signing a lease agreement is a huge commitment. Of course, it’s possible to break your lease later on, but it comes at a price. Whether it’s because of an oversight on your part or the unpredictable behavior of someone else, the process of how to get out of an apartment lease causes a lot of stress and usually results in a financial burden.

Maximize your finances and happiness with your living situation by paying attention to both:

• When you should look for an apartment
• When you should make a decision

The ideal time frame

Renters need to strike a balance between jumping into a lease too quickly and holding out until the last second. If you move too quickly, you could get scammed, but if you move too slowly, you could miss out on your dream apartment. 

The ideal time to make a decision is 20 to 24 days before the move-in date.

Searching for an apartment too early won’t show units available for when you want to move in, but once you hit the two-week mark before your ideal date, you might not have a lot of options. Even worse, you won’t have the time to make sure the apartment is everything you want it to be.

The exception: Month-to-month rentals

The only exception to the 20- to 24-day time frame is rentals with month-to-month leasing. Apartments that lease on a month-to-month basis can be ready for move-in in a matter of days and are much less of a commitment.

Look for a reputable company with flexible leasing, so you’re sure your quick decision will still be a good one. Landing offers flexible leases in over 375 cities throughout the U.S. 

10 things to consider before signing a lease 

You should start thinking about your new move around a month before your preferred move-in date, so you have enough time to go through this checklist. That said, here are the 10 things to consider before signing a lease:

1. Length of the lease

Apartments typically require a year-long lease, at minimum, and trying to break that lease is a grueling, stressful process that usually comes at a high price. If you don’t feel comfortable making a year-long commitment, try looking for a six-month or month-to-month lease.

Usually, if you don’t stay for your full lease term, you’ll be forced to forfeit your deposit and pay your remaining rent in your signed lease until a new tenant moves in.

2. Utilities: Are they included?

Ask your landlord if utilities are included in the listed rent price, and what utilities are available in the first place.

Here are the specific utilities and fees you should ask about:

• Water
• Electricity
• Gas
• Internet
• Cable
• Heating
• Air conditioning 
• Trash and recycling pick-up

• Building maintenance
• Pet deposits and recurring fees

3. Amenities: What’s offered, and at what cost? 

Some apartment complexes offer more than others. Don’t get too hung up on amenities and overlook a great place, but still make it a point to look into what amenities are offered at the apartment’s location. You should also note whether these are optional and whether they’re included in your rent. 

Common amenities include:

• Fully furnished units
• Built-in appliances
• Parking
• Fitness facilities
• Community pool
• Cleaning service
• Maintenance and repairs
• Concierge service

Having an on-site or on-call maintenance person, property manager, or concierge service that you can count on 24/7 is an underrated amenity to ask about.

4. Security deposit terms

In general, it’s illegal for a security deposit to be non-refundable, and this fee is just meant to cover damages beyond normal wear and tear or if you break your lease. Your security deposit could be a portion of your monthly rent or multiple months of rent, so be sure to check if the amount of the security deposit is within your price range.

5. Interior design changes

Most apartments don’t allow major alterations like painting walls, and some don’t even allow you to make holes in your walls. Other landlords are fine with holes in walls, but will deduct money from your security deposit if you try to repair the damage.

Rather than wait to find out whether that’s allowed when your security deposit is returned, ask up front so you know exactly what customizations are cleared.

6. Rent payment and late fees

Find out when your landlord wants to be paid, whether it’s on the last day of the month or the first day of the month. Landlords an leasing companies usually like to be paid in one of three ways: 

• Check: Most people don’t carry around checkbooks these days. If your landlord wants to receive rent via check, you need to be prepared by ordering checks from your bank ahead of time.
• Wire transfer: Using wire transfer as a means to pay month’s rent can leave you with extra expenses. Outgoing wire transfers can cost up to $35 for each transaction, which adds up quickly when you’re paying rent every month. Ask if your landlord has factored the cost of the transfer into rent, or if they are willing to.
• Property management portal: Online payment systems are definitely the easiest way to make rent payments, and usually offer an auto-pay feature that will keep you from paying rent late.

Even though you plan on paying rent on time, without the ability to use auto-pay, you may accidentally pay rent late. Be sure to ask your landlord what the penalties are for late rent. Every state has its own laws about late rent fees, so don’t be afraid to look yours up if you feel your rental’s late fee is unreasonable.

7. Know your rights

In addition to late rent laws, every state has its own landlord-tenant laws that both you and your landlord need to abide by. For instance, if you sign a long-term lease, your state laws will outline what to expect if you find yourself needing to get out of your lease.

8. Long-term commitments can mean in-person visits 

It can be difficult, and not to mention risky, to commit to a long-term lease in an apartment you haven’t seen in person before. If you’re familiar with the area—not just the city, but also the neighborhood—you may feel comfortable never having seen the unit in-person. But if you’re moving to a totally new city you’re not familiar with, you should think twice before signing a lease that isn’t month-to-month.

9. Get everything in writing

When do you sign a lease for an apartment if it’s an oral lease? Hopefully, never. It might be surprising, but verbal rental agreements are recognized as valid by most states, and “lead to ambiguity about the obligations of each party,” according to the legal site FindLaw.

Getting a detailed, written lease is always a much safer bet. Having an agreement in writing keeps you and your landlord accountable, and is a good reference for later if you end up needing to break your lease or have a disagreement about the terms of your security deposit.

10. Account for all fees 

If it isn’t clear by now, renting a new apartment has tons of moving parts that can each cost you money. Here’s an overview of all the potential fees from earlier in this guide, and some additional hidden or unanticipated fees you may need to account for.

• The listed price of the unit
• Application fee
• Utilities
• Amenities
• Renter’s insurance
• Wire transfer fees
• Late payment fees
• Security deposit
• Penalty for breaking the lease

Adding up all of these fees for each unit you’re considering will help you see the true cost of an apartment rental—a more expensive apartment with more amenities could very well be the cheaper option in the long-run.

Hassle-free living with Landing 

With flexible month-to-month leasing, fully furnished units, and fast lease approval, Landing will get you settled in a perfect apartment—with no risks and no strings attached. You won’t have to worry about any unnecessary costs like application fees or security deposits. Plus, with 24/7 in-app concierge service, you can easily pay rent, schedule repairs, and manage your move-in and move-out dates.

Browse our available furnished apartments across over 200 U.S. cities, or contact us to learn more about what a Landing membership can do for you.