So you’re about to begin your search for an affordable rental property in South Dakota…
If you have a good handle on what you’re able to afford and how much of a monthly rent payment your budget can handle, you’ll want to figure out your options. What are your must-haves and love-to-haves in an apartment?
Write your checklist—then consider the following pathways to begin your search.
Rental Websites
A good first step for getting an idea of what you’re looking for is to start online. SDHousingSearch.com is a free search engine of affordable rental properties. With map functionality, you can visualize where the properties are located and their proximity to schools, churches and public transportation.
Social Media
Don’t simply restrict yourself to websites, however. Community social pages are a great resource as well. Search for South Dakota towns and cities on Facebook, for example, and you might find for-sale or for-rent advertisements that you’d have a tough time finding on national search engines.
Classifieds
Sometimes the tried-and-true methods just plain work. Grab yourself a newspaper and check out the classified ads—you may catch some of the listings placed by old-school property owners who may not utilize rental websites. (Check out newspapers’ online presences as well, as classifieds are often placed in both mediums.)
Asking Around
Some of the most valuable information you’ll uncover in your property search will come from friends and relatives—namely, friends of friends and relatives. You’re bound to run into somebody who knows somebody who lived in a particular neighborhood or city that will have a connection with some great property or complex.
Take a Walk
Seeing it for yourself can be very valuable when apartment-hunting. Take to the streets in the community in which you desire a rental property, and you might run across a “for rent” sign at the best possible moment. After all, not all property managers will list openings online or in print.
Good Luck
Whether you’re more inclined to do some independent online research or prone to paging through some print listings, just remember to keep your budget in mind throughout your search. Make sure an apartment is affordable before you offer up any funds.
