How to find a cheap apartment in Miami?

The U.S. Census Bureau suggest that you should keep your apartment rent under 20% of your income. If you cannot achieve this, then the 30% of your income should be as high as you go. However, this is hard, especially for young professionals nowadays. The gentrification is taking place all over the country, and the rents are skyrocketing. This is why finding a cheap apartment in Miami can often seem like a daunting and impossible task. In this article, we give you some tips on how to find one for yourself.

Don’t compromise your quality of life for a cheap apartment in Miami

An important thing to remember is never to compromise the quality of your life when finding a cheap apartment in Miami. Set your deal-breakers early in the search and stick to them. Keep in mind that you should be flexible, but still keeping true to yourself. However, there are some things you should consider and think about when picking your perfect apartment.

One of the most important things many people consider when picking an apartment is the commute time. Search for nearby public transportation stops and see how much it will take you to your job. Also look for convenience stores and other locations that make your life easier.

Another thing to think about is the appliances like the stove, an oven, the dishwasher and the on-site laundry area. These can make both your bills and your rent higher. Another thing that can lower the rent is the elevators in the building.

Roommates and pets

You should also think about the people and animals that might be living with you. Even though making roommates can help a lot (and we discuss is further below), having pets is a luxury. Many buildings don’t allow pets and some charge additional fees if you want to keep them. Also, consider whether you want your apartment to be a smoking or a no-smoking area.

Use this time to calculate your budget. Go over your spendings and see if there are areas or activities you can drop and save a bunch of money.

Search for your cheap apartment in Miami online

So how do you find a cheap apartment in Miami? Well, the easiest way is to be to search for it online. There are many apps for this, that are quite helpful. A great idea is to search for your cheap apartment daily. Sometimes it can make a difference to be the first one to contact the landlord.

Another great way is to utilize Facebook to find their housing groups. This is the place where people often post apartment listings, and you can see the person’s profile to put a face to the name. You can just search phrases like Miami listings, Miami housing, Miami apartments or something similar.

Find a roommate for a cheap apartment in Miami

Finding a roommate may not be for everyone’s taste, but it can sometimes be very helpful. A good roommate can halve the work you put in and can also make living together easier. However, a bad roommate can make your life a living hell, so you need to be careful about picking them.

There are many your professionals like you who are searching for a roommate, and you can find them online. It’s even kind of like an online dating. You can post your roommate ads on Facebook (or Facebook roommate groups). There are other websites for it too, like Roomster.com or Spareroom.com.

Of course, be very careful when searching for roommates online. There are people who will want to scam you, so always do a background search before you meet people. Also, never give away much personal information. You can also arrange for a video call before you meet roommates in person.

Find a cheap apartment in Miami in less “popular” areas

As we have already mentioned, in the recent years, gentrification has taken hold of the United States, making rents skyrocket. However, real estate in Florida didn’t suffer as much because Miami has, so far, successfully fought most of the gentrification thrown its way. Nevertheless, there are still neighborhoods in Miami where rent can be really high compared to the others, just a few blocks away. Here, the listings often tend to be better, and the commute time might not be as horrible.

The most expensive neighborhoods in Miami are the Fisher Island and Indian Creek Village. Venetian Islands, Gables Estates, and Cocoplum also fight for that title. When looking for a cheap apartment in Miami, you can start your search with Little Haiti, Liberty City, and Brownsville. El Portal is also a great place with low rents, but its small area is not very competitive for apartment hunters.

Off-season is the perfect time to find a cheap apartment in Miami

Another thing to consider is the time of the year for finding your cheap apartment in Miami. As is the rest of the country, the best time for cheap apartments is during the winter. Since this is Miami – you will be in luck. There is no snow and cold weather to make your search more difficult, but this also means that the marker will be a bit more competitive, too.

Most leases end during the summer, so finding an apartment in winter might be counter-intuitive. However, during the off-months, the landlords will be anxious to rent. You can use this to your advantage and negotiate lower rents.

You can even negotiate various perks. For example, you can make a deal with your landlord and help them refurbish the kitchen counters for a lower electricity bill for a couple of months, or lower rent, etc. Being creative and resourceful can help you when looking for that perfect cheap apartment in Miami.

Finding a good moving company

Finally, finding good and reliable Miami Movers can help you a lot. The professional help will reduce your time in packing and unpacking your stuff, and help with moving them in your cheap apartment in Miami. If you are moving from another city, a moving company is usually a must!