When Is the Best Time to Rent an Apartment?

It depends on whether your priority is price or choice

Reviewed by Khadija Khartit

There’s a lot to consider when renting a house or an apartment. While a variety of personal factors go into signing a lease—ranging from the regularity of your cash flow to the urgency of a move—knowing what time of year to start hunting for a rental can help you snag a better deal. The real estate market tends to be cyclical and seasonal. By paying attention to these cycles, you might have a better chance of landing your dream home at a price you can afford.

If you’re looking for the widest range of choices, you should plan to move between May and September. For the best prices, you should plan to move between October and April. Here’s why—and here are a few other tips for timing your home-hunting.

Key Takeaways

• The real estate market tends to be seasonal and cyclical. Paying attention to these cycles can affect the price you’ll pay for a rental.
• Apartment inventory is higher between the months of May and September, given the considerable turnover during these months. Rental rates also tend to be higher during the summer months. 
• The lowest rental rates are found during the winter months—October through April—with demand and prices reaching their nadir between January and March. 
• An apartment search should begin in the middle of the month prior to the target move month.

Summer Months Are Best for Rental Selection

The busiest moving period tends to be between the months of May and September. The reason for this is fairly straightforward: A number of life changes tend to occur in these months. Many high school graduates are leaving home for college or jobs. Many college graduates are seeking real estate close to where they will start their careers. And, of course, for families with kids, it’s between school years.

Also, it’s easier to move during warmer weather: to drive, to load and unload furniture, and carry boxes.

These life changes and weather conditions mean a much higher turnover rate in real estate. Thus, finding an apartment is easier, and there is a wider selection of apartments from which to choose, during the summer season. However, precisely because the summer season sees the highest levels of rental activity, the demand for rental space is also extremely high. This boosts rent prices and rental fees, sometimes up to double what might be negotiated during the off-peak seasons.

It can also be a more stressful time to hunt: You might face more competition in your quest for the perfect space.

Would-be renters often have to be ready to act fast—sometimes even signing on the spot—if they find a space they like.

Winter Months Are Best for Rental Savings

As the temperature drops, so do prices. The lowest rental rates are usually found between October and April, particularly right after the December holiday season. Fewer people are interested in moving—the weather’s bad, schools are in session, etc. So this is when you’ll typically find the best rental bargains. However, low levels of moving activity and turnover typically mean that it is more difficult to find exactly the type of property you’d like at this time.

How Early to Apartment Hunt

Once you’ve determined a target moving season, narrow the choice down to a specific month. Let’s say that you plan to move in August. The ideal time to begin the search for an appropriate apartment is at the end of the month prior to the target move month; so, in this example, begin the apartment hunt during the last two weeks of July.

While this tactic may seem last minute, it’s really optimal, because the majority of renters have leases that expire at the end of a month or within the first few days of the next month. Renters who are about to leave vacancies will have given or will be giving their 30-day notices during this time, which means you are apt to get the first choice of available space if you begin your apartment search within that time frame.

Individuals willing to take a gamble or who have the flexibility to move on a moment’s notice could employ a different apartment-hunting approach. Waiting until the second week of the move-in month can prove lucrative, as landlords trying to fill vacancies become more eager to secure new renters.

Warning

Discrimination during the rental process is illegal. If you think you’ve been discriminated against in the course of your search, based on your race, religion, sex, marital status, national origin, disability, or age, there are steps you can take—such as filing a complaint with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)’s Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity. 

What’s the Average Rent in the U.S.?

The average monthly rent for a two-bedroom apartment in the U.S. was $1,317 as of November 2023.

How Many People Rent in the U.S.?

There were about 45 million housing units occupied by renters in 2023.

Are More People Renting than Before?

The number of renters is rising as of 2023.

The Bottom Line

The best time to rent depends largely on your circumstances: your desired housing and price, as well as your moving flexibility. If you’re concerned about having the greatest amount of choice, you should target May through September for your searches. If you’re focused primarily on the best prices, you should time your move from October through April.