Pre-residency moving timeline

[Abby_Normal]

As a general rule, how soon after Match Day does one have to start apartment shopping to get something decent? The impression I got from some residents on the interview trail is that right after the match, the floodgates open and if you're not in the first wave you're left to compete for the picked-over remains of the realty market. I was leaning toward thinking this was an exaggeration, but one of programs I ranked has already sent us information on area housing and I'm not sure whether that's telling me something...

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[gutonc]

Yes, the sooner the better. A lot depends on the city and location. If it's a place with a tight housing market, or only a few places that are safe/convenient/affordable enough to live in then yes, it might be an issue. If you're talking about Houston or St. Louis or Cincinnati or something, things might be different.

 

[Chicago2012]

I refuse to discuss this until after match. Don't want bad juju. lol

 

[mvenus929]

Depends entirely on where you match. Some places (college towns) sign leases insanely early in the year, so there isn't much variety after match day. Other places thin you're crazy if you're looking for somewhere more than 2-3 months from your expected move in date.