When/How to start looking for housing in new city?

[Interpolfanclub]

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So residency begins July 1, some programs have a 2 week ACLS/orientation before that. Which means most likely I will definitely have to be in the city where I match around the middle of June.

When is everyone going to start looking for housing? I graduate on May 19 or so and I was thinking of looking immediately after that by staying with friends/in a hotel for around a week wherever I match. In some cities that I ranked I know people, in most of them I don't.

I got the feeling some residencies would be very helpful in assisting us with housing options while others wouldn't. Seems like the residents would be a good resource. I've found most of my previous accomodations by looking in independent city newspapers.

Thanks

 

[Auscultate]

I will start looking a couple of weeks after match day, looking to lease starting on June 1st to give me some time to get settled in my new city before residency starts. I'm using

1 www.boston.craigslist.com (You can also search other cities ex chicago.craigslist.com; atlanta.craigslist.com, etc.)
2 www.rent.com
3 www.apartments.com
4 www.apartmentguide.com

gl

 

[radonc]

i think people should start looking BEFORE the match, just to be prepared going into the match...

 

[Auscultate]

i think people should start looking BEFORE the match, just to be prepared going into the match...

That's a good point. I actually started "LOOKING" at places in cities where my top 4 are located some time before the match to get an idea of the housing costs and was able to take that into consideration in making my rank list.
But I will actually start contacting the places the week or two after match day.

 

[Tigger14]

For residency, I asked for recommendations on real estate agents at every place I interviewed. I called the week after Match Day to arrange a trip to my new hometown (700 miles away from medical school) to house hunt. It worked out perfectly in that I bought the house from a graduating ob-gyn resident.

Thank goodness fellowship Match is earlier. I will go in a couple of weeks to house hunt, but have been in contact with a realtor for a while. I got very lucky last time, and found a great house on the first trip. I can only hope it goes that way now. 🙄

 

[radonc]

i think people should start looking BEFORE the match, just to be prepared going into the match...

i was actually kidding...

do whatever you feel most comfortable with, what your situation is (family vs single), whether you want to buy vs rent, and the location you are moving too (nyc vs rural).

 

[Colinator]

I'm doing an MPH program this year, so have less time to leave classes and look at houses. As a result, I'm taking my spring break week to look at houses in the city of my #1 program (start 5 days before match day), hoping for a match there, and then will make an offer as soon as i find out for sure whether i'll match in that city. may work out wonderfully, may not. such is life.

 

[Pox in a box]

I met with several realtors in several cities just to get a feel for the housing situation.

 

[roja]

In nyc you should plan ot look 6-8 weeks before. check with your residency they might have a housing coordinator that works with them

 

[Winged Scapula]

Since most people move around the end of the month, trying to find a home/apartment to move in for the middle of June can be hard. Landlords generally don't want any down time and will want someone who can move in the start of the month. If you don't start looking until mid May, you may be out of luck.

I went out after the match in early April and found a place to rent starting June 1st. Of course, that meant that I paid for a couple of extra weeks of rent before orientation started, but since I wasn't having much luck finding places to move into in the middle of June and it was the perfect place, I felt it was the right thing to do (with a little help from my mother).

 

[VuDOo]

I met with several realtors in several cities just to get a feel for the housing situation.

Same here

 

[deleted109597]

Realtors will love you. If you start calling them up, they will get a list of places they think you want. Then, when you fly/drive to another city, they will pick you up at your hotel (or even the airport) to take you around in an attempt to sell you a house.

Now, if you're renting, you have to use other outlets.

 

[Cuthbert]

I've already had an accepted offer on a house in the city of my top pick. The major contingency of the offer being that I match in that program.

 

[EM Junkie]

We had a place picked out and an offer drafted. On Match Day we went straight from the school to the realtor's office and signed/sent off the offer!

 

[bluebonnet07]

I am buying a condo. Anybody in the same boat?