New to the area or not ready to buy yet? Renting is a great way to get a feel for the area for a short period of time before putting down roots. Whether you’re looking to rent an apartment, condo, townhouse or single family home in Wilmington, Wrightsville Beach, Leland or the surrounding areas...there are a lot of options to choose from. This local’s guide will link you up to rental resources and give you a few tips on the “do’s and don’ts” of the rental market.

Not only do we have a lot of experience in this arena through our careers as brokers, Jessica and I have individually moved over over 10 times and lived in almost every zip code in the county! So, learn from our mistakes, follow in our footsteps, here are some of our best tips—

Do’s

DO Get a head start | It is best to begin your "for rent" search about 60-90 days before your ideal move in date. If you do it any earlier, the properties may not still be available by the time you need to move in and most of the time, they won't hold them for you.
DO Take your time, be patient and do plenty of research | Make this your new hobby. The rental market changes daily, so stay on top of your research and be consistent, it will pay off in the long run! Check the websites regularly and be friendly with the people you talk to. Sometimes, properties are rented before the companies have even had a chance to post them. So, when you speak with the rental representative or office assistant, be friendly and ask them to keep you in mind when something new comes up.
DO Make a “must have” list | This is not to be confused with an "it would be nice if..." list. Write down the things that are necessities in your new property like a washer/dryer, backyard, being pet friendly, or having plenty of storage. Once you make this list, stick to it. This will help keep your decisions logical and grounded without getting wrapped up in the emotion, charm or excitement of a property.
DO Google the property address | This is a quick and easy way to get a lot of valuable information. I know you've heard it all before but location, location, LOCATION....it's important! Pictures can be deceiving, so always check a map and use the street view feature for an even better look at the property and surrounding areas. You can also see how close you are to shops, restaurants, entertainment and your workplace, which are all important factors in making a good decision.
DO Tell everyone | Sometimes great rental places aren't advertised by anything more than a sign in the window and they move fast! Just like when you're looking for a job, it's always good to have some extra eyes and ears out there looking for you.

Don’ts

DON’T Rent from Joe Schmoe | You want to make sure that you are renting from someone that knows what they're doing, whether it is a professional rental management company or an individual. When renting, and especially If renting from an individual, make sure to ask lots of questions and check their credibility. If the individual is the owner of the house, double check that by looking at public property records. Click here to reference the New Hanover County tax record site where you can search property records by owner or address. Be sure to ask about things like regularly scheduled and emergency maintenance. You don't want to wait until your ac breaks mid-July to find out that the owner lives out of state and is on vacation.
DON’T Fall for craigslist scams | Buyer beware; and in this case, renter beware! Be cautious when dealing with people over the internet. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. One common scam is to advertise a fantastic property for an even more amazing rental rate. When you inquire, they ask you to fill out an application, pay an application fee and pay one month's rent as a deposit. By the time you do all of this, they have your personal information, your money and they virtually disappear. It’s very common to see for sale properties be “spoofed” as rentals. So, be sure to google the property and make sure the scammer didn’t steal photos off of zillow or other real estate websites. Usually the house is real, the photos are real, but that’s where it ends. Be very cautious about sending private information over the internet and wiring money to someone you don't know. Also, if meeting someone to preview a property, always bring a friend!
DON’T Forget about utilities | Be sure to factor in the cost of utilities when setting your rental budget. Call the utility companies and with the address, they can usually tell you the billing history of the unit. Keep in mind that sometimes features such as cathedral ceilings, gas fireplaces and being in a historic building can translate to additional heating and cooling costs.
DON’T Get mixed up with vacation rentals | Make sure you are looking at long term rentals. With the beaches so close and so many people coming here for vacation, there are a lot of short term and weekly rentals thrown in the mix. Be sure it says 12 month lease, especially at the beach! It is common practice for long-term beach rentals to be only for the off season and you have to find a different place to stay during tourist season.

So...now you know what you want, what to look for and what to avoid. The only question left is, "Where do I start?" These are my favorite sites for looking at local rentals. I suggest bookmarking this blog so you can easily access it and check the links on a regular basis. Keep in mind that if you want to live in a specific apartment complex, they usually have their own rental departments and should be contacted directly. Be sure to use any available criteria (bedrooms, pets, price range) to narrow down your search so it's not so overwhelming. If you have additional questions, feel free to post a comment or reach out to us…we’re happy to help you through this process and will be here when you’re ready to buy! Best of luck and happy renting!

-Rebecca + Jessica

Real Estate Group

A Local's Guide to Wilmington Rentals

Do’s

Don’ts