The 5 things about renting your first apartment you need to know — trust us, we have 33 years of renting experience

The outside of a traditional Brooklyn, New York, apartment building taken from the sidewalk at sunset. There is a white and blue sign hanging outside, which says 'Apartment for rent'.

Renting your first apartment can be an overwhelming experience. It’s hard to know where to start your rental search, how to budget for a big move, and all of the red flags to look out for when you view an apartment for rent.

But these five tips straight from the Real Homes team, which collectively has a whopping 33 years renting experience (with glowing landlord references to prove it) will help ease you from living at home with family, or a dorm with friends, to full-on apartment living successfully.