First, get your timing right. Most apartments go on the market after the tenant has given 30-day notice. And the good ones are snapped up within a week or two after that. Renters must act quickly after they give their notice to find a good place within a critical two week window.

Looking a month in advance can save you from accidentally ending up on the street, especially in tight rental markets where vacancy rates are low. When you find the place you want, you may need to double rent for a short time in these areas.

Determine your price range, which is generally a third of your monthly salary.

Identify your priorities. If the location is most important to you, put it at he top of your list. If the washer/dryer is optional, it might be number 10 on your list. Use this list when you evaluate each prospective apartment.

Be flexible and willing to make on-the-spot decisions. If the apartment fits all of your criteria except one, don't pass it up. It may not be there when you come back a week later after seeing ten others that you hated. The perfect apartment doesn't exist so you will have to make compromises on the least important criteria.

At the same time, if something just doesn't feel right about the apartment, keep on looking. You don't want to get stuck with an apartment you don't like, no matter how good the price is.

And be prepared. Carry your checkbook and your vital statistics (previous addresses, employer and previous landlord references) to showings so you can fill out the rental application if you like the apartment. Make a list of questions you can ask each landlord. What amenities come with the apartment and what utilities will you have to pay?

Or go one step further and make a renter's resume. This outlines all the references and financial information that typical rental applications ask for. It saves you the time of having to repeatedly fill out applications, and it impresses landlords.

Discuss and potential financial problems before the credit check.

Talk to friends. Word of mouth still works best for finding those bargains.

And walk your favorite neighborhoods looking for signs and talking to people.

Access as many resources as possible. The newspaper classifieds are the traditional source fro rental listings. However, many new types of free services and publications cater to the modern apartment finder. These include rental magazines, apartment referral and locating services, apartment videos and kiosks, and even the Internet.

Don't be afraid to negotiate. If there is a high vacancy rate, ask for a discount. Tell the manager that the apartment is a little out of your price range by that you'd like to live there. The manager may offer you a discount or other incentive. You can also request a lower security deposit or an extra amenity, such as a parking spot.

Look for move-in specials during low-occupancy periods. Sometimes you can get a free month's rent.

It's easy to get frustrated when you're pounding the pavement. If none of the apartments you see fit your criteria, try restructuring your search. A new neighborhood or settling for the apartment without a dishwasher may make all the difference. Perseverance will pay off in the end.