How to Rent an Apartment in a New City — Corporate Relocation Rental Guide
The short answer
Relocating for work and need an apartment before your start date? Here is how relocation renters document income, search remotely, and get approved in cities they have never lived in.
Corporate relocation renters face a unique set of challenges: no local rental history, a new job (often without pay stubs yet), and the pressure of needing housing before a start date.
The Core Relocation Renter Problem
Standard rental applications assume you have local rental history, established pay stubs, and time to tour in person. Relocation renters have none of these. You may be applying from 2,000 miles away for housing in a city you have visited once. The good news: landlords deal with relocation renters constantly in major employment markets, and the documentation workarounds are well-established.
Use Your Offer Letter as Income Documentation
Before you have a single pay stub from your new employer, a signed offer letter with your salary and start date is accepted by most landlords as income verification. Pair it with your most recent pay stubs from your current or previous employer and 3 months of bank statements. This combination covers the income question even when you have not yet started the new job.
Portable Income Verification
Settl verification is not tied to a geographic location. A bank-linked income profile showing your deposit history is just as valid in Austin as it is in Seattle. Getting verified before you relocate creates a shareable profile you can use with every landlord application in your new city — without needing to be there in person.
Remote Application Best Practices
Request a live video tour (FaceTime or Zoom) rather than recorded walkthroughs — live tours let you ask questions and see the unit's actual condition. Ask specifically for photos of the unit you would rent, not staged stock photos. Submit a complete application package upfront: offer letter + bank statements + verification code + previous landlord contact info. Complete packages get faster responses.
Ask Your Employer About Relocation Benefits
Before you start searching, find out what your employer covers. Temporary housing (30-90 days in a furnished apartment or extended-stay hotel) buys you time to search in-person. A lump-sum relocation allowance reduces financial pressure. Some companies provide apartment locator services — use them if available.
Target Private Landlords First
Large apartment complexes often have rigid geographic preferences (in-state applicants only, local references required). Individual property owners are far more flexible about remote applications, out-of-state references, and offer letter income documentation. In every city, a meaningful percentage of rental inventory is held by individual landlords — focus your search there first.
Settl Team
Settl Editorial
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