How do you rent an apartment in Greater Boston before you move there?

Touring from another state

• Ask for a live video tour of the unit you would rent, not a model or a similar unit, and ask the person to show the view from each window, the water pressure and the heating system.
• Ask who pays heat, hot water and electricity, and whether the heat is gas, oil or electric.
• Check the commute at the hour you’d travel, on the MBTA’s trip planner or a map app.
• Ask about parking: Boston, Cambridge and Somerville issue resident parking permits, and Brookline bans overnight street parking without one.
• Ask for a copy of the lease to read before you apply.

• Neighborhood guides: transit, groceries, parks and schools

Verify before you pay

• Look up the agent’s license on Mass.gov. Anyone finding apartments for others for a fee must be a licensed broker or salesperson.
• In Boston, look up the property owner in the City’s assessing database, and ask whether the unit is registered with Inspectional Services: Boston landlords must register rental units every year.
• Never wire money for an apartment; Boston warns you can’t get it back. Pay by a method you can trace, to the landlord or the licensed broker.
• Be wary of rent well below the area, listings with spelling errors or old photos, no screening at all, or an offer to pay the deposit in installments.
• Since August 1, 2025, you pay no fee to a broker the landlord hired. Before you sign a lease, a broker must tell you in writing who hired them, who pays and how much.

Official sources

• Mass.gov — Check an occupational board license
• Division of Occupational Licensure — Real estate brokers and salespersons consumer fact sheet
• City of Boston — Apartment scams
• City of Boston — How to register a rental property
• EOHLC (Mass.gov) — Frequently asked questions about residential rental broker’s fees

What to send ahead

A good apartment can go to the first complete application, so have these ready as PDFs:

• A government photo ID for every adult who will live there.
• Proof of income: your offer letter (salary and start date), recent pay stubs, or bank statements if you’re between jobs.
• A recent credit report, if the landlord will accept one you supply.
• Contact details for your current and previous landlords.
• If your income doesn’t qualify alone: a co-signer or guarantor, or your employer’s lease guaranty program if it has one.

Money before move-in A Massachusetts landlord may require no more than first month’s rent, last month’s rent, a security deposit of up to one month and the cost of a new lock, at or before the start of the lease. The deposit goes into a separate account in a Massachusetts bank, and you get receipts.

Official sources

• M.G.L. c.186 §15B — security deposits and what a landlord may collect
• Mass.gov — Apartment finder’s fees, broker’s fees and signing a lease

What apartments rent for, town by town

That day our site listed 9,717 rentals in 276 Massachusetts towns. These are asking rents, before utilities. Each town page on our site shows its current listings and medians.

• Search rentals
• Every town we cover
• Apartments for rent in Boston
• Cambridge
• Brookline
• Somerville
• Newton
• Quincy
• Worcester

Timing and moving day

• Most Boston leases turn over at the beginning of September. If your job starts in August, plan a short stay or look for a lease that starts earlier.
• In Boston a moving-truck permit isn’t required, but it guarantees you a legal parking spot. Apply online at least 15 days and no more than eight weeks ahead; a one-day permit for two non-metered spaces costs $69. Signs must go up at least 48 hours before the move, so out-of-state movers need someone local to post them.
• After you move, Massachusetts drivers must give the RMV their new address within 30 days.

Official sources

• City of Boston — Moving in the city
• City of Boston — Reserve a parking spot for your moving truck
• Mass.gov — Change your address with the RMV

• Your move-in checklist: utilities, internet, insurance

Relocating with Benjamin Realty

Search the 9,717 rentals on our site and ask for a tour from any listing; our team arranges it with you, wherever you are. When the landlord hired us, you pay us nothing, and on any apartment we tell you in writing who hired us, who pays us and how much before you sign. If you’re also thinking of buying, our agents help buyers across Greater Boston too.

• Contact us or book a meeting
• Our rental agency, town by town
• First-time home buyers in Massachusetts
• Moving from another country

Questions people ask

Is it safe to rent an apartment in Boston sight-unseen?

It can be, if you tour the actual unit on a live video call, confirm the owner (Boston’s assessing database) and the agent’s state license, and never pay by wire transfer or more than first month, last month, a one-month security deposit and the lock cost.

What documents do Boston landlords ask for?

Usually photo ID, proof of income such as an offer letter or pay stubs, a credit report and landlord references, plus a co-signer or guarantor if your income doesn’t qualify alone.

When is the best time to look for an apartment in Boston?

Most Boston leases turn over at the beginning of September, so many apartments come up for that date. If you’re moving then, start early and have your application ready.

How much is rent in Boston?

On November 3, 2026, the median asking rent of the 3,454 Boston rentals on our site was $3,495 ($3,465 for one bedroom, $3,500 for two). Cambridge was $3,612, Quincy $2,550 and Worcester $2,200.

Do I need a permit for a moving truck in Boston?

Not legally, but a permit guarantees two parking spaces for the day. Apply online 15 days to eight weeks ahead; it costs $69 for two non-metered spaces.