Do your homework. Research all of Seattle's neighborhoods such as Loyal Heights, Matthews Beach and Maple Leaf to find the ones that suit your needs. Check out U.S. Census Records and local Seattle websites, such as King 5 TV, to gain additional insight into the neighborhoods you've chosen. Go to map sites such as MapQuest to determine estimated commute times to all of your areas of interest such as work, school, grocery store and gym from each of the vicinities you've selected.
Find rental homes. Contact local rental agencies to have a real estate agent help you locate rental homes currently on the market. Search the "Seattle Times" newspaper classifieds for listings of homes available for rent. Perform home rental searches specific to Seattle on websites such as Craigslist or Ebay Real Estate to find more options.
Narrow your options. Make a list of all of the homes you're interested in. Go over each property's advertisement details such as photos, costs and location to decide which homes meet your goals. Reduce your list to no more than five options to choose from.
Make a list of questions about each of the rental properties you've selected. Place each set of questions on separate sheets of paper, each page representing a different rental home. Contact each property owner, one at a time, via their contact information (email or phone) to address your concerns about their property. Make your final decision based on the information you received regarding each rental home as well as your personal preferences.
