This post is sponsored by Zumper. Opinions are my own.

You’ve heard the apartment hunting stories - or, nightmares rather - and I’m telling you there’s lots of truth to them. I recently decided to take the challenge of moving into a solo apartment meaning I had to do all the searching, vetting and signing on my own (*cue music*).

Living downtown had been such a highlight, but the trouble is the spaces are rather small for the buck. So, I decided to keep the location more open to see where that would take me. While that is a bonus, it also made the search a little more difficult because it felt like the options were endless!

To alleviate the burden of the search, technology was my best friend. I’ve mentioned a few apps and resources in the past and decided to give something new a try: Zumper.

Born out of frustration by the old way of renting, Zumper creates a smooth, efficient and transparent renting process for both tenants and landlords. You can search for specific amenities, create alerts to notify you of similar listings, and find specific neighborhood information such as rent prices and demographics. Ok, ok I had to give it a try.

If you’re relocating to NYC or just moving nearby in the city, Zumper Select, available in New York and Chicago, takes the hassle out of apartment hunting. Tell them your move-in date and budget, and from there the experts will help you find options that fit your needs.

So: where did all that take me?

After sorting through apartments that would fulfill my wishlist, I found myself looking mostly in the Upper West Side, Hell’s Kitchen, or Midtown area. I gave myself 6 weeks to search, with alerts on, and used my weekends for viewings. Things to keep in mind:

3-4 weeks out is the sweet spot. In NYC, so many apartments come and go, and landlords are looking for ASAP move in.
If you’re using the weekend for tours, do first thing in the morning on Saturday. Many people are doing the same thing, so you want to be among the first to check out a place.
Try to stick with the same 1-2 areas for your appointments, it will save you time! Busy bee like me? If you don’t have the time to schedule 100 tours, Zumper will schedule them for you and can even join you if you’d like.
Have ready the things you’ll need to apply if you see something you like while on the tours. Think: your last two paystubs, most recent tax return, employer’s salary letter, ID, and checkbook.
If you LOVE something, take it right there. Chances are, if it’s your dream apartment it’s also someone else’s, so apply then and there if you don’t want to miss out. This happened to one apartment early in my search.

At about 3 weeks out, I found it!

The dream space in a new neighborhood between Hell’s Kitchen and the Theater District. I went for it because of space and price, neighborhood initially coming in as my lowest priority and then becoming one of my favorite elements. Truly the dream.

Once you find a dream place, Zumper’s local rental experts are standing by to provide advice on the neighborhood, and help sign and move you into your new space. Seriously, it couldn’t get easier!

It’s still a work in progress, but here’s a first look at how it’s coming together. Here are my three favorite spots in my new place (left to right):

The couch space: WOW do I love my couch. It’s so cozy and turns into a full-size bed for guests. There’s also secret storage and all the pillows I need.
The bathroom: I feel like I never had enough space to lay out my skin and beauty things comfortably. I have a ton of bathroom space now and am at peace in this space.
The reading nook: I love my bookshelf came out, and I treat this space as a little reading nook thanks to the cozy ottoman.