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Your First Apartment in South Florida: A Step-by-Step Checklist

By Zach Curtis, licensed agent, Realty Hub, SL3664129. Updated October 18, 2026. General information, not legal advice.

Your first lease is a big step, and South Florida adds a few twists: condo association approval, hurricane season and summer electric bills. This checklist walks you through it in order.

1. Set a real budget

Rent. Many landlords look for monthly income of about 2.5 to 3 times the rent. That is a screening habit, not a law.
Today's starting point: the 10 lowest-priced live rentals in our feed ask $1,500 to $1,500; across all 2237, the median is $2,500.
Monthly extras: electric (air conditioning runs most of the year), internet, renter's insurance, parking, and any water or trash not included.
Move-in cash: first month, often last month, and a security deposit, plus application fees. See move-in costs explained.

Asking rents (not signed leases) from the long-term $1,500 to $6,000 listings in RentedFirst's BeachesMLS feed, calculated when this page loaded. Seasonal and short-term listings are excluded. Updated October 18, 2026.

2. Check your credit before a landlord does

Pull your free reports at AnnualCreditReport.com, the official site for free reports from the three national credit bureaus, and dispute anything wrong. If your score is thin or low, read how landlords check credit and renting with a 600 score.

3. Gather documents

Photo ID, pay stubs or an offer letter, bank statements, and references. Our documents checklist has the full list. First-time renters without rental history can use a guarantor or show savings.

4. Tour smart

Run the AC, the water and every appliance.
Look under sinks and around windows for leaks or water stains.
Check cell signal inside the unit.
Ask about storm shutters or impact windows.
Ask what utilities are included and who to call for repairs.
Ask whether association approval is needed and how long it takes.

5. Read the lease before you sign

Lease dates and rent due date, plus late fees.
Who pays for what repairs, and pest control.
Pet, guest, parking and smoking rules.
Renewal and notice terms.
The deposit: Florida landlords covered by section 83.49(2), Florida Statutes (those renting five or more units), must tell you in writing where your deposit is held, in the lease or within 30 days.

6. Pay safely

Pay only after you have seen the unit and have a lease, and only to the landlord, the broker's escrow account or the closing attorney named in the lease. Never by gift card or crypto. See rental scam warning signs.

7. Move-in day

Book the building's service elevator if it is a condo.
Put electric and internet in your name a week ahead.
Take dated photos and video of every room before you unpack, and email them to yourself and the landlord.
Get renter's insurance active on day one.

Ready to look? Start with studios, 1 bedrooms or under $2,000.

Fair housing: every listing is open to everyone. We describe buildings, prices and processes, never who lives where.

Your first-month budget sheet

Write down every recurring cost before signing: rent, electric, internet, phone, renter's insurance, parking, car insurance, groceries and transport. If rent plus utilities takes more than you are comfortable with, look at studios or nearby cities like West Park and Dania Beach.

Set up utilities

Electric in most of this area is provided by Florida Power & Light; start service in your name a week before move-in. Ask the landlord which utilities are in the owner's name, and confirm internet providers available at the building, which can differ from building to building.

Keep a folder with your lease, receipts and move-in photos for the whole lease term. You will need them at move-out and for your deposit.