Looking for a new place to live in Toronto? Here are a few websites and tips to help you out!

PadMapper: My go-to rental tool. PadMapper aggregates listings from Craigslist, Kijiji, PadLister, Apartments.com, RentalHomesPlus, Rent.com, AirBnB, Apartment Finder, and more, and displays them on a map. Location and price are the most important factors when deciding on a place, and their search criteria make it really simple to narrow down your options. You can look for full leases, sublets, just a room, or vacation rentals. Their “Super Secret Advance Filters” include an option to figure out your daily commutes, transit overlay, and walking score.

Craigslist: An old staple, Craigslist has recently added three new ways to view their rental listings: by grid, pic, or map. I prefer the map, but in this option the listings are often out-of-date, so watch out for that. The search criteria on the site is quite simple, but it receives lots of listings so it’s definitely worth a gander.

Viewit: This site is primarily used by a lot of the corporate apartment buildings and landlords rather than individuals looking for renters. Because of this, a lot of the listings are just generic advertisements and don’t guarantee specific room availability. I’ve called a couple of times and received “Sorry, no vacancy, check back later” responses. That being said, the layout of the site is very manageable, allowing for both map and grid viewing.

Kijiji: Very similar to Craigslist, but as they do not have a map option, the key to Kijiji is to find a postal code that is in the middle of the area you want to live in and set the maximum distance from that area you’re willing to go. I’ve been using the Toronto Coach Station (M5G 1M5) because it’s at the heart of the city, but if you’re more of a West-ender then something around Ossington & College (M6H 1A2) might be a good choice.

Myhood: This site was started in Toronto six years ago and was purchased by Homezilla this year. It lets you search for rentals by neighbourhood and most importantly, allows users to submit reviews of places they’ve rented. If you’ve had a bad (or good!) experience with an apartment, share it on here—and if you’re looking, check to see what others have said.

NOW Magazine and Toronto Star offer classifieds on their sites and in print!

BedBugRegistry: Take a minute to check the registry to see if the building you are looking at has been hit with bed bugs. You can also sign up for Alerts that will warn you if there has been an infestation in your area.

Walkscore: Provides a “walkability” score between zero t0 100 for your current abode, or can help you look for a new place. A score from zero to 24 means all daily errands would require a car, while a score of 90 to 100 suggests there is no need for a car at all. The site says that people who live in walkable neighbourhoods tend to weigh six to 10lbs less than those in sprawling communities. They also note that “studies show that for every 10 minutes a person spends in a daily car commute, time spent in community activities falls by 10%.” Good reasons to get your walk on!

Other Tipz

  • Get ON IT: Don’t wait till it’s too late and you end up living in a very expensive, moth-ridden basement!
  • …But, don’t look too soon. It’s easy to get worried about your living arrangements, wait until a few weeks before you give your two-months move out notice to avoid unnecessary stress.
  • Buds: Friends and friends’ friends are your eyes and ears on the street. Use them to find out what’s available, and where. Use Facebook and Twitter to let people know you’re looking.
  • SCAMS: If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Low prices and beautiful pictures? Scam. It starts to become fairly obvious when images are being recycled for these bizarre schemes; stay alert, and if anyone is “out of town” for any reason (especially some kind of missionary work) don’t trust them. And not all of the replies will be in spam-speak—a lot of them will sound almost reasonable, so just remember: no money until you meet them and sign an agreement.
  • Toronto housing is competitive. Arrive early and prepared! Bring cheques, references, ID, and all other necessary info with you to viewings.
  • For more rental-related tips check out the Landlord Tenant Board’s webite.