Orange County named the hardest place to find an apartment in California
A new report shows that moving to Orange County is becoming nearly impossible.
"It took three years of searching to find an apartment," renter Rachel O'Connell said.
For O'Connell, safety and affordability were two key reasons the hunt took so long. However, another factor — availability — also threw a wrench into her search.
A study from Rent Cafe showed that 96% of complexes are already full. On top of that, vacancies are being filled in just a matter of days. Rent Cafe researchers focused on vacant rates, length of vacancy and the percentage of renters who opt to stay. The tenant renewal rate in Orange County is at 60%. The two regions behind Orange County are San Diego and Silicon Valley.
"A lot of that has to do with housing supply," UC Irvine professor Ed Coulson said. "The amount of new construction for apartments in Southern California — California in general — is pretty low. It's a state that puts a lot of barriers between vacant ground a new supply coming on to the market."
O'Connell offered some advice to prospective renters struggling to find a new place. She suggested posting on social media about their search, claiming it helped during her hunt.
