Times have changed for you if you are looking for housing. In the old days, it was a rather complex and drawn out process to find apartments for rent. When I was first out of college, looking for apartments for rent in New York, I had a hassle the likes of which I had never had before or since. Back then, you could not just go on Craigslist, or use some apartment search tool online to look for apartments to rent in New York city. It was much more complicated than that. First, you would have to look at the classified for the apartments for rent section (which, by the way is still a useful tool, though no longer cutting edge). Then, the work would begin.
Of course, even with modern search tools for apartments for rent, you need to call, or at least e-mail people. But, as the times have gotten faster, and apartment income rates have gotten much quicker, they have made everything so much quicker. When I recently moved down south and had to find apartments for rent in New Orleans, I was surprised at how little time went between calling the person offering the place, seeing it, and moving in. Back in the day, when I was renting an apartment in New York, there was so much more. Before you could even be considered to move in to apartments for rent, the landlord would always give you the fifth degree. He would call all of your references, make you introduce yourself to the neighbors, and maybe even call your boss and your previous landlords to see if you are a good worker and resident.