One year ago my boyfriend Jordan and I went hunting for our first rental apartment together. The odds were in our favor – we were best friends, giddy with young love, and living in one of the country’s most affordable yet culturally rich cities: New Orleans. And yet, the hunt was hard, stressful, exhausting.

First, Jordan thought one place with a huge, old kitchen and wild garden was perfect but I hated the crumbling toilet and that there wasn’t a place for company to stay. I had just moved to a brand new city and wanted my friends and family to come visit.

Next we both fell in love with a beautifully restored Southern shotgun with a listing price just beyond our target price. I loved the gas lantern that burned on the front porch. He liked the heated bathroom floors. After a few days of deliberation we finally decided to go for it. Jordan raced our check to the rental office to find that someone else had put in a deposit one hour earlier. We were crushed.

For the next few weeks we bickered about who was working harder to find our new place. We debated which apartment features should be highest on our priority list, and how much apartment we could truly afford. Our search dragged on as our priorities changed from day to day.

Then one afternoon we walked into an apartment in the French Quarter that immediately felt like home. It had exposed brick walls, a space for guests, a big wrap around porch, laundry and AC. Best of all, the price was right. Our search had ended. Peace was restored.

Since graduating from college, six of my nine college roommates have also lived with significant others without committing to marriage. Convenience, economics and love, drove our decisions. However, moving in with the one you love is not always easy. It can be downright stressful. And the stress can start the day you start looking for your new apartment together.  A recent survey by Rent.com found that 17% of Americans believe finding the perfect apartment is even more stressful than landing a job. We all know how hard it is to land a job in this economy.

Here are a few tips to help you manage your apartment hunt if you’re making the big move this summer. If all goes well, you’ll not only end up with the perfect home, you’ll also know have a better sense of whether you're with the perfect partner:

1. Discuss the basics like location and amenities before you start your search: Step one is deciding you want to live together, step two is hashing out the details on where and how you want to live.

“It’s important to agree on which neighborhoods meet your needs,” says Peggy Abkemeier, President of Rent.com, a free rental listing database.  “For example, if you are bringing a pet, you may want to look for neighborhoods with lots of parks or walking trails.” You need to be sure your partner is on board.

It’s also helpful to create a list that prioritizes apartment amenities. Mark the ones that are negotiable and non-negotiable for both you and your partner. These priorities will then become the basic parameters of your apartment search.

2. Be open about your finances. The two of you will become financial partners when you finally sign your lease. Be honest about your financial situation early in the process.

“Make sure to agree upon a price range before you begin your housing search, which will ensure that you look only at properties that you can jointly afford,” suggests Abkemeier.

Also, many landlords require a credit check as part of the rental application. Let your partner know if your credit history is spotty so that there are no disappointing surprises at the end of your search. Together you can come up with a solution such as finding a co-signer, putting only one name on the list, or finding landlords who are willing to overlook a poor credit score.

Don't despair if your financial picture isn't perfect. Right now it's a renters market and many landlords are anxious to rent their apartments. They might be willing to overlook a poor credit score or lower the monthly rate.

3. Divvy up the work. Looking for an apartment can take a lot of time. Decide how you are going to share the tasks of browsing listings, visiting apartments, negotiating with landlords, filling out applications and putting down deposits. Evaluate and discuss whether you're sticking to the plan during the search.

4. Use the right tools. Today, there are a lot of online tools that simplify the search for the ideal apartment. The key is identifying the right tools and using them to your benefit. Here are a few worth trying:

     a. Google Maps: provides street views across the country. You can check out the outside of an apartment without ever visiting it. You can also figure out how close the apartment is to the subway, grocery store, park and local pizza shop.

     b. Apartment Databases: There are a number of free websites that let renters easily search listings. For example, Rent.com provides detailed property listings, pricing, photos, floor plans and virtual tours of apartments across the country. Craigslist.org does not have the same fancy bells and whistles but it is one of the best sources for apartment information in some cities. Plus, many newspapers’ classifieds sections are still rich with apartment information.

Figure out which databases are best for you area. Check them out even if you’re using a real estate agent. They’ll give you a sense for what kind of apartments are available and the market prices.

     c. Search Engines: A search engine might uncover the perfect place that was listed on a random real estate site. Using specific keywords like “2 bedroom apartment, New Orleans, French Quarter” will increase the relevance of your results.

To really automate the process, set a Google Alert for your key search phrases. Google Alerts will send you a daily email with all results related to your search terms.