She\u2019s part of a rising group of apartment scouts \u2014 not licensed real estate agents, but savvy entrepreneurs who tour apartments, share videos on social media and, in some cases, work one-on-one with clients to find a place that fits their specific aesthetic and budget.<\/p>\n
Unlike brokers \u2014 licensed professionals who act as intermediaries between landlords and tenants, commonly used in the apartment-hunting process in places like New York City, Boston and Austin, Texas, scouts operate outside the formal housing system. They aren\u2019t connected to property owners and they don\u2019t handle applications or negotiations. Instead, they act as digital lookouts who hunt for coveted vintage apartments that are otherwise hard to find without expertise. <\/p>\n
The demand for apartment scouts highlights the pressures of L.A.\u2019s competitive rental market<\/a>, where vacancy is scarce and rental rates are among the highest in the country. According to Apartments.com<\/a>, average rent for a one-bedroom apartment in L.A. was $2,182 as of May, which is 33% higher than the national average rent price of $1,642.<\/p>\n \u201cTo some extent, it reflects a dysfunctional housing market,\u201d said Richard Kent Green, director of the USC Lusk Center for Real Estate<\/a>. \u201cIt\u2019s very hard for people to search and find what they\u2019re looking for at the price they\u2019re looking for, unlike many markets where it\u2019s pretty straightforward.\u201d<\/p>\n Apartment-scouting services tend to be especially appealing to younger Angelenos who feel priced out of homeownership, but still want spaces that reflect their personalities and tastes, rather than the increasingly common standard modern unit. <\/p>\n \u201cThere are tons of people who want to live in a home that reflects the character of the city, the beauty, glamour and drama, that is creatively inspiring or just cozy, unique, has character\u2014 not gray laminate floors,\u201d Scanlon says.<\/p>\n Those seeking a scout might also be living out of town or simply too busy to endlessly search rental listing sites, Craigslist, Reddit and Facebook Marketplace, and then tour properties. One of Scanlon\u2019s clients turned to her for help because they were finishing their PhD while getting ready for a new job at NASA. <\/p>\n Scanlon\u2019s personalized services begin with a consultation call to understand the client\u2019s needs, then she curates a list of apartments, tours the ones they love and provides videos of the space and the surrounding area. Scanlon says she works similarly to a local expert guide and relocation assistant. Since the apartment scout market is newer in Los Angeles, finding rates up front can be difficult (Scanlon did not wish to disclose her fees).<\/p>\n Indya Stewart, an interior designer and apartment scout, inside of a home. <\/p>\n (Gus Acord)<\/p>\n Indya Stewart, 24, of Hollywood is another L.A. apartment scout. In late April, the interior designer shared an eight-second TikTok<\/a> with the words \u201chidden talent: finding chateau style apartments in L.A. for prices that feel illegal\u201d and told people to contact her if they need help finding a place of their own.<\/p>\n \u201cOmg pls put me on,\u201d one person commented with an emoji crying face.<\/p>\n \u201cMoving in the fall and I neeeeeed u,\u201d another person said.<\/p>\n \u201cHmmm yes moving to LA in a month and can only live in a fairy castle sos,\u201d commented another.<\/p>\n After receiving a flood of messages from people, she decided that instead of responding to each person individually, she would share her apartment<\/a> picks on her interior design website. The list is free and is separated by region.<\/p>\n Unlike Scanlon, Stewart doesn\u2019t tour apartments for people, rather she provides a curated list of vintage apartments for people to browse on their own. <\/p>\n \u201cI spend so much of my free time looking for these places because I genuinely love the process,\u201d says Stewart, who lives in a 1920s-style townhouse in Hollywood. \u201cSharing them just feels natural.\u201d<\/p>\n Miesha Gantz of East Hollywood pivoted from dance to real esate. <\/p>\n (From Miesha Gantz)<\/p>\n While many apartment scouts do the work as an independent side gig, some like Miesha Gantz of East Hollywood are beginning to cross over into the formal real estate industry. <\/p>\n After stepping away from her professional dance career due to a massive pay cut, Gantz set out to find a more affordable apartment. Her criteria was specific: A 1920s or 1930s Spanish-style studio with oversize windows, lots of natural light, a fireplace, hardwood floors and character-rich tile work. <\/p>\n She began posting videos of her apartment-hunting journey on TikTok and before long people were asking her for help. Soon after, Gantz, who has a background in real estate, launched a membership-based website called the Hollywood Waitlist<\/a>, where she posts listings of charming, vintage studios and one-bedroom apartments primarily based in Hollywood. She updates the website weekly with homes that are mostly under $2,500 per month. People can access the website for $6 for one week and $12 for one month. <\/p>\n As her social media and website gained traction, Gantz got connected with the Rental Girl<\/a>, a boutique real estate brokerage based in L.A. and decided to reinstate her real estate license. She recently started working for the company\u2019s concierge team<\/a>, helping clients in a way that\u2019s similar to her previous work as an apartment scout. However, the main difference is that she can now work directly with clients throughout the entire application process and help them secure the home. <\/p>\n Although finding the rental market is extremely competitive in L.A., these apartment scouts often foster a sense of community online. In TikTok comments, it\u2019s common for people to offer tips from their own apartment-hunting experiences, sharing whether street parking is actually feasible in a particular neighborhood, if a building has a pest issue or if a listing agent was rude to them. <\/p>\n \u201cWhen people know better, they do better,\u201d says Gantz, who is also a filmmaker. <\/p>\n![\"Indya](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/1779359056_312_.jpeg\")
<\/p>\n![\"Miesha](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/1779359057_206_.jpeg\")
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