How to rent an apartment for a long term quickly and efficiently...

Specify the limits of the lease budget and approximate payments schedule.
Think out what kind of apartment you would like to rent. How many rooms or bedrooms do you need?
What furniture and appliances do you need? What is more important for you and what less? Define your search criteria.
Identify the area of location, type of house, number of stories. Learn about the parking possibilities or the distance to the subway.
Select the real estate agencies you would like to apply. They should not be many. The main point is an agency deals with residential property and has objects at the area you are interested in.
Discuss your search criteria and your rent budget by phone or email, with realtors of the selected agencies.
Listen to the advice of professionals. Define your requirements. Specify them clearly!
At this stage, you can choose the company you prefer to work with, and ignore any you do not want to waste time with.
Start working with 2 - 3 agencies. If you choose more you will loose a lot of time. Many agencies will not guarantee the quality of the search. It is better to work with one realtor who proposes best variants, who can suggest the apartments close to your search criteria.
If you tell your realtor that you work exclusively with him or her, it should push him or her to work even better - if not, you have chosen a wrong realtor.
Working with one broker, you have the opportunity to ask him the discount for service. Typically in this case, it is difficult for him to refuse…
Value your own time and time of the realtor...
While choosing the apartment, get acquainted with the Landlord. His/her adequate behavior can guarantee a peaceful life in the future. Check documents thoroughly.
Direct your attention on the drawing up of the Lease Contract. It should regulate your relationship with the Landlord.
The annexes to the lease must have: Hand-over/Acceptance Act of the apartment with the list description of the transferred property.
Confirm your payment with the receipt or the Act.
Respect other people’s property and the Lessor!