# When to Start Looking for an Apartment Before Lease Ends > Work back from your lease end: notice window, lease-up availability, and pre-leasing dates. A step-by-step timeline for new Fort Worth apartments. URL: https://newapartmentsfortworth.com/guide/when-to-start-looking-for-a-new-apartment/ Last-Modified: 2026-10-26 Guide # When to Start Looking for a New Apartment Before Your Lease Ends Work back from your lease end: the notice window, lease-up availability, and pre-leasing dates. A step-by-step timeline for moving into a new Fort Worth apartment. Written by New Fort Worth Apartment Team [/about/#new-fort-worth-apartment-team →](/about/#new-fort-worth-apartment-team) · Updated October 26, 2026 ![Wall calendar and moving boxes in a sunlit new apartment living room](/images/featured/wall-calendar-and-moving-boxes-in-a-sunlit-new-apa.webp) ## Why start from your lease end? The best-timed moves start from one date: the day your current lease ends. If you’re planning a move into one of the new apartments in Fort Worth [/ →](/) , that date decides how much notice you owe, which buildings can have a unit ready, and whether pre-leasing makes sense. We work back from it in steps. Start by finding two things in your current lease: the end date and the notice window. Many Texas leases ask for 30 to 60 days’ written notice to vacate. Some renew automatically if you don’t give notice, so missing the window can cost a month or more. ## What’s the timeline, step by step? Here’s the timeline we’d use for a new-construction move. ![Timeline graphic: 90, 60, and 30 days before lease end](/images/content/timeline-graphic-showing-90-60-and-30-days-before-.webp) | When | What to do | | --- | --- | | 90 days out | Note your notice window. Set your all-in budget. Decide on areas and your commute. | | 75 days out | Get a shortlist with the whole price. Look at pre-leasing buildings that open in time. | | 60 days out | Tour, or get video walks of the actual units. Narrow to two. | | 45 to 60 days out | Apply after a document pre-check. Give written notice once you’re approved. | | 30 days out | Sign the lease and addenda. Set up electric and water. | | Move-in week | Move in, file the move-in condition form, and start your punch list. | That spacing leaves a buffer for approval and for small delays. It also means you don’t give notice until a new lease is approved. ## How does lease-up availability change week to week? New buildings in lease-up release units in batches, and pricing software can change rents and specials daily as the building fills. A unit that’s open 70 days out may be gone at 40, and a new floor may open in between. That’s why we pull prices every morning and recheck before you apply. Our lease-up apartments [/lease-up-apartments-fort-worth/ →](/lease-up-apartments-fort-worth/) page shows what’s open now. When you find a unit you like, check our list of lease red flags before you sign [/guide/lease-red-flags-new-build/ →](/guide/lease-red-flags-new-build/) . > **Timing is a tradeoff, not a deadline** > > A special that changes next week isn’t a reason to sign early. We’d rather line up your dates than chase an offer. ## When does pre-leasing make sense? If your lease ends in two to four months, a building that hasn’t opened yet may fit. Pre-leasing can give you first pick of floor plans, and sometimes a special. The risk is a move-in date that slips past your lease end. Our guide on whether to pre-lease or move now [/guide/pre-lease-or-move-now/ →](/guide/pre-lease-or-move-now/) walks through how to decide and how much buffer to keep. ## What changes the timeline? The 90-day plan works for most moves. A few situations shift it: - **You’re pre-leasing a building that hasn’t opened.** Start earlier, around 120 days, so you can compare opening dates and keep a buffer if a date slips. - **You’re moving from out of state.** Add a week for video walks and remote signing, and order your 12-month utility letter early. - **You have a pet.** Pet rules and fees narrow the list, so get pet addenda early. - **You need a specific school district.** Fewer buildings fit, so start sooner and confirm each address with the district lookup. - **Your lease renews automatically.** Find the notice date first. Missing it can add a month or more. Here’s how notice windows line up with move dates in a simple example: | Current lease ends | 60-day notice due | Apply by | | --- | --- | --- | | Jan 31 | Dec 2 | Late November | | Mar 31 | Jan 30 | Mid January | | Jun 30 | May 1 | Mid April | Apply first, then give notice once you’re approved. That order keeps you from giving notice without a place lined up. ## What if you’re already inside the notice window? It’s not too late. We’d compare two paths. First, what your current landlord charges for month-to-month or a short extension. Second, new buildings that can start a lease on your timeline. We put both on total cost, including any overlap, so you can see which costs less. Tell us your lease end and move-by date. We’ll text you within minutes during our hours, then send a same-day shortlist that fits your dates. ## Learn more about new apartments in Fort Worth We'll text you within minutes during our hours, then send a same-day shortlist. See the page [/ →](/) ## Questions renters ask about this ### How early should I look for a new apartment? We'd start about 60 to 90 days before your lease ends, so your notice window and your new move-in date line up without a gap or an overlap. ### Can I hold a unit before my lease ends? Often yes, especially at lease-ups and pre-leasing buildings. Holding terms, deposits, and how long a unit can be held vary by community, so we get them in writing. ### What if my notice window has passed? We'd look at what month-to-month or a short extension costs at your current place, and at new buildings with flexible start dates. Then we compare both on total cost. ### Is it cheaper to move at a certain time of year? Demand often softens in colder months, and lease-up specials track how fast a building fills. We check the live board rather than rely on a rule of thumb. ### Do you guarantee the price or my approval? No. The community sets both, and we confirm them in writing before you sign. ## Related guides Guide ### Pre-Lease a Building That Isn't Open, or Move Into One Now? How to choose between pre-leasing an unopened building and moving into one that's open: lease-end timing, delay risk, and how pre-leasing specials compare with lease-up specials. [Pre-Lease a Building That Isn't Open, or Move Into One Now? →](/guide/pre-lease-or-move-now/) Guide ### How to Pick the Right Unit in a New Building Choose the floor, stack, and exposure with facts: 2021 IBC STC/IIC 50 sound ratings, Tarrant County's 101°F design temperature, and what sits next to the unit. [How to Pick the Right Unit in a New Building →](/guide/how-to-pick-the-right-unit-in-a-new-building/) Guide ### How to Spot a Fake Apartment Listing The warning signs of rental scams on new-build listings: requests to pay before a tour, off-platform deposits, and prices far below the market. Here's how to verify a listing first. [How to Spot a Fake Apartment Listing →](/guide/how-to-spot-a-fake-apartment-listing/) Guide ### Lease Red Flags to Check Before You Sign at a New Build A pre-signing checklist for new-build leases: concession repayment, RUBS, required fees, renewal terms, early exit, the separate military right, late fees, and the signed flood notice. [Lease Red Flags to Check Before You Sign at a New Build →](/guide/lease-red-flags-new-build/) ## Where to use this ![New apartment community in lease-up with a few furnished balconies](/images/content/new-apartment-community-in-lease-up-with-a-few-fur.webp) Find ### Lease-Up Apartments Buildings in lease-up, with stage, fill curve, and what's actually finished. Open [Lease-Up Apartments →](/lease-up-apartments-fort-worth/) ![Aerial view of new apartment communities across the Fort Worth side](/images/content/aerial-view-of-new-apartment-communities-spread-ac.webp) Find ### New Build Board A map and cards for every new community in scope, with the whole price on each card. Open [New Build Board →](/new-construction-apartments/) ![Printed move-in special flyer beside a calculator and lease folder](/images/content/printed-apartment-move-in-special-flyer-beside-a-c.webp) Find ### Fort Worth Apartment Specials Confirmed move-in specials at new buildings, each with base and year two beside it. Open [Fort Worth Apartment Specials →](/fort-worth-apartment-specials/) Free to you · Your rent is the same either way ## Get the whole price before you tour Tell us your move date, budget, and where you need to be. We'll make the calls, collect the fee sheets, and do the math for every building that fits. Get my shortlist [/contact/ →](/contact/) See the New Build Board [/new-construction-apartments/ →](/new-construction-apartments/) What happens next: We'll text you within minutes during our hours, then send a same-day shortlist. We don't guarantee pricing or approval. The community sets both, and we confirm them before you sign.