We found an apartment we can afford - 10 months and counting

We signed a lease yesterday after a long hunt. I am in Detroit, in case local advice matters. The landlord took a chance on us. Thanks for all the tips.

Thanks for writing this out. I went through something close to it last year, and it got easier once I kept a simple log of every call and form.

Thanks for sharing the deposit help tip. I will look into it.