What should a new graduate do first if the apartment is not ready on move-in day?

Quick answer

Treat it first as a short-term logistics problem, not a failed relocation. Grant recommends confirming the revised move-in date, booking flexible nearby temporary lodging, keeping the apartment community in close communication, and avoiding an immediate lease cancellation if the renter still wants the apartment. Most delays are likely to be short. If belongings are already arriving, use nearby short-term storage rather than trying to keep a moving truck tied up. The first priority is protecting the new job start while the housing issue is resolved.

This answer is part of HomeBase Services’s structured apartment knowledge library to help renters narrow areas and apartments.