Advice about finding an apartment, please?

Have you ever had roommates before? If not beware. I've had several roommates and for the most part most were fine until the last one. That made me never ever want to have a roommate again. I had to take her to court because she left after she bounced checks and stole rent money. Both of us were on the lease and she left and went to a different state with me holding the bag. Make sure everyone signs a roommate agreement to outline who pays what and the responsibilities of each and make sure everyone is on the lease even though she was on the lease with me I was still held responsible because I was there and she wasn't. If it's possible make it so that everyone has to pay their share of the rent to the landlord instead of one person's responsibility to collect the rent. There's a saying you never know who someone is until you live with them. They may be friends and seem really cool but people don't show their true colors until you are together day in and day out. Look on craigslist, newspapers, apartment guides. Depending on where you rent and who's the landlord you may have to do a credit check and you will probably have to get renters insurance. You have to also decide who's name will be on the utilities.

First thing you need to do is discuss the financial arragements with your future housemates. That can save you a lot of problems. Set some rules, and assingn chores to everyone in a fairly way. About choosing an apartment, watch is clean of bugs, if the price includes utilities, is the appliances work properly and if is located in a good neighborhood.