Ask around before you rent - we had a nice apartment in a nice area for around 2K before we bought our house - and we were forced out by an infestiation of ants that the exterminators couldn't get rid of - it was bad enough that they were swarming all over the bathroom and kitchen - but they got into our bed. And all the managers could tells us was "San Diego has an ant problem."
So talk to neighbors before you sign anything to make sure there aren't any little surprises lurking
