Usually they want first and last months rent plus a security deposit. Oftentimes they want proof of income as well, but this is not always the case. Most places have 6 or 12 month leases but I have seen a rare few that will rent on a monthly basis. The places that rent by the month usually charge significantly more per month than the places that rent by the half year or year (something like 100-200 extra dollars per month), but they don't care if you can prove income or not since you pay as you go. Paying for a 6 month or 12 month lease up front in cash is not unheard of but it is usually done by rich kids or young people freshly hired into jobs with big signing bonuses. It is even possible that paying for it in cash up front could get you flagged as a drug dealer or producer, I have seen plenty of propaganda that instructs people that paying for a place up front in cash is a warning sign. I would maybe look for a place that rents by the month if you are able to afford the premium cost. I had a friend who needed to get a place for only three months because he was traveling soon but his current lease had expired, and he managed to find a place that leased by the month. Of course it might look suspicious as hell if you rent by the month and stay at a place for a year lol.