There are many things to be aware of when selecting an apartment and choosing your next place to live. Even experienced movers need to be careful of the following 10 things to make sure they are ready to move and know exactly what they are getting themselves into.
1: Price
Could you actually afford the area you are wanting to move into? Believe it or not, many people underestimate the cost of an apartment when they are ready to sign a lease. You have a multitude of options online to do your research on whether the price makes any dollar sense to you.
Just remember that every area is different depending on the neighborhood. But if you are ready to move in then be aware some places require a security deposit while others do not. Some require you to pay a certain amount of month’s rent up-front. Some have possibilities of raising the rent during your lease while some have a fixed payment plan.
2: Location
First, you want to know the safety of the neighborhood (which is elaborated on later). Then, you want to know the relative distances you will have to travel to get to work, shops, recreation, gyms, public transport, or anywhere else you need to go. You also want to make sure that the location within your apartment complex is okay for you in terms of neighbors, view, the floor you’re on, etc.
If you check out some city statistics on various online websites be sure to investigate the safety record of your determined area. In addition to safety and entertainment, look into the area’s HOA policy and how it affects other apartments in your area.
3: Lease
Your lease is going to outline how long you are allowed to live in your apartment, all the details about your rent payments, what you are allowed to modify within your rented property, and most of the rules you need to know. Be sure to look into any pet policy fees, maintenance for apartments and how long they usually take and also subletting lease.
Subletting a lease is incredibly important as life goes on, you don’t if you might need to move for any reason and it’s always important to know what do to. Lease Lengths are also important as this determines your monthly rent and how long you will be able to live in the apartment. Sometimes landlords can put crucial information in fine print that most renters don’t read, so read everything!
4: Extra Policies
While the policies will be listed in your lease, there are a few that are very important to separate from the overall lease. Pets are a big one. Unless it is a service animal, most apartments require you to pay at least a little bit extra for keeping your furry friend on the premises.
There is also most likely restrictions on quantity, type, and size as well. There are typically rules for visitors as well. It is crucial to know how many visitors can stay, where they can park, and what you are allowed to do before you get tied up in any trouble.
5: Amenities
Amenities are anything that provides convenience or comfort and are included with your apartment. This includes parking lots, parking garages, laundry areas, HVAC, gyms, storage, Wifi, garbage collection, TV, appliances, furniture, and more. The more amenities your apartment comes with, the less you’ll have to spend out of pocket.
NEXT: 5 More Things You Need To Know
Lisa Kroulik is a freelance content marketing writer with eight years of experience. She has a special interest in helping readers make sound financial decisions and financial recovery topics. After having filed bankruptcy in 2008, Lisa took the opportunity to make a fresh start and learn from her mistakes. Today she has a credit score of 830 and no debt other than a mortgage.
