Looking at apartments for rent can be tricky. There will always be something you over look or some question you forget to ask before you sign the lease. The trick is to know the really big issues that people often forget about in their search for the right size at the right price. These things are, of course, the most important. But certain apartments that are ‘a steal’ could be cheap because they present their own problems. You may want to pay a bit more for a smaller place and actually be happy there.
One thing to figure out is how this is going to affect your commute to work. Drive through the area to experience morning traffic. Find out if the roads get plowed and salted in the winter. Look for bad intersections that could be dangerous or traffic lights that stay red for an annoyingly long period of time. You must think of your car, since it is the other huge purchase apart from a place to live. There should be gas stations and car garages near by that you trust and are reasonably priced.
Find out all you can about the neighborhood for your apartment rentals. Look at the list of crimes in the paper and see if your town is the residence of any of these offenders. Is the school good? Are there street lights on the street? How far is it from the police station? Drive around at all hours to see what you think of it.
Factor utilities into your rent, along with cable, trash removal, and washer and dryer services. These can be lots of hidden costs for people, plus hugely inconvenient. Does the landlord plow the driveway in the winter? Ask about the insulation of the house. Many rental properties are not maintained as well as they should be because it is expensive to do so. More supplies cost more. But you may be throwing away your money because your heat will have to be turned up extremely high to keep your house at reasonable temperatures.
Get a list of ‘dos’ and ‘don’ts’ before you sign the lease. You do not want to be surprised or have your security deposit taken because you did not realize that you could not hang pictures on the walls. Can you have a pet? Can you have a vegetable garden out back?
Good apartments should come with a few appliances like a dishwasher and fridge. If there is room, a washer and drier should really be included. Some may even give you a vacuum cleaner in order for you to keep the apartment well maintained. Make sure to look at the stove and find the fire alarm. If there is no fire alarm, do not move in. Inspect the plumbing–the sinks and the shower should all be clean and in good condition.
Look at your current abode and see how much space you need for things. Measure large objects like your bed or desk. Do you need more closet space? Are there plenty of kitchen cupboards? Count the number of electrical outlets in each room. The last thing you want is an electrical fire because you have too many things plugged into a single socket.
The landlord is another aspect of the apartment. This person must be willing to take care of your needs and respect your space, just as you will respect his or her property. If you do not like the person or have heard bad things about him or her, consider finding a different place. Ensure that you have multiple ways of contacting said landlord in the event of an emergency.
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