What To Look For When Apartment Hunting
If you have never gone apartment hunting before, or are just about to, have no fear! I have had my fair share of looking for apartments, and it is not as easy as others make it seem. That is why I wanted to make this blog post for you all! There have been certain aspects of apartment hunting that I wanted to pass along to others, as a fair warning of what to look out for & what questions to ask. If you’re curious about what to look for when apartment hunting, look no further than right here.
What is due at the time of application?
Property management companies can ask for different things once you submit your application either in-person or online, depending on the company.
Here are some things your rental management could ask you for:
2+ months worth of paycheck stubs
Social security
Driver’s License
Application fee
Administrative fee (to proceed with criminal background checks, credit checks, rental history, etc.)
What exactly is factored into my rent?
Some rental companies can include more than the fee of the apartment into your monthly rent. Here are some things to consider when looking at your rent per month:
Is it just the monthly fee for the apartment itself?
Are you responsible for cable, internet, utilities, sewer or water?
Does your pet rent apply towards the monthly rent?
Do you have to pay for garage parking?
What does my safety deposit look like?
Your safety deposit may be dependent on a couple of factors, depending on the property management/leasing company:
Your credit score (deposit can range from low end to high end)
Example: good credit can mean lower safety deposit, and vice versa
Is it the same amount as your first month’s rent, or more? Is it less?
Things to look out for when signing the lease…
Make sure to read the fine print in your lease, instead of skimming the pages and signing, without knowing what you just signed your next 12 months away to. Here are some things to look out for within your lease:
How many days notice do you need to give before vacating? 30 days? 60 days?
Is there an emergency maintenance line?
What are you allowed to do with the apartment walls?
Are holes allowed from hanging stuff up? Is removable wallpaper allowed? Is painting allowed?
Other small things to consider when viewing the apartment…
Where is the cable port in the family room & the bedroom? Is it awkwardly placed?
Do the doors open in weird ways, ruining the flow of the house?
Are the outlets upside down?
Are the walls thin? Can you hear every word your neighbors say?
What kind of cars are within the complex? Are they nice cars or junk cars?
Is your unit in walking distance to the dumpster or dog park?
Is there a fan in the bedroom or family room?
Do you have enough storage space in the kitchen or bathroom?
Where does the sun rise and set, in relation to the unit?
Hopefully I have encapsulated all of your questions and worries about apartment hunting in this post. Please let me know if you have any other questions about apartment hunting or just apartments in general - I will do my best to make a dedicated blog post if my readers need it.
