Finding The New Perfect Apartment

Finding a new apartment can be grueling. You need time and patience to get through various listings, make phone calls, schedule appointments. Whether you’re a young adult who has decided to go solo for the first time, or your reentering the apartment rental market, the whole process can be a balancing act. Here are tips to help you find the new (and perfect) apartment.

Prepare a Checklist

Before you start looking up apartments and booking appointments, create a checklist first on what you are looking for in an apartment. What amenities are you looking for? Does your dream apartment include a gym and a pool? If yes, are the fees included in the rent? What about pets? Are they allowed? What sizes are okay and is there a limit? Find out if your dream apartment bans a specific breed of dogs. Some apartments don’t allow certain breeds such as Pit Bulls, Rottweillers, Chow Chows, German Shepherds, Akitas. Consider parking as well. Does it come with the monthly rent?

Overall, this kind of checklist will help you narrow down and figure out the important things that you’re looking for in an apartment. Since the apartment hunt itself is quite taxing, having a checklist on hand will keep your thoughts organized.

Tap Your Friends and Network

Let your friends know that you’re currently on the hunt for a new apartment. Chances are they’ll be able to offer you some suggestions. Simple word of mouth can provide you leads and get you places. More often than not, the perfect apartment can be discovered through tapping into one’s network.

In-Person Visit

You’re done with setting an appointment, and the day has finally come for you to visit your dream apartment. Some apartment hunters visit the apartment on a rainy day. It allows them to actually check the apartment for possible leaks and see how the roof is holding up before signing and committing to the contract. Try to walk around the area with your cell phone in hand. Check if each room of the apartment has a cell phone reception. Nothing is worse than having to go outside your apartment just so you can make a call or send a text.

Check inside cupboards, cabinets, and closets in the kitchen. This is usually overlooked so be sure to double check inside these cabinets for holes or damages. Check under the sink, too. The last thing we want is for rodents to find entry inside your home. If there are things that need fixing, ask your landlord to take care of them before signing your lease and moving in.

Review Your Lease

Before signing the lease, read everything through, including the fine print. If you can have someone of legal profession read your lease, have them read it too. If there are things you wish to be negotiated with your landlord, have it put in writing. For example, if your landlord is making a promise that a garage will be built for extra storage space or an extra parking space is scheduled to be built on a particular date, you may find that appealing. In that case go ahead and ask your landlord to put it in writing including the date when the project is to be completed.

These simple tips, which may be considered a no-brainer for some, can come in handy especially when you’re too short on time. They will definitely help you choose the perfect apartment while saving time and resources.