Sweet Independence! Advice for Those Looking for Their First Apartment

Moving into your first apartment is a pretty darn exciting time! But it could end up being a disaster if you’re not careful about it. Sure, it could be argued that a disastrous first apartment is to be expected. Some will even call it character building. And maybe that’s all true. But wouldn’t it be much better for you to simply avoid that hassle altogether?

Here’s a quick guide that we hope comes in very handy.

Going solo?

A lot of young people love the idea of getting a place to themselves. But for many people, that simply isn’t that realistic. You need to decide if you’re going to do this solo or if you’ll be renting with a roommate. (Or roommates!) If you’re going to live with others, you need to have a good conversation with them about what you both want. Speaking of which…

What you want from the move

Is it simply enough to be away from home? The thing is, this new place is going to be your home! It’s best that you’re happy with it. Do what sort of amenities do you want to be near? What kind of neighborhood? How many bathrooms? What sort of noise tolerance? Make a “wish list” for your move.

The budget

How much are you willing to spend on this move? You can’t just think about the price of the rent. You also have to think about the security deposit. Real estate agents, if you work with them, will charge you some fees. You may also have to pay for help when it comes to actually moving your stuff. Your travel budget will probably change with this move, too!

Search thoroughly

You’re going to want to look at a variety of different websites. You’ll want to use something with a lot of criteria. This means you can restrict your search to something that is more likely to fit your needs. RoomHere is an example of a website that has this functionality. You should also be willing to look in newspapers, or even at the window displays of real estate agent buildings. You may even want to consider speaking to friends and family. They may know someone who owns property and is looking for a tenant!

Check the place out – properly

So you’ve arranged a tour. It’s going to help give you a good feel for the place. But you need to be able to look at the various elements of a property properly. You need to make sure the windows and doors open and close properly. You need to make sure the light switches and outlets work. It should be clean and safe. You should also ensure there are no leaky pipes!

Review the lease

You have to be very careful when it comes to the lease. Before you sign it, you need to review it properly. In fact, before putting pen to paper, you have to make sure the lease includes all the information you need. You absolutely do not want any ambiguities. These are just invitations for future legal complications and trouble.