Looking for an apartment and I need help!

hjh1979 · 10-18-2004, 01:12 PM

I am currently living with my Aunt, Uncle, and Mom, but living here is making my depression worse...so bad that I'm having suicidal thoughts. Anyway, I'm planning on moving out in Jan. (I need to save a little more money before I can live on my own).
I've never rented an apartment before. Does anyone have any tips for me? What do I look for when I view a place? What questions do I ask?

Any help would be wonderful!

Thanks,
Heather

ksarena · 10-18-2004, 02:47 PM

Hi
Congratulation on thinking about your first apartment! I live in Boston and apartment hunting here is like a once a year hobby. The best advice i can give is to start early- about 6 weeks to a month ahead of time. Also don't settle for the first apartment that appeals to you--there might be a better match somewhere--keep your options open. When you are figuring out finances--do not forget about utilities. In my area most apartments do not come with those included and it can be a large expense. Bring a friend with you when you are scoping out places-- they can be unbiased about certain things and can have a different outlook. Most of all have lots of fun with it. This will be a whole new adventure and the start of a different you!!

kyle

guineapig · 10-18-2004, 02:57 PM

I'm the apartment queen...lived in many, many out west.

#1 If you have bad credit OR if you do not make more than 3x the rent of your desired apartment (gross, not take home) monthly, you can be denied.

#2 If the above is your situation, the apartment MAY accept a "cosigner," another person who makes enough AND has good enough credit to sign the lease with you and be legally financially responsible for the bill if you cannot pay. They don't have to live with you, don't even have to live in the same state.

#3 Visit the apartments at different times, morning, evening, etc to get an idea of the population or noise levels. I've seen some apartments that are ok at 10 am but when I returned at night, it was full of 'hoods and gangsters.

#4 If you can, try to view the vacant apartment (preferrably the exact apartment) you will be occupying...I've had to be on waitlists for like a certain size apartment, and never saw the place until move-in day. That can be a shocker.

#5 MOST 1 bed apartments are 450 to 1100 square feet. 450 is pretty small, especially if you're going to share the apartment.

#6 Try to get an apartment with all major applicances (fridge, stove, air-conditioning if you live in hot place). It costs $$$$ to rent appliances and buying one is just a pain.

#7 Try to get an apartment with at least a laundry facility room on site (if it's got personal laundry machines in the actual apartment, that's so wonderful...) b/c going to the laundromat stinks.

#8 Be wary of parking...some places only give you one assigned space and guests park down the street at Taco Bell or something...and I am wary of those "underground" or "closed" parking lots b/c I lived with one of those once and not only did it take LITERALLY 40 minutes , yes, FOURTY, every morning to get my car out of the parking garage-lair, people still got their vehicles stolen. (It took 40 min b/c the only way to get to the garage w/o setting off fire alarm was to wait for elevator, 2 elevators for whole building, called by a turn-key rather than "up/down" button, and every day some fool would break their key off....nightmare)

#9 Apartments have various lease lengths. In other words, you sign a lease contract that says you'll live there for xx months at xxx dollars per month. Some apartments are month-to-month; you want to move out, go for it. Most apartments are 6,9,or 12 month leases though. And you might want to ask something like this, "If an emergency arises, is it possible to break the lease?" Most places will say, "yes, but you pay xxx fee (usually 2 mo rent)." However, some evil places will absolutely NOT let you out of a lease, which means if you have to leave, you HAVE to pay the apartment still. A small % of those type will let you sublet your apartment to another, basically you rent it to someone else who pays the rent until your term is up, but that can be risky because they don't HAVE to pay the rent, and you might still be stuck paying it legally. DH had to do that, his college lease would not let him out, and the new guy wouldn't give us the security deposit.

#10 You'll usually have to put down a 100-600$ security deposit before movein. Some places give it back if you move out and haven't trashed the place, some apartments keep it for "cleaning." Whatever, they can keep it though.

#11 If you have a pet, or plan to, you will likely pay a pet deposit too, and that's usually not ever given back. Don't try to sneak a pet in--if you get caught, you can get evicted (thrown out) and that is a death knoll to renters. Most places will let you have a cat or two, many places will allow a small dog, some will allow large dogs. But if you have a vicious/dangerous breed (like a pit bull), or it's illegal in the city you live in, forget it.

#12 (finally!) try not to rent along a highway or major busy street...we did that once, and it was never even close to quiet.

#13 (oh wait) Expect to pay power, and phone, and gas (if applicable). And some of those require a deposit to start service. Some places you pay additionally the water, sewer, trash, insurance, etc.

Have fun--it's overwhelming at first, but so worth it to "move out!"

ERICKA77 · 10-18-2004, 05:20 PM

Well I was gonna put my 2 cents in, but guineapig pretty much summed it all up...

Good luck on the apartment hunting.

starfish44 · 10-18-2004, 07:21 PM

Make sure you understand the lease, what your obligations are and what the owner/manager's obligations are, and ask every single question that pops into your head. If there's anything that isn't included in the lease that the landlord orally promises to you, ask to get it in writing.

Some of the most important things to look out for in the lease are: whether improvements belong to the landlord (this is bad); whether maintainence can enter w/o giving you notice (this is bad); whether you can have a pet; if there is pet rent, a pet fee (non-refundable) or a pet deposit; whether pets are allowed in any apartment in the complex (many complexes have pet-free buildings for people with allergies); whether parking costs extra; whether you can have guests park in the complex lot; whether there is a fitness club/pool and whether these cost extra; whether there is 24 hour maintainence (this is good- you don't want to have your toilet explode at midnight and not be able to get it fixed); how much the rent is generally raised per year (ask for statistics on past years); what is included in the rent (water, trash, gas, heat, electricity, cable, internet); what sort of technology is available in the building (some old buildings may not be wired for cable internet or TV, which means you'd need a satellite and DSL); whether your cell phone will work everywhere in the complex (you may not want a basement apartment if your phone won't work there); whether there is a dishwasher and washer/dryer in your apartment; and whether the police patrol the complex regularly.

Good luck. I *heart* apartment shopping.

VivC · 10-21-2004, 04:52 AM

In our area there is a government agency (county) called "Landlord Tenant Affairs." If there's one in your area, contact them, and they'll let you know all applicable laws that your landlord has to obey. There has to be somewhere you can get this info - maybe the library?

This agency has been a godsend to us when we've had problems with our landlords over the years - they'll step in and force repairs, they're willing to answer the silliest questions (who knew our landlord was required to paint our apartment every 5 years? and we were about to do it ourselves!).

A big one - when is your landlord allowed, by law, to enter your apartment? In our state, only with 24 hrs notice or during an emergency. All of these little questions add up, some of them will be covered by the lease, but some won't. Do some research.