5 Things You Must Consider Before Renting an Apartment
Whether you are moving out for the first time or you are a seasoned renter, getting a new apartment could be a daunting task. It comes with its excitements but it is also scary.
This is because there are a couple of factors that must be put into consideration. You don’t want to move from a good space to a bad one. You rather want to advance and get better. Additionally, for those seeking convenience and ease in their living situation, exploring furnished apartments for rent can provide a hassle-free option, with all the necessary home comforts and furnishings already in place.
There are different reasons that always contribute to moving out or from one place to another.
This could be the search for a bigger space, wanting a 1 month furnished apartment rental in washington dc rather than a longer contract in an unfurnished place, getting closer to a major town, or you are just tired of living in the same neighborhood for too long and you just want to move to a new location.
You might also be a student wanting to live close to school, or you want to stay close to your workplace.
Whatever the reason to move out may be, it needs some critical thinking and planning. You want an apartment that suits your needs, likes, preferences, budget, and one that supports your lifestyles.
There are many hidden costs of owning a home so it is not easy to purchase a property, hence renting seems to be an easy option. This article discusses some things you must put into consideration before you rent an apartment.
5 Things You Must Consider Before Renting an Apartment
To get the best apartment, here are some factors to check out before settling on a decision.
Rent prices VS your budget
This is probably the first thing you want to check. The prices should well align with your budget.
It is also important to note that rent prices are not fixed. When you sign a lease, your rent price is only going to remain constant in the period signed for. After that, the prices might go up.
It is therefore important to ask the possibilities of the rent prices to change before signing any contracts.
This is especially if you are looking to stay in that place for a long time. It will help you decide whether you should rent there or not.
You might also have decided on an area that you want to be your next home for a certain amount of time. If rent prices in that area do not suit your budget then you might have to seek another place.
Whatever decisions you make, think critically about rent prices.
Location and the apartment rules
The next thing you must be keen on is the location. This also includes the neighborhood, infrastructure, and the apartment rules.
Where do you want to be situated? Close to a market place? Close to a major town? Away from the cities? The infrastructure around, etc.
This again comes down to your preferences and your lifestyle.
Remember to also inquire about the rules, if any, in the apartments. Some communities have specific visiting hours, so you can’t be visited at certain times.
Find out about pet restrictions, quiet hours, and if it is allowed for you to hold parties. Most apartments offer one year plans. There are a lot of places, like in NYC, which offer month to month or 6 month rents.
Amenities
This includes swimming pools, gyms, lifts and elevators, and any other amenities. In some regions, these are included in your rent whether you use them or not. In others, they are separate costs.
Check if you will need to pay some extra fees to use the gym or the swimming pool or you automatically have access to them once you start living there. You can start your search on Bwalk.com and find out how they operate, their rules, and whether there are any additional costs involved.
Extra costs
Find out what other extra costs you will incur when you rent an apartment. Rent is not the only bill you will need to take care of.
Other bills include electricity and water. Don’t assume that these are included in your rent. You might be delighted to have found a beautiful cheap apartment only for you to be smacked in the face with a huge electricity bill at the end of the month.
Apartments differ. Some have every bill under rent while some don’t. Make sure to find that out.
How long do you want to rent
While most apartments offer as from one-year plans, there are a lot of other places that have 6 months lease and even month to month lease.
Whatever amount of time you’d like to rent a place depends on your needs. If you just want to stay there for a short time and move, or you want to try out the neighborhood first before settling, you might want to go with the month to month lease.
However, if you want to rent a place for a long time, you might want to sign a one-year or more contract.
Also, remember that you might save if you decide to sign the longer contract. Shorter contracts are expensive than longer ones.
This is because renters know the hustle of finding new tenants so they offer them discounts to keep them for longer.
Finally
Nothing should scare you from moving out or looking for another apartment. Keeping the above-discussed factors in mind will make your apartment searching easier and help you decide faster.
