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I will be moving into an apartment soon. What kinds of questions and situations should I be aware of when apartment hunting?

2007-03-02 02:23:07 · 14 answers · asked by Anonymous in Business & Finance Renting & Real Estate

14 answers

Close parking spots, so you can see your vehicle from at least one of your windows. Try to get an apartment next to an old resident ( elderly.) Since they are usually quiet. One or Two level apartment. Because Stairs suck. Maybe a corner apartment, thus giving you a side without an attached neighbor. Must have a washer and drier included in the apartment. Good Luck...

2007-03-02 02:36:38 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0 0

First of all you need to know how much you can realistically afford. Many statisticians will say no more than 1/3 of your monthly salary. It is a good rule of thumb, but depending on where you live, that may be too high. Ask if electric, heat, cooking gas, and/ or hot water is included. Location is important as well. Do you drive? Where can I park my car? If not, how will I get to work and school. Walk around the neighborhood and see if you feel comfortable with your potential surroundings. This includes, people, places & things. I have relatives that can not understand how I live in a integrated neighborhood, but to me it is not an issue. Look around the schools when they get out, whether you have children or not. Is day care available if needed? Often that can be a reflection or good cross section of the people in the neighborhood. It was important to me that my apartment not face the street because I am a light sleeper. How well is the building maintained? If the landlord promises that upgrades are in the plans, approach with caution. If you place a deposit get a receipt!!!!! Your cashed check is not good enough. Make sure the deposit is refundable under certain circumstance or by a certain date. Most landlords have a 'no refund' policy on deposits so sign on the dotted line with care! These are just some of the important things to do. Read all the answers you are given here and carefully read as many perspectives as possible. Happy Hunting!

2007-03-02 02:44:24 · answer #2 · answered by gervoi 3 · 0 0

How much is the rent and if there is a security deposit, how much is it?
Does the landlord live on the premises?
Are exterminating services provided?
Trash pick-up? Recycling bins provided and pick up?
Laundry facilities?
What kind of tenants live in the building? (i.e. 9-5 working people, senior citizens, teenagers/noisy toddlers, etc.)
Is there a repairman/superintendent on the premises for repairs?
How long is the lease?
Can you sublet the apartment?
Is the apartment available, and if so when?
Is the rent pro-rated if you move in the middle of the month as opposed to the beginning or end of the month?
Are pets allowed? If so, is there a pet security deposit and how much is it?
Why did the last tenants leave?
What is the neighborhood like in terms of diversity, crime, etc.?
What is the parking situation like? Parking, secured parking, off-street parking, garage, etc.
What stores, etc. are in the neighborhood?
Is public transportation nearby?
How is the apartment heated? (gas or central heat?)
How is the aparment cooled off in the summer? (central air, windows, ceiling fans, air conditioners, etc.)
Are utilities included in the rent, and if so, which utilities?
If not, how much is the average utility bill? (Some apartments have outrageous gas or electric bills and you don't find out UNTIL you move in!)
Is the apartment cable ready? Internet accessible?
Are their storage facilities/basement on the premises?
Is there a credit check? And if so, how much is it?
Is there an application fee? And if so, how much is it?
Is there a charge for extra keys? What happens if you are locked out of the apartment-is there a charge for this?
Have the locks been changed from the previous owner? And if not, can I change the locks myself as long as I provide the landlord with a key?
When is rent due? Is there a late fee for late rent, and if so how much is it?
Do you need references?

I am a true "gypsy" LOL and I have moved a MILLION times. I'm sure there are even more questions, but I figured that this should be enough to get you by. BTW I've found great apartments on craigslist.org.

2007-03-02 02:40:22 · answer #3 · answered by True Hija De Oshun! 2 · 0 0

Firstly ask how much the rent is, and if that include utilities. See if there are phone jacks built in or if you'll have to pay to have some installed/activated. Ask what other apartments they have in the building and what they're going for in terms of rent. Ask about what stores are in the neighbourhood so you know if it's convienient to go shopping around there. You don't want to be lugging groceries everywhere. Ask them if there are any schools (even if you don't have kids - places with schools tend to be nicer, generally). Ask about pets and smoking rules. Ask about what sort of residents they have - and older crowd means a quieter building, but you might not be able to have the volume on your TV turned up after a certain hour. A younger crowd might mean you'll have people partying late on Friday and Saturday nights which means a disturbed sleep. Ask about parking if you have a car or are planning on getting one, and ask about public transit so you know you have a backup plan, or people can come and visit you easily. If they do offer parking, see if it's included in the rent, or if you have to pay extra or if you have to park on the street. Ask about the various security measures they have in place and ask if they've had break-ins or robberies. Spend some time in the lobby seeing what sorts of people enter and leave the building. Also, ask about home insurance. Some buildings require it while some will actually make you pay into a group one as part of your rent. If you can, talk to some of the residents and ask them these questions, too.

It's better to ask a lot of questions and look clueless than pretend you know it all and run into problems later.

Good luck!

2007-03-02 02:33:52 · answer #4 · answered by mikah_smiles 7 · 0 0

1. The location is very important
a) close to: store, work, school
b) noise level: close to airport, busy street
train, fire department

2. Price range is important
a) budget
b) utilities
c) term of lease
d) deposit

3. Landlord/Manager
a) conflict resolution
b) repair work
c) lock out / keys
d) invasion of privacy

4. Neighbors
a) noise
b) kids
c) friendly
d) privacy

5. Just remember you will be living there for the term of your lease or longer, so when you factor all the above in, you should be happy in your new apartment. Congratulations on your new Apartment.

2007-03-02 03:01:06 · answer #5 · answered by kelly 3 · 0 0

BEFORE you sign a lease, make sure you note ALL damage to the apartment on the lease or walk through sheet and DON'T lose it. It might be important when it comes to getting your security deposit back.

Talk to neighbors and see what the area is like and (if you can) how it is to deal with the landlord. Don't be roommates with a stranger. If you are responsible to pay water or electric or gas, ask for samples of average monthly bills for that unit.

Good luck.

2007-03-02 02:28:35 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0 0

i am going to inform you something maximum people dont ever imagine of. Is there a historic previous of use or manufacture of methamphetamine contained in the homestead/homestead? Methamphetamine production creates byproducts that permiate the wall and floor coverings. debris of those byproducts are slowly released and inhailed via the occupants. through the years, those chemical byproducts reason irreversable damage on your respiration gadget and two decades down the line you'd be laying in a well being facility mattress questioning why your lungs are quiting on you. examine along with your community police branch and sheriffs place of work. also, i'm fantastically certain the owner has to demonstrate this guidance via regulation. there are a great number of regulation concerning dwellings the position meth. has been synthetic. solid success. $1300, wow thats very virtually as a lot as my loan. yet an additional reason I wont stay in california!

2016-11-27 00:05:28 · answer #7 · answered by hole 4 · 0 0

An absence of roaches and mice. Smoke detectors. Check ALL the plumbing out. Try all the light switches. Run your fingers through my hair --oops, that's another topic. Make sure there are not more than two worn-out, klunker automobiles in the parking lot. Good luck! Oh yeah, if you're cold-natured, get one on an upper floor, between two other units, on the south side of the building, so you can take advantage of other tenants' heating. Hot-natured? Get a lower floor unit, on the north side of the building. "Notice everything, it can save you." --Yoda

2007-03-02 02:33:40 · answer #8 · answered by one_dog_grinning 2 · 0 0

I made the mistake of not finding out if the building had central air because I picked the apartment in January. Ugh... Also, get a feel for who the neighbors are. Mine were all wacky. I had a bad feeling about my landlord, but figured it was no big deal. He ended up being a bully who was always picking on me and my son. And then one of the tenants murdered him. No joke. So yeah, check out your neighbors.

2007-03-02 02:27:54 · answer #9 · answered by idontloveyoufup 3 · 0 0

Look round the window sills and in the top corners of the room for damp, nothing worse than having damp.

2007-03-02 02:26:59 · answer #10 · answered by brien123 4 · 0 0

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