Are you looking for a new rental apartment? Many renters prefer to move during spring and summer season.
It is also a time filled with new hope and excitement, a hope that the next place you rent will be better than the last one.
A boarder faces a lot of hassles which he/she can avoid by picking an apartment more carefully.
To help you out, I’ve prepared a checklist entailing all the apartment hunting mistakes that you should avoid while being on the lookout:
1) Moving isn’t a solution:
As a tenant, it’s easy to get used to moving every year but unfortunately that new lease often leads to a new set of obstacles. Moving is also a hectic, expensive and a tedious job.
Before making your final decision, it’s better to consider why you are unsatisfied with your present abode.
Remember, every living space has its benefits and drawbacks. Hence, it is crucial to decide whether the drawbacks have outweighed the benefits before you leave your apartment.
2) Falling in Love Too Soon:
Nowadays, most of the individuals use online sources for hunting rental apartments.
The major benefit of searching for an apartment online is that you can browse through the pictures which may or may not be that helpful.
There is nothing wrong in a little previewing before you personally visit these places, just remember that in many instances, pictures tell very little.
Don’t get your hopes too high before visiting the place.
3) Failing to See the Big Picture:
Before you begin your apartment search, think about what’s truly important to you.
Are you looking for a short commute to work or do you need to live close to a park or a school?
It’s vital to identify, what you require from an apartment location, to take an informed decision. Otherwise, you are more likely to focus on other vital details, like the decor of the unit, the size of the unit.
Once you have made an agreement with yourself about the important aspects then the possibility of you leaving an apartment is less.
4) Allowing you to Be Persuaded by Elegant Fixtures:
Elegant fixtures like granite countertops and hardwood floors are fabulous, but when you have a stable budget, it is best not to be too absorbed with these details.
Although, these amenities are visually appealing, it might quickly lose its charm if the apartment fails to meet your requirements in other crucial aspects.
5) Going Out of Your Budget:
Before hunting for an apartment, you need to determine how much rent you can actually pay.
Mostly, financial experts recommend that you shouldn’t spend more than 30% of your total income on housing.
However, you may want to spend even less depending on your personal financial goals and other financial obligations.
Once you have decided upon your budget, stick to it and do not rent a place that exceeds your budget, under any circumstances.
6) Overlooking Existing Damage:
Usually, every rental agreement includes a damage deposit. It is basically the money that the proprietor holds in order to pay for any damage the renter may cause during their lease term.
However, this can work against you if you don’t document any damages that were already there, when you moved-in.
Hence, when you take possession of an apartment, arrange for a walkthrough with your landlord upon move in and document the current damages to make sure that you aren’t charged for them.
7) Not Choosing Roommates Carefully:
When you start sharing your personal space with somebody, you get to know them at an intimate level and things can get ugly. Hence, try to choose your roommates carefully.
Different individuals have different perspectives on this. Some folks prefer to choose a roommate who isn’t a friend, while some others prefer to stay with a bestie.
Whatever your preference is, just ensure you get some references to confirm that your roommate has a strong history of paying their rent, being a quiet and a clean person.
8) Selecting a Good Landlord:
Landlords who truly care about their tenants and their properties will definitely take your calls and fix all the maintenance issues.
However, a bad landlord can make it difficult for the tenants, so please select the companies carefully.
Want to learn more about apartment search process? Head over to the link in the Article Source section to find useful apartment hunting guides.