How to Find a Great Apartment
- 1). Determine how much you can comfortably afford to pay for an apartment. According to Bank of America, the cost of your rent and debt payments should be less than 36 percent of your total take home income. Calculate the amount that you can afford.
- 2). Create a list of amenities that you would like in your new apartment, such as wood floors, appliances, garden tubs or walk-in closets. Be sure to include exterior amenities, such as on-sight laundry facilities and off-street parking.
- 3). Decide on an area where you would like to live. It should be close to your job, school or any place you visit regularly and it should have convenient access to gas stations, drug stores and grocery stores. Scout out locations by reviewing maps or researching the Chamber of Commerce website for the city, or by visiting database websites that collect user submitted reviews on neighborhoods.
- 4). Research a list of available apartments in the area by checking local newspaper listings, online websites that list rentals and apartment guide magazines. Write down the address and information of all of the apartments that you want to look at.
- 5). Contact a local real estate agent and ask to set up an appointment to view the apartment. You also may view the apartment on your own by calling the landlord or property owner directly.
- 6). Visit the property. Walk through both the interior of the apartment and the exterior of the complex. Ask to see the actual units available instead of just a model.
- 7). Ask the landlord or property owner to provide a written list of expenses associated with the apartment, including the cost of rent, any utilities that you will need to pay for, the cost of initial deposits and pet fees, if applicable.
- 8). Make a list of the features that you like and dislike about the apartment as soon as you leave the appointment while the information is fresh in your mind.
- 9). Return to the complex at night and drive through the area. Places can seem completely different at night and this will give you the best picture of where you will live.
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Compare the pros and cons of each apartment as well as the costs associated with living in the complex. Choose the apartment with the best price point and the features that match your initial wish list.
