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Sometimes an apartment is the best choice when moving to a new area and trying to decide where to live.
About a third of Triangle residents rent, rather than own, their home, and the apartment industry here has responded to this demand with a smorgasbord of apartment-living options. From urban lofts to resort-style campuses, in town or in the country, communities run the gamut of lifestyle possibilities. The trick is finding the apartment that best fits you, and perhaps the best way to go about this is to create a shopping list. This will help you narrow down the options and find something that meets all of your needs. Below are a few sample questions for your list to help get you started.
• Do I want hardwood floors, carpeting, or tile?
• A dishwasher and trash compactor?
• Washer and dryer?
• What about a fireplace?
• How about a deck or balcony?
• 1BR, 2BR, or 3BR?
Making a shopping list will help you stay on track and not leave out a vital “want” when you start sorting through the dozens of candidates. Anyone who’s ever searched for an apartment knows it can be a stressful experience. Finding a place with just the right amount of space, in just the right part of town, at just the right price, can be tough. Don’t make it harder than it has to be by going out without a plan.
Get your paperwork together
You can’t even begin the apartment hunt process until you know how much you can afford to spend each month. In order to do that you’ll either have to go by exactly what you’re spending now or you’ll have to do some budgeting. Either way, you need a baseline of cash that can go toward rent each month before you ever start looking in magazines, newspapers, and online.
If money does present a problem then keep your options open. It’s not for everyone but a roommate can be a budgetary answer.
What are the pros and cons of having a roommate? On the plus side it’s obviously cheaper as costs (rent, utilities, food) are split, household chores are a shared responsibility, and it can give you the ability to afford a larger apartment.
On the downside there’s the lack of privacy, you’re relying on someone else honoring their obligations (rent, utilities, etc.), and the potential for disputes.
Basically the rules for considering a roommate are the same as choosing an apartment. Start your search as early as possible, be picky, and don’t settle for someone less than who you really want. It’s definitely not worth the hassle.
While you’re in the paperwork mode you might as well collect some information to present to landlords/leasing agents. This should include a credit check, a resume and pay stubs or tax returns. Chances are the better the apartment, the better references you’ll need. Think ahead and line those up. Know that many landlords will verify your references so phone them ahead of time to alert them that they may receive a call. This includes your current landlord.
Where to look
You’ve made your shopping list, figured out how much you can afford to spend each month, now it’s time to decide where to start looking. The more convenient the location, the more expensive it will be. You have to factor in the commute when think about where you’ll rent. Ask yourself if the apartment is near a bus line or subway. If you own your own car, how much will it cost to park each month? All of this has to be added back in to the monthly rent.
One apartment community you might try is Thornhill, located on Plumleaf Road in Raleigh. Just a few of the amenities include attached garages, swimming pool, whirlpool/Jacuzzi, 24-hour business center, resident multi-media library, playground, extra on-site storage, balcony/patios, wood burning fireplaces and vaulted ceilings. The community is also near the Beltline (1-440) and U.S. 70.
If you’re moving to a college town or near a campus you might try the campus bulletin boards, students, even cashiers. Ask everyone. You never know where the great apartment tip will come from.
Getting Serious
After figuring out where you want to be what you want and how much you want to spend it is time to get serious and “kick some tires”. Try never to do your walk-throughs at night. It’s amazing how much “stuff” can show up in natural light that you may miss in the evening. Do things you might not think of like flip light switches and open closet doors.
Carry a tape measure with you so you can measure doorways, windows, walls and others spaces to make sure your furniture will fit in your new apartment. There’s nothing worse than hauling your favorite sofa or easy chair up three flights of stairs only to find it doesn’t fit through the door!
If you haven’t already asked the questions, ask now:
• Who controls the heat?
• Are appliances included?
• Is smoking permitted?
• Will the landlord paint before you move in?
• What about pets
• How about TV reception? Satellite? Cable?
• Internet? Dial-up? DSL? Wireless?
The best time to ask about repairs and improvements is before you commit. Attach a list of any damage to the lease, and have it initialed by your landlord so you’re not held responsible later.
And finally interview the neighbor as if you were someone for a job. You’re going to spend just as much time with them, maybe more. Ask about the neighborhood, the noise, the crime.
Finally, the lease!
Ask for a copy of the lease before the lease signing, so you have time to review it.
Negotiate only with the landlord or someone who has the authority to make decisions. The best negotiation time is during the signing of the lease when the landlord has approved you for the apartment and is ready to close the deal. You only have the power to negotiate when you have something the landlord wants.
Begin the lease negotiation after you’ve read the lease and asked all your questions. Write down all agreements on a piece of paper that is signed by you and the landlord. If it’s a change to the lease, correct it on the actual lease, or write a lease rider. Only negotiate items that are most important to you. No landlord is likely to concede to every issue, so pick your battles, and happy hunting!
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