By Aaron Swartz
College is when a lot of people spread their wings and leave home for the first time. It’s a great opportunity, and dorms provide a nice stepping stone, but once you’ve lived in one for a while you probably won’t be too keen to keep living in one. The logical next step, of course, is living in an apartment off-campus. It’s a pretty common practice for students who have the funds, and it can be a great chance to live on your own before you’re technically out in the world proper. However, there’s a lot you should know when it comes to apartment hunting. From landlords to utilities, there are tons of lists about what you should be doing when looking for an apartment, so we’re going to take things in a different direction. Here are our top six things you shouldn’t do while apartment hunting. Trust us, these bad habits are important to break, and you’ll thank us for pushing you in the right direction.
1. Don’t Rush Things
It can be easy to get swept away in the excitement of apartment hunting, especially if you’ve never done it before. There are so many listings, so many showings and open houses, it can be overwhelming to see it all! However, we push you to slow things down and consider your options carefully. It’s important you do all your research before actually agreeing to rent a place, and if you’re in a huge rush to get things signed and sealed, you’ll probably find out that the ‘perfect place’ you found isn’t quite so perfect after all. Slow down, do your work, and choose wisely if you’re going to choose at all.
2. Don’t Assume The Whole Cost Is Included In The Rent
One thing many people don’t know before renting their first apartment is exactly how rent and payments work. The big misconception is that your rent is one number and that’s all you’ll have to pay to live somewhere. This might be true sometimes, but usually, there are other fees on top of the flat rent. Utility companies like — water, heat, and electricity — may need to be paid on top of the money you pay your landlord each month, making the cost of living at an apartment just that much more difficult to wrap your head around. Make sure to ask your landlord about the whole cost of living in their unit, including rent, utilities, and other payments. Trust us, it’s really important you know that before you sign a lease.
3. Don’t Just Research the Apartment
Many of you probably know to do a lot of research about the apartment, the neighborhood, local crime, and all the other important pieces of information you need to dig up during apartment hunting. One thing you may not have considered is researching who exactly you’re renting from. In this day and age, there are a lot fewer private landlords, and many rental properties are controlled by property management groups and firms. These corporate entities control the terms of your lease and the rules you’re expected to follow while living in one of their buildings. In addition to researching the specific apartment you’re interested in, research the people — or corporations — you would be renting from. Find out how they treat their tenants, if there are any policies you disagree with, and what the general opinion is of them. It’ll come in handy.
4. Don’t Just Sign the Lease
Alright, you’ve done your research, spoken to your landlord, and you’re all set to sign your lease, a long document detailing the agreement you’re about to make. Despite its length, we would highly recommend reading the entirety of your lease before signing. Many disingenuous landlords will try to sneak extra clauses into your lease to make you pay more or to make you agree to rules they didn’t actually tell you about. Before you sign anything, make sure to read it in totality.
5. Don’t Read Your Lease Alone
It can be easy to miss things when parsing a legal document, that’s why you shouldn’t do it alone! Have someone else read through your lease as well: friends, family, employers, whoever. An extra set of eyes will make sure that nothing untoward slips your notice, which is really important since once you sign, you’re stuck with the terms you agreed to. Trust us, having someone else give the document a once over will keep you safe and happy in your new home.
6. Don’t Rely On Your Landlord
If you’ve never lived in an apartment before, trying to find your first one can be stressful, and you may rely on the managers of each property to steer you straight. We want to remind you that a landlord doesn’t necessarily have your best interests at heart. While there are certainly some fantastic, kind landlords out there, that’s not a guarantee. A landlord’s number one priority is to secure tenants, and they will distort the truth to try and get you to move in. Don’t distrust your landlord, but don’t assume they’re honest by default. Make sure you do some research and get an outside opinion instead of relying on them in totality.
Apartment hunting is a really exciting and really challenging prospect. There are a lot of dos out there and, after reading this list, you now know the most important don’ts as well. Good luck out there finding the apartment of your dreams.
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