Moving out of your family home for the first time? You are likely looking at renting your very first apartment. Depending on your situation, you may be feeling completely prepared for your next step in life. However, if you are reading this article already, you’re likely already looking for a starting point. Keep reading for tips fr renting your first apartment.
Photo: Pexels
Budget before your move
It is no secret that moving out of your first apartment is going to be expensive. There are so many factors to take into consideration — an application fee, a security deposit, paying multiple months in advance, setting up utilities, and so on. And that’s just getting ready to move! There are still even more things to take into consideration, such as furnishing your apartment and building up your very own stock of household essentials.
It is important to budget before you move, from figuring out how much you can afford to spend on rent each month to how much you are able to spend in the first few months following your major move.
Being well aware of the costs associated with moving, from possible moving companies to how much you will be spending on weekly groceries can also help you manage the stress that comes with spending money. When you budget beforehand, you can help yourself become more confident in your ability to control your finances.
Figure out what you need out of an apartment
Everyone has their dream view of their first big move — the dream location, the dream aesthetic, and so on. However, depending on your financial situation and current location, this “dream” may not be your reality any time soon, and that’s perfectly okay. For students and young professionals especially, you’re just learning to navigate what you need in different areas of your life, living space included.
When searching for your first apartment, make sure you are prioritizing what you need out of an apartment. Do you value privacy above all? Maybe spending more money on a studio or one-bedroom to avoid roommates is better for you. Or, you may want to consider moving further out of the city or prime locations to save money so that you can afford to rent without roommates.
Your first apartment is likely going to come with lots of compromises, from included amenities to location. Make sure that you are prioritizing what you actually need out of an apartment versus what you want.
– In-unit washer/dryer: Do you want the luxury of having your very own laundry unit inside your apartment or maybe you don’t mind regular trips to a nearby laundromat.
– On-site amenities such as spas, pools, or gyms: What kind of amenities would you like access to?
– Location: Would you want to be closer to friends and family, or do you want to have an apartment that would shorten the commute between your apartment and your job?
– Parking: Do you get a guaranteed parking spot with your lease – is it covered? Is parking exclusively a free-for-all parking lot or street parking situation?
– Central air/heating: Do you want to be able to blast your AC or heater throughout your apartment? Or are you okay with setting up a small fan or space heater when needed?
Research your apartments, from touring in-person to scouring the internet for reviews
Don’t just apply to the first apartment that looks great at a glance. This is somewhere you are going to living and you will want to make sure you know exactly what you are getting into once you sign a lease. Take advantage of tours to get a taste of what an apartment looks like. While they are usually furnished by the property management, they do give you a great sample of what the layout is and what you would get out of the important. Be sure to ask for a tour around the community, from amenities to how well-kept the landscaping is. These can offer clues to how the apartments are actually managed.
Touring apartments aside, be sure to also research apartments online. Don’t rely on the featured testimonials the property management has on their websites — you honestly will never know if they are truly from tenants of the property, or how much they were edited/screened to positively reflect the property. Look at sites like Yelp or other social media sites to see more honest reviews of tenants’ experience living in the rental properties you are looking at. Be wary of profiles, such as Facebook pages, that are actually the property management’s as they likely have the power to delete less-than-favorable reviews.
Moving into your first apartment is a big step, no matter where you are at in life. It may not be exactly the experience you always dreamed about, but it’s important to remember it’s your first apartment — you aren’t going to get it right the first time. Take every experience, whether good or bad, as a learning experience and apply it to your next move.
Equal Housing Opportunity
