Finding a great apartment complex to call home is incredibly important if you are in the market for a new address. You’ll spend most of your waking hours in your apartment complex, and if you make the wrong choice, it can literally turn into a nightmare. For this reason, we’ve put together a list of important questions to ask when you are hunting for a new apartment complex to make your permanent address.
The Top Four Questions You Need to Ask Before Applying to Live in a New Apartment Complex
- What apartment amenities are included in the lease?
One of the greatest advantages of apartment living is the great amenities that they offer. Some rental apartments have onsite gyms. Some apartments have their own swimming pools. Some have club houses that you can use to entertain guests. Finding out what amenities an apartment complex offers is a great way to land a home you love. At a minimum, you should double check with the laundry situation is if each unit does not have their own washer and dryer. Having an on-site laundry facility is incredibly helpful, and having to drag your clothes to a laundrymat three miles away and then spend the evening waiting for your clothes to be cleaned might be a setup that you live to regret. - What considerations are made for apartment safety?
One of your greatest concerns with living in apartment might be your safety, particularly if you are living by yourself. A good apartment complex has additional security measures to ensure the safety of their tenets. When you asked this question, answers that should put your mind at ease are alarms, security gates, and patrolling security guards. Some apartment complexes even offer a discount for cops to live in their buildings, which both discourages crime and ensure help is close by if you ever need it. Feeling confident that your possessions (and yourself) are safe in your home is a huge benefit to finding a great apartment complex to live in. - What are the terms of your lease?
Depending on your lifestyle, you may have different needs for how long the terms of the lease are for your apartment complex. Some apartments want you to sign a 12 month lease, some apartments want you to agree to an 18 or 24 month lease. Make sure that you get yourself in an apartment complex that has the leasing terms that align with your foreseeable future, and that you can live with the penalties if you have to cut your lease early.
It is also incredibly important to double check on the property manager’s policy after the lease is concluded. Does the property manager have the option of making you move out, or do you have the option to renew built into your contract? Will your rent go up? Do you have the option of renting month-to-month until you decide what to do next? Are you you effectively homeless unless you sign a new lease? These are important factors that you should ensure work for you before you sign the dotted line.
- What is the parking situation at the apartment complex?
You might not even consider this question at all, let alone expect this to be the most critical question we recommend. However, even if you live alone, your own living space is not the only thing you need to consider in choosing a new apartment. If you own a car, making sure you have adequate parking should be high on your list of needs. If your apartment complex does not offer parking, it could lead to a very frustrating situation. In big cities and high traffic areas, if you are expected to park on the street, it is expensive and put your car at an elevated risk for theft. Make sure you understand the parking situation up front and it works for you.
Additionally, if you are subject to parking garage or street parking expenses because your apartment complex does not offer on-site parking, this is something that you should include in your budget with making sure you can afford your new living arrangement.
Do you have any other tips apartment hunters should keep in mind? Please share below!
