You might be a first-time renter or it might be a little while since you lived on your own. Moving is such a difficult phase in anyone’s life, especially when choosing to live abroad, and thus there are some very important reminders every renter should know. Read on to gauge yourself if you’re ready for life in your new apartment.
It is crucial to not be idealist over a beautiful apartment or glamorous amenities. Every renter should be aware that having a background about your neighborhood is just as important as investigating your potential apartment. An apartment may be budget friendly but if the crime rate is high in the area, the typical lifestyle you want to live can be impacted. You don’t want your hard-earned money, your awesome car or other valuables to be put at risk or stolen.
Meanwhile, if the apartment you’re thinking about moving in isn’t brand new, chances are you will have a good chance of finding some online reviews about the house or possible feedback from the neighborhood. Reviews are a great way to gauge what life will be like in the place you are about to move in. Do not take social media reviews seriously though, people are more likely to post a review if they feel bad about something rather than a compliment about anything.
- Respect your Neighbors: A good neighbor can also be a helpful acquaintance. Develop a friendly rapport with your neighbors so you can rely on them to assist you out in certain situations. You can ask them to check and see if you have a package dropped off at your door when you leave for vacation or let you know if they see someone suspicious attempting to rob your house. A bad neighborhood will also have an impact on your peaceful life just like a bad roommate. It pays to be as respectful and cheerful as possible with your neighbors so you can easily work with each other’s differences.
- Get a Perfect Roommate: Each renter should know about the potential consequences of living with roommates. Be very mindful and extra careful when choosing who you want to live with. You might feel at ease living with good friends but relationships often change when people live together on the same roof. Your friend might be easy to hang out with, but what if they’re terrible with finances and always delay in paying rent. You might end up paying more than your fair share of the rent and get stuck in a lease for a year or more.
- Prepare Enough Funds: It’s annoying if you already found the apartment of your dreams but the only problem is your security deposit. Lack of money doesn’t have to prevent you from living in your dream house. There are several programs that will allow you to move into your new apartment even if you don’t have enough for the security deposit.
- Make Time to Inspect: Make time to inspect your chosen apartment before you move in. Most apartments will give you a run-through and about 24-48 hours to thoroughly inspect the house for any damage or issues before you transfer. This is really worth the effort to do because once you move all of your baggage into your apartment, it will be difficult to see cracks in the wall, dents in the floor, broken tiles, or other damages that the landlord may charge you for when you move out. You can also write down and refer to the leasing office immediately for repair if you found certain issues or damages after the last tenant moved out. Before apartment hopping, check out with the property manager if there is an automated property management system where you can send payment and file a complaint so it will be more convenient on your end. Whatever the problem prior to your transfer may be, you can address the leasing office right away so it won’t be your fault.
- Choose Your Location: It’s not only that you are concerned about your neighborhood and the kind of people you’re going to be with. You also want to consider the location of the apartment before you transfer. The proximity to your workplace, the church, market, malls and hospitals should be on your checklist in finding a new house.
- Get Insurance: Most landlords have insurance policies in place which covers the physical building they own but does not offer the renter any protection and security. More and more property owners are requiring tenants to have renters insurance before they move in so the cost to replace all of the items in case of fire or any calamities would not come out of their own pocket. However, under this personal property coverage, the items would be replaced only up to the dollar amount specified in the policy.
Compile the list written in this article when you look for a living space, start your journey on time, and be as keen and thorough as possible. And yes, a perfect apartment is waiting for you.
