Apartment Search
 

Well, I'm currently looking for an apartment, and just wanted some ideas on things I should keep my eye out for, and questions I should ask.

I'm really mainly worried about a decent kitchen, and a decent bathroom.

I do have a 60 lb rottie/blue heeler mix, but if I can't find an aptment in my price range I have some friends that are willing to take care of him, and occassionally I might watch a little black kitten, so a place that is small animal friendly is something I am looking for.

I only plan to be there for 6 months, any ideas on what I should ask, look for?

Hmm.. might have a problem with a 6 month lease. Most places tend to lease for 1 year. If you're planning on having your dog or a cat live with you, make sure to ask about a pet deposit. Most will require this. My friends apartment complex charges $40 extra a month for cats. My place has a one time deposit (which I havent paid yet... bad me)

I'm assuming you'll be able to look at the places first hand, and aren't moving cross country or something. Get a good look. Open closets and drawers. Ask about holes in walls like nails and such. Some places are anal about those. Will you want to paint the walls? Find out if you can.

Umm... lemmie see... Obvious things like heat and hot water being included. When garbage is picked up, where the dumpsters are and such. Laundry in the building or in another.

Thats all I got for now..

You might be able to get a sublet for that short a time.

Mention the dog, and the size, but don't mention the breed unless explicitly asked -- Rotties make people nervous.

Go to www.rentnet.com - just to see what's available in your price range. Then the throwaway magazines, like apartmentfinders that the grocery stores have.

If you are young and like your music loud, you don't want to live in a family friendly environment, nor around a bunch of senior citizens - you want to see the neighborhood/complex first hand, and I'd go back at differnt times during the day -- check out parking facilities (if it's on street parking, check it out at 7:00pm -

Yeah, I'm not moving across country (not yet), just within town till I do move across country (my friends are getting sick of having a couch-surfer; don't blame them).

I have already determined the price range thing, and don't particularly feel like living in a big apartment complex (unless it's one of the two right above my work, just because of decrease in gas expense). I spent the weekend driving around the neighborhoods in town I like, and just stopping and calling every For Rent sign to see if they had a studio or 1br available, and how much, then am going to check them out in the mornings throughout the week.

I'm mainly worried about details, like whether painting walls is permitted, or whether hanging pictures and nails in walls is a problem, or even if something breaks what their means of repairing stuff is.

From my experience, it seems like you are more likely to find 6 month, 9 month, and 1 year lease options in a college town. If you move into a student-oriented apartment complex you are also more likely to have noisy neighbors.

Oh, and do a search for the apartment complex in google you might find some reviews from other people who have lived there. (ex: "ABC Apartments review")

Hope that helps..

www.apartmentratings.com has reviews on tons of apartment's from small units to massive complexes -- some of the reviews you really have to take with a grain of salt -- but it's a good idea of what people think of the place

Thanks very much for the apartment ratings site!! This will help out A LOT!

I looked up my apartments on that rating site, it recieved 100% recommendations and 4+ average in everything...

I certainly agree, so the accuracy seems to be semi-decent... at least with complexes in my area...

Yeah, I looked up the apartments right above my work, and it said they were great apartments, but the management was worthless. I called them after 5:00 (so I'm sure they were packing up and leaving), and asked if they had any aptments available... "NO!" Just to see, I called in this morning at 9:00 AM, and asked the same question, nice lady on the phone at that time says "Yeah, we have them available on first, second and third floors, when would you like to take a look". Explained to her the answer I got from the person working in the afternoon/evening the night before, and said I'll go look somewhere else where I'll get honest answers whenever management is open.

So, that site has definitely come in handy so far.

maleficent, thanks for the apartmentratings.com link. I just rated a couple of previous apartments that I had lived in, and will be sure to check it out before I rent an apartment again.

If you're in a major metro area craigslist has a huge listing of apartments, as well as shorter term sublets and rooms for rent. http://www.craigslist.org/about/cities.html will tell you if there is a craigslist for your city.