{"id":68717,"date":"2023-01-20T21:02:07","date_gmt":"2023-01-20T21:02:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mymove.com\/?p=68717"},"modified":"2023-01-20T21:02:10","modified_gmt":"2023-01-20T21:02:10","slug":"8-things-i-learned-from-my-apartment-hunting-experience","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mymove.com\/moving\/mover-stories\/8-things-i-learned-from-my-apartment-hunting-experience\/","title":{"rendered":"8 Things I Learned From My Apartment Hunting Experience"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Let\u2019s cut to the chase: apartment hunting can be a big struggle, especially if you\u2019re on a strict timeline. Thankfully, I\u2019m fortunate enough to be in a situation where I\u2019m not on a particularly strict time limit to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mymove.com\/moving\/renters\/find-first-apartment\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">find an apartment<\/a>, which means I\u2019ve been able to be a bit picky with my search.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Over the past five months, I\u2019ve toured around 12 different apartment complexes and picked up a handful of useful tips along the way. Hopefully, these eight things I\u2019ve learned from my apartment hunt make your apartment-hunting experience a bit easier to navigate.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:32px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-1-write-down-your-non-negotiables\"><strong>1. Write down your non-negotiables&nbsp;<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Before you start your search, take the time to write down your non-negotiables. These are your apartment must-haves and things that you\u2019re not willing to compromise on. Your budget range, location, commute time, appliances, floor level, and desired community amenities are just a few items to think carefully about before looking at apartments.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But since it\u2019s nearly impossible to find \u2018the perfect apartment\u2019, I\u2019d also recommend making note of anything that you\u2019re willing to compromise on. You\u2019ll almost always have to compromise somewhere, so take the time to seriously consider what you can and can\u2019t live with. Keeping your non-negotiables and compromises written down and ready to reference will also help you narrow in on which apartments are going to work best for you.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Here are a few of my personal apartment non-negotiables:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Must be within my budget range &#8211; no more than $1,200 per month<\/li><li>Must be at least 600 sqft in size<\/li><li>Balcony or patio space (willing to compromise)<\/li><li>No roommates (willing to compromise)<\/li><li>Must be on the top floor (willing to compromise)<\/li><li>No more than a 45-minute commute to work<\/li><li>No more than a 15-20 minute drive to a grocery store<\/li><li>Must be in an area where I feel safe&nbsp;<\/li><li>Dishwasher in apartment unit (willing to compromise)&nbsp;<\/li><li>Must have no prior history of mold or rodents in apartment units<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:32px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-2-make-the-most-of-online-search-resources\"><strong>2. Make the most of online search resources&nbsp;<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>When it comes to actually <em>finding<\/em> an apartment, Google Maps is a decent place to start. I\u2019ll just type in \u201capartments near me\u201d and see what I can pick out from that search result. Once I\u2019ve exhausted my Google Maps options, I\u2019ll move on to a regular Google search, typing \u201capartments in [town\/city].\u201d This will usually yield quite a few new results.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I would also highly recommend <a href=\"https:\/\/www.apartments.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Apartments.com<\/a> &#8211; it has incredibly specific filter options that can be helpful. It doesn\u2019t yield me as many results as I\u2019d like, but it\u2019s still definitely worth checking out. And if you live in a large city area like New York City or Los Angeles, you could try your luck on <a href=\"https:\/\/hotpads.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Hot Pads<\/a>, which is helpful for locating city apartments and rentals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:32px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-3-don-t-completely-trust-the-website\"><strong>3. Don\u2019t completely trust the website&nbsp;<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>You know the classic \u201cdon\u2019t believe everything you read online\u201d saying? Well, this applies to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mymove.com\/moving\/renters\/best-home-rental-sites\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">apartment websites<\/a> as well. Your first interaction with a specific apartment complex is most likely through their website. So naturally, they want to make everything on their website seem as appealing as possible.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Words like \u2018modern\u2019 and \u2018luxurious\u2019 seem to be used to describe just about every apartment nowadays. But keep in mind that these words are subjective, meaning you and your landlord may have very different opinions about what a \u2018modern\u2019 apartment is.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>My advice is to take everything you see on any apartment website with a grain of salt, and <em>always<\/em> go to see the apartment in person. A website might say that each unit comes with washer and dryer connections. But then when you show up for a tour, the leasing agent tells you that they had to remove all washer and dryer connections from their one-bedroom floor plans due to plumbing issues. And those nice pictures you saw online were from 15 years ago when the apartments were brand new. Don\u2019t be fooled &#8211; always go see for yourself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:32px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-4-dig-deep-into-online-reviews\"><strong>4. Dig deep into online reviews<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Apartment reviews are great for getting a little intel on an apartment complex before you decide to make an in-person visit. These reviews will also tell you the <em>worst<\/em> things that you can expect to experience if you decide to live there. Pay attention to reviews that mention similar experiences. For example, if several reviews mention rodents or mold issues, then there\u2019s a likelihood that a unit you rent there may already be occupied by a few critters and spreading mold.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Make sure to check reviews from multiple rental websites, and filter them by date, so you get the most up-to-date information. The more review sources you can look at the better, but I recommend looking at at least three different sources.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>A few places I like to check for apartment reviews are:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Google reviews<\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.apartmentratings.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">ApartmentRatings<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.apartments.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Apartments.com<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.yelp.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Yelp<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.rentcafe.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">RentCafe<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.apartmentfinder.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Apartment Finder<\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:32px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-5-visit-as-many-apartments-as-you-can\"><strong>5. Visit as many apartments as you can<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>During your apartment hunt, you\u2019ll want to visit as many different apartment complexes as you can. Once you\u2019ve seen multiple apartments, you\u2019ll be able to compare the value between them. The \u2018value\u2019 being what features and amenities come with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mymove.com\/moving\/renters\/renting-dos-and-donts\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">renting<\/a> a particular unit.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I recommend visiting at least three different apartment complexes, but the more apartment complexes you can visit, the better off you\u2019ll be at playing the comparison game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>During one of my apartment visits, I fell in love with their unit\u2019s kitchen layout. Then, about a week later, I toured a different apartment that had a nearly identical kitchen layout <em>with<\/em> a gorgeous tiled backsplash. The best part? It was $200 cheaper than the first apartment I toured. However, this apartment was missing a few other features that I loved about the first place, such as a larger walk-in closet and a patio\/balcony space. A bit of a tough call, but every apartment seems to come with a few downsides.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:32px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-6-tour-apartments-the-right-way\"><strong>6. Tour apartments the right way<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>To get the most out of all your apartment tours, I recommend touring each apartment like you\u2019re a private investigator. Be nosy and open <em>everything<\/em>. Flip every switch, turn every knob, check every crack and crevice, and always make sure to ask any questions that you have to the leasing agent. This all may sound like overkill, but if you\u2019re going to potentially be living here (and spending money on it every month), you\u2019re going to want to know all the ins and outs of the place <em>before<\/em> you sign the lease.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019re taken to see a showroom, tour it the same way you would a regular unit. Just ask more questions. Often times the showrooms will have new appliances, fancy fixtures, and hardwood floors. When in reality, the actual unit that you were looking at online has carpet and much older appliances.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Always ask the leasing agent if something you see in the showroom reflects what is in the actual unit, even if it\u2019s something silly like \u201cwhy are all the power outlets upside down?\u201d The units could have some weird wiring issues that you\u2019re going to want to know about. This tends to happen more than you think in older places.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:32px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-7-view-the-unit-before-signing-the-lease\"><strong>7. View the unit before signing the lease&nbsp;<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>You\u2019ve probably heard this a thousand times, and now you\u2019ll hear it again from me &#8211; never sign the lease without seeing the apartment unit in person. I know this is a bit difficult for long-distance moves, but I think this tip still applies. When it comes to apartments, what you see is what you get. And believe me, you\u2019re going to want to know exactly what you are signing up for.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You want to trust the landlord when they say nothing in your unit is broken, scratched, or permanently damaged. But we all know that this isn\u2019t always the case. Checking the unit for yourself before signing the lease gives you the opportunity to do a quality check.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you find there\u2019s something not quite right, you can address these concerns to the landlord, giving you a bit of bargaining power back. If you do choose to sign the lease without viewing the unit yourself, just know that it&#8217;s a bit risky.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:32px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-8-ask-about-what-s-included-with-rent\"><strong>8. Ask about what\u2019s included with rent<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>You\u2019d be surprised how many fees and add-on\u2019s can get slipped in with your rent price every month. Normally, when an apartment complex lists out their floor plan prices, that price is only for the price of the unit and doesn\u2019t include all the extra fees and additionals that you\u2019ll be paying for with rent every month. They\u2019re very sneaky like that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>My advice is to add around $150 extra to whatever the listed rental price is. A $1,200 apartment may sound like it&#8217;s in your budget range, but by the time you factor in all the monthly fees, it could be upwards of $1,350+ per month &#8211; not cool.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can find out exactly what these fees are and how much they cost by asking the leasing agent or doing a little digging inside their rental application.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Every place is a little different, but a few common monthly fees and services you may be charged for are:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Media package (usually internet and TV through a specific provider)<\/li><li>Pest control<\/li><li>Maintenance fees<\/li><li>Package lockers<\/li><li>Valet trash service<\/li><li>Pool maintenance<\/li><li>Community upkeep (this tends to cost more if there are a lot of community amenities)<\/li><li>Parking&nbsp;<\/li><li>Pets<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:32px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-the-bottom-line\"><strong>The bottom line<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Apartment hunting is stressful, but you\u2019ve got this! If you visit as many places as you can, learn what you\u2019re ok compromising on, and tour smartly, you\u2019ll find that it\u2019ll be easier to make your final decision on which apartment you\u2019re ready to call home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Once you find your new apartment, you\u2019ll need to begin the moving process. Here are a few moving resources that I recommend:<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mymove.com\/change-of-address\/?utm=mmdc_homepage_commerce\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Change your address<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mymove.com\/internet\/plans\/?utm_source=mmdc&amp;utm_medium=nav_cta\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Find an internet plan<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mymove.com\/moving-checklists\/pre-move-checklist\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Pre-move checklist<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mymove.com\/moving-checklists\/first-apartment-checklist\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">First apartment checklist <\/a>(if you\u2019re moving into your first apartment)<\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mymove.com\/movers-club\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Movers club<\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Let\u2019s cut to the chase: apartment hunting can be a big struggle, especially if you\u2019re on a strict timeline. Thankfully, I\u2019m fortunate enough to be in a situation where I\u2019m not on a particularly strict time limit to find an apartment, which means I\u2019ve been able to be a bit picky with my search.&nbsp; Over [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":{"name":"sdrolet","image":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/13351f0916cff658fd3581a9e21ac5454d7af8c8df61841159c00e5d9346d719?s=96&d=mm&r=g","description":""},"featured_media":68633,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"classic-editor-remember":["block-editor"],"_edit_lock":["1765810407:118"],"_edit_last":["88"],"_wp_page_template":["default"],"_yoast_wpseo_focuskeywords":["[]"],"_yoast_wpseo_keywordsynonyms":["[\"\"]"],"has_brand_sponsor":["0"],"_has_brand_sponsor":["field_6296762625135"],"show_interactive_state_map":["0"],"_show_interactive_state_map":["field_5f5152909df2b"],"meta_title":[""],"_meta_title":["field_5be03537a7cf2"],"meta_description":[""],"_meta_description":["field_5be03543a7cf3"],"guest_author":["63475"],"_guest_author":["field_5c0819fd27bcb"],"is_sponsored":["0"],"_is_sponsored":["field_5bd0b6e23c564"],"_yoast_wpseo_primary_subcategory":["1425"],"_yoast_wpseo_content_score":["90"],"_thumbnail_id":["68633"]},"categories":[[{"term_id":25,"name":"Moving Guides","slug":"moving","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":25,"taxonomy":"category","description":"Book movers or recruit your friends? Which size truck should you rent? How much should you tip? Don\u2019t worry. We're moving experts, and we're here to answer your questions with all of the checklists, tools, and resources you'll need. It\u2019s all right here.","parent":0,"count":488,"filter":"raw","cat_ID":25,"category_count":488,"category_description":"Book movers or recruit your friends? Which size truck should you rent? How much should you tip? Don\u2019t worry. We're moving experts, and we're here to answer your questions with all of the checklists, tools, and resources you'll need. It\u2019s all right here.","cat_name":"Moving Guides","category_nicename":"moving","category_parent":0}]],"subcategory":[1425],"copilot-modal":[],"class_list":["post-68717","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-moving","subcategory-mover-stories"],"acf":{"has_brand_sponsor":false,"meta_title":"","meta_description":"","guest_author":{"ID":63475,"post_author":"67","post_date":"2022-07-07 18:51:20","post_date_gmt":"2022-07-07 18:51:20","post_content":"","post_title":"Sarah Drolet","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"sarah-drolet","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-09-19 18:36:21","post_modified_gmt":"2022-09-19 18:36:21","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.mymove.com\/?post_type=guest_author&#038;p=63475","menu_order":0,"post_type":"guest_author","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},"is_sponsored":false},"subcategories":[[{"term_id":1425,"name":"Mover Stories","slug":"mover-stories","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":1425,"taxonomy":"subcategory","description":"Real stories from real movers like you. Every move is unique, but sometimes hearing a story about a move like your own can make your move go a little bit smoother. Get a first-hand account of the wins and moving fails of movers on their moving day.","parent":25,"count":6,"filter":"raw","cat_ID":1425,"category_count":6,"category_description":"Real stories from real movers like you. Every move is unique, but sometimes hearing a story about a move like your own can make your move go a little bit smoother. Get a first-hand account of the wins and moving fails of movers on their moving day.","cat_name":"Mover Stories","category_nicename":"mover-stories","category_parent":25}]],"featured_image":{"url":"https:\/\/www.mymove.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/mm-hero-my-apartment-hunting-experience.jpg","thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.mymove.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/mm-hero-my-apartment-hunting-experience-150x150.jpg","caption":"FG Trade \/ Getty","alt":"Young woman using laptop at new house"},"last_updated":"January 20, 2023","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mymove.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/68717","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mymove.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mymove.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mymove.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/users\/88"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mymove.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=68717"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.mymove.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/68717\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":68728,"href":"https:\/\/www.mymove.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/68717\/revisions\/68728"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mymove.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/media\/68633"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mymove.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=68717"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mymove.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=68717"},{"taxonomy":"subcategory","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mymove.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/subcategory?post=68717"},{"taxonomy":"copilot-modal","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mymove.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/copilot-modal?post=68717"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}