By: MacKenzie Taylor
- Figure Out Your Roommate Situation
Are you going to be looking for a place on your own, with a roommate, or roommates? If it’s just you, then you get to make all the decisions as far as location and what you’re must haves are. However, if you’re going to have one or multiple roommates, then you might want to start familiarizing yourself with the concept of compromising. Looking for a place with someone who has completely different tastes than you can present a challenge. You and each of your roommates should take some time to figure out what makes or breaks an apartment or house for you then see where you can find some common ground.
2. What’s the Pet Situation Look Like?
If you’re someone with pets who is looking to rent, then be mindful of the pet policy when browsing rentals. If you don’t see it listed with the listing itself, call the leasing company and ask what their pet policy is for that particular property. Once you can confirm that pets are allowed, follow up with questions about the number of pets allowed, pet fees, and pet rent. Some places only charge one or the other, but others charge both a pet fee and monthly pet rent, so make sure you know what you’re getting into.
3. Decide on a Budget and Stick to It
Money is important to take into account when looking for a place to rent. You need to make sure you have enough income coming in to cover your rent, bills, and other monthly expenses. Don’t pick a place that’s way out of your price range and just hope for the best. Most leasing companies require that you and whoever is applying with you make at least twice the amount of rent monthly before you can be approved. Talk to roommates about what they can afford, and then search for places that fall within your combined budget.
4. Take Notes/Pictures When You Look
You might end up looking at twenty different properties before you find your place. After a while, all the rentals will start to blur together and you won’t be able to remember which place had which qualities, good or bad. It’s a good idea to take notes and or pictures when you’re looking at a rental to refer back to later. Write down the location then jot down what you liked and didn’t like about that place. Note any repairs that need to be done, or appliances that aren’t included at a property. Make a pros and cons list for each rental to help you begin to narrow down your choices.
5. Do Your Research
Before you even submit an application for a property, you should first research the leasing company. Look at their reviews and see what other people’s rental experience has been like. Ask friends and family if they personally have or know anyone who has rented from that company. If it’s available, read up on the application process online. Find out what the requirements are to get approved beforehand, and look into how much the application fee is. Check to see if they keep your application on file and for how long if you don’t get approved for a particular property. You don’t get back the money you put down on an application, so be sure that you’re confident in the rental and leasing company you’ve chosen.
6. Be Ready to Move
Once you get approved for a rental, the rest of the process tends to go quickly. The leasing company wants to occupy their property as soon as possible, and once you sign that lease your moving timeline doesn’t have a lot of wiggle room. Don’t wait until the day you have to move in to start packing. Go through your stuff and start packing in advance so that you’re ready to move when the time comes. Make sure you find people to help you move out of your old place and into your new one. Organize all of your stuff into boxes or storage bins that are easy to grab when it’s time to move. Avoid holding onto things you don’t need that will just prolong your moving process. Pack the essentials and figure out the rest once you’re moved in. Don’t make the moving process any harder than it needs to be.
