It's hot outside and everyone is going around collecting numbers off boards and banners that say there are bedrooms available for rent. Whether you are searching for a new apartment for the first time or it's the hundredth time you've moved in your entire college life, there are common courtesy etiquette rules that everyone must follow, not only to make things easier for your potential landlords and the person currently living in the apartment, but also to make you stand out more than everyone else applying for the same apartment. No one wants to have problems and waste their time searching for what might seem impossible to find but there are rules and they must be respected. So I've made a list of guidelines of how to properly search for an apartment because from experience it's turned out to be less common sense than I thought.
1) Sit down and make a list of what you're looking for.
Though some may feel this is unnecessary, I find it very useful as it physically allows you to see what it is that you are looking for in an apartment. It also allows you to reflect on how important certain things are over others such as: "Do I really need my own private bathroom?" as private bathrooms do increase rent in comparison to sharing a bathroom with a roommate. Another thing to consider is the kitchen; do you need a dishwasher because you hate doing dishes every day? Or is it possible that you don't even need a real kitchen because you only use the microwave and refrigerator?
2) Look online: Facebook, Off-Campus Housing websites, Craigslist, or Padmapper.
Such sites are great ways to search for what you are looking for and some will even include pictures that give you a preview of what you might be looking forward to seeing when scheduling an appointment before seeing your potential new home. Compare prices, look at their descriptions, what utilities they may include, whether they're pet friendly, and most important, how is their security. Make notes of the places you are interested in, including the address and phone numbers, with any other potential questions you may have about the housing.
My first time apartment searching, I made notes, but also forgot to write down names of the people I had talked to and the addresses. Writing down the address is crucial because most properties are managed by the same people/company and so they may have a lot of different buildings and housing throughout town. This will facilitate your search as well as keeping the realtors guessing on what property you are interested in looking at.
3) Walk around the area you are attempting to rent in before scheduling an appointment to see the rental property.
This is most important if you are moving into a new, unfamiliar area. You need to physically see the area before moving in and get a feel of where you are trying to live before you sign contracts. Many places look nice online and in pictures but the area may not be what you want. This is also a great opportunity to look outside of potential rental properties that you are interested in and also another way of collecting numbers of places that are renting. Make sure to do this a different day than the day you are attempting to actually look at the properties; we will return to the importance of this shortly.
Also, many times older folks who privately own properties such a houses will not use online sources to advertise their rental properties so walking around the area may give you the opportunity to get those numbers. I've also noticed that occasionally such locations' monthly rents will even be lower because of this as they do not use a management company or other costly resources to advertise their rental properties.
4) Make calls and ask questions.
Now that you've figured out what you what, and what you most definitely don't want, what you budget the place you're looking at to rent. It's time to make phone calls and take more notes. Make sure to ask questions that were left unanswered when searching online as you don't want to waste your time looking at a place only to then find out that you can't take your cat with you because they have a strict no pet policy. Not only will this prevent you from wasting your time but it will also save the time of the person showing you the apartment.
5) Schedule an appointment.
The place appears to be what you want, with maybe an exception or two like they don't have parking spaces available in the back or you won't have in-unit laundry. But if it's something that has potential then go look at the place. You'd be surprised that sometimes physically looking at the place might out-weigh some of things you thought were highly important.
While on this note I must add the importance of scheduling an appointment ahead of time. Please do not knock on doors asking if you could look at the rental property or insist to look at the location because it's the only day you will be in town because you aren't from the area. Expect to make several visits and if you don't have the time to do so then make sure to schedule as many appointments on the days that you are available. Property managers and landlords are not allowed to show you the property without giving their current tenants a 24-hour notice by law. It's illegal for them to do so, so asking them for that favor is extremely rude and disrespectful to the people who are currently living there.
6) You found your new home, so now what?
Most locations will have you apply for the rental property and ask for an application fee. This is normal as they are supposed to run a background check but most of us know that they don't always do that. Sometimes, it's just a way for them to make more money. Sometimes you will also be asked to make a deposit right away in order to reserve your apartment but I've always found this odd as I find it uncomfortable to make this transaction before signing a leasing contract or even having my application approved. Always stick to your gut and if you need to stall, feel free to because at the end of the day it's your money and they shouldn't be insisting upon having it before you sign a leasing contract.
If you need a co-signer, which you most likely will if you're a student, then make sure to get all the information you need and proper documentation. It's possible to not have a co-signer though; just ask the property management for what the other options may be.
Congratulations, you have a new home!!!
Now that everything is straightened out, deposits are made, and you have an expected time and move in date. You are finally making your way into the real world. This is also the time where you should arrange to have rental insurance if you do not already have that as most places do not cover water damage. Make sure to go over the leasing contract and include any details with rental insurance to make sure you are fully covered.
All that is left is to figure out how to move everything you've hoarded into a new location. Give yourself time and embrace the opportunity to thoroughly clean your current room. Pack boxes neatly with labels marking what is inside.
Upon receiving your keys and before moving everything in, make sure to thoroughly inspect your new home. Turn on all the water faucets and showers, flush the toilets and make sure that everything is working properly. Take pictures of anything that is concerning or damaged and send them through email to your landlord or property management so they're aware that these things occurred before you moved in and you won't be held accountable for them. The last thing you want is to not get your deposit back when it's time to move out.
Though most people will have someone with experience guide them through this process to make things easier, I've found that a lot of people come in and out of my apartment only to then realize that it's over their budget, they want more bedrooms, or other things. People need to ask questions and oftentimes they do not ask the important ones such as "What utilities are included in the rent?" but instead ask me if they're allowed to have their boyfriend spend the night...? Questions of this kind may be important to your parents, but your landlord has no say in them. You are an adult and it's none of their business who you come home with at the end of the day when you are paying to live there. Also, it's important to know who you are talking to, whether it's a person like myself who is only helping my landlord find a new tenant or the person who you will be turning in your monthly checks to. Bottom line: ask questions and please please, please, I beg you, schedule an appointment in advance and not last minute.
