Apartment hunting can be incredibly tasking on a regular day. Yet, it is also one of the most exciting experiences, especially if it's your first apartment. Though finding the perfect home can be stressful, the search usually works itself out in the end - that is, unless you're searching for a new home in the midst of the COVID-19 outbreak.

Both fortunately and unfortunately, I am one of those people who is searching for a new home during this confusing time. I am incredibly excited to take the next step in my adulting journey and live in a studio apartment, but finding the right home has been anything but easy today. To abide by social distancing guidelines and reduce the amount of contact between people, many apartment buildings have suspended in-person tours for the time being. With more and more detrimental news breaking about COVID-19 everyday, properties are making an effort to adhere to the rules that have been put in place for our communities. As a result, I am incredibly anxious to think that I very well may end up signing a lease for my new home sight unseen.

Don't get me wrong - there are still plenty of buildings that are offering in-person apartment tours at this time. As tempted as I am to follow my instincts and schedule a time to tour the units I am interested in, I fight the internal battle of putting myself, my loved ones and anyone I come into contact with in jeopardy. Meeting leasing agents and touring high rise buildings filled with people I have yet to be exposed to is something I am determining incredibly risky. It is a dangerous game because I do not know what I will potentially be exposing myself or exposing others to. Yet, I can't quite force myself to sign my name on a lease without ever having been in the unit that I will be spending the next twelve months (or longer) in.

I am relieved to see authority in the fact that buildings are cracking down on minimizing unessential contact. I can only hope that the rest of the world is working their hardest to respect these guidelines so that we may all get back to a sense or normalcy sooner rather than later. To anyone else searching for an apartment in these trying times, best of luck to you. It is challenging to begin with, but COVID-19 has imposed a whole new twist on the process.