8 Tips For Apartment Hunting

1. Do your research before. Make sure the apartment you want to check out has the right number of rooms, bathrooms, parking, pets allowed or not allowed. No use seeing a place unless it's what you need.
2. Be practical. If the apartment you want is 20 miles from work/school and you don't own a car, you probably need to look somewhere else. Don't assume you'll figure it out later. Make a plan and stick to it.
3. Decide on a price and hold yourself to that price. You can always ask the renter to lower the price for you. It's better to ask, you don't want to be paying more than you can afford. Make sure you get a formal price in writing to avoid changes.
4. Save money before the move. When you start looking for a place to live keep in mind that not only do you usually have to pay the first month's rent but there will also be a deposit. Make sure you save three times the amount of rent before you start looking. It'll save your wallet later on.
5. Start looking for furniture and necessities beforehand to help you decide what you can afford. You may think you can pay $900 a month in rent but later realize you don't own a bed, couch, dishes, or bathroom supplies. After all the expenses you pay only be able to afford $650. Keep the price of everything in mind at all times.
6. Always go see the apartment before deciding. Your new place may look great in the pictures, but in real life that carpet is falling apart, the ceiling fan is broken and the toilet hardly flushes. Always look around before you sign anything!
7. Ask a friend or family member for their opinion. It's easy to get caught up in the excitement of moving into a new place and it may blind your judgement of what is a quality home. It's always good to have a second pair of eye with you when you're searching.
8. Don't settle. There are hundreds of thousands of places out there, don't settle for one you hate. Keep looking and you will find what you are looking for. There is nothing wrong with sticking to your gut.