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4 Tips For Renting Your First Apartment

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On the hunt for your first apartment, but not sure what you are doing? If so, make sure to follow these tips to ensure you don't have any regrets.

Always See The Apartment In Person

Have you seen an apartment online with beautiful looking photos? If so, know that you should always see the apartment in person before you sign anything. You do not know if those photos are accurate of the apartment you will be leasing, especially if there are similar units in the building. You may also learn many things by visiting the apartment in person, such as finding out that there is no elevator and not wanting to walk up so many stairs all the time.

Visit The Apartment On Evenings Or Weekends

If you have the option to pick when you visit an apartment, it is worth visiting during the evenings or weekends for multiple reasons. For starters, evenings will represent more accurate lighting that you will have when you are home after work, rather than the midday lighting which you will not be around most of the time. By visiting during times when people are home, you'll have a more accurate representation of what it sounds like when neighbors are home. Even hearing the footsteps of people above you can be an indication of how loud the apartment building is.

Find Out If You Can Sublease

Chances are that you are not going to be living in the apartment for exactly 12-month intervals. There will come a time when you are ready to leave your apartment, which can cause you to leave the apartment several months before the end of your lease. Some landlords will require that you pay for the months until your lease is up, while others will allow you to sublease the apartment to another renter. The ability to sublease can get you out of your apartment earlier without paying for those additional months of rent. 

Ask Neighbors What The Building Is Like

See other renters in the building while you are touring the space? Don't be afraid to ask them what they think about living in the apartment building. You may learn things that you wouldn't otherwise figure out, either good or bad, that sway your opinion about renting in the building. At the very least, a positive recommendation from someone that lives in the building can be enough to make you feel like you're making a good decision.

Reach out to a real estate agent to learn more about apartment rentals.


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