Tips on finding the right apartment for you!

Apartment hunting is tough!  You have so many things to figure out.   I’ve been there before and over the years have become savvy and so here are some tips that you can hopefully use to find the place that’s right for you.

1. Your monthly rent should not exceed more than 20% of your monthly income.  Sit down, do the math, you want to leave yourself some wiggle room with your income in case of an emergency.
2. You will need to provide proof of employment, pay stubs, tax-returns and a possibly letter of reference when applying. Most places run a credit check and criminal background as well and if they don’t then RUN!  You want to have peace of mind that other tenants have passed all the same background checks as you.
3. If getting a roommate is something you are amenable to, then you can cut your monthly bills in half otherwise think smaller, you can rent a one bedroom or even a studio apartment. You don’t always have to live in the city, the suburbs are a great place to look as well.
4. Make sure you always do a walk-thru of the property. Turn on and off the lights, open and close the doors, turn on the appliances to be sure they are working properly, turn on the water in the kitchen and bathroom.  Be sure the hallways are clean and the grounds are properly maintained!

Just a few more tips to help you get started- you can request one free credit report a year from Equifax, Transunion or Experian.  It won’t affect your credit score to have this done.  Start hunting around 3 months before you need to move and most of all it is a new chapter in your life so just embrace it!