How to Look for a Good Apartment to Rent

Finding a perfect apartment can be stressful and difficult. You will be competing with other people for quality units in prime locations.

The key is to consider planning ahead. Normally, renters wait until the last minute to start looking for another apartment, and doing things in a hurry can end up in bad decision-making.

This is why experienced realtors recommend that you have a search checklist to help you find apartments for rent in Manchester at Jacksonheim.

What an Apartment Search Checklist Is

It is simply a list created to help you look for and get an apartment that meets all your needs and wants. All renters have different requirements and standards they often look for in rentals. For example, if you own pets, you would want to find an apartment that allows pets.

Plus, perhaps you want to stay in a specific area near a school or your place of work. In this case, include specific locations on your search checklist and find apartments that best suit your lifestyle.

Why Create a Search Checklist

It costs nothing to create a good search checklist for apartments. It helps you streamline the research process easily. By knowing what to look for, you can filter out every apartment that doesn’t work for you.

Plus, with a checklist, you can easily narrow down your search for apartments. This is especially true if you include things like who will be paying for utilities, renter’s insurance, and appliances included.

Best Places to Find Apartments

Finding the best apartments to rent isn’t easy, and the current climate for rentals has made everything more difficult. Fortunately, online rental platforms may help you as a prospective renter improve your chances of finding a perfect apartment.

Most rental sites provide built-in search options, apartment type/size, property amenities, and lease terms, while others offer virtual tours and map views. The most common ones include Realtor and Zillow Rentals.

Realtor is among the most reliable and trusted sources out there that the National Association of Realtors operate. It only accepts property listings from property managers and owners, with filtering options enabling you to curate what you want regarding amenities, neighborhoods, and pricing.

On the other hand, Zillow Rentals has a lot of data and listings when compared to most sites. With the help of browsing data, this platform has an algorithm that caters to users’ interests and tastes. In addition, its Zestimate tool enables you to compare rentals so that you can have an idea of the deal to expect.

Key Factors to Consider for Apartment Rentals

If buying an apartment seems unaffordable, your solution is to lease one. While moving into an apartment is an important milestone for many, finding a perfect unit isn’t easy.

There are several things to take into consideration when making a decision. Some of these things may include the following:

• Lifestyle – There are many factors to consider about your lifestyle when looking for an apartment. For instance, consider your space requirements if you have kids, plan to move with another person, or want an office at home. In many cases, requiring more space comes with a higher cost than when you relocate to a one-bedroom apartment or studio.
• Quality ─ Don’t fall for those beautiful pictures you normally see online. Before renting an apartment, arrange to see the property in person with a broker or owner. Remember that your landlord can fix cosmetic issues, like scratches on the walls or broken blinds. However, deeper issues can indicate that the property has been neglected. As you also inspect the property, look for safety and health issues, including broken HVACs, broken windows, rust, electrical problems, dirty air filters, asbestos, lead paint, mold, rodents, and leaky faucets, to name a few.
• Location ─ Location, as well as convenient access to areas, are important factors to consider when looking for an apartment. Think of where you go often – this can be work, school, or other places, and then opt for an apartment that doesn’t force you to drive for 30 minutes extra on your commute.
• Budget – Having a reasonable budget is vital when choosing the right apartment. Consider analyzing your financial status and evaluate how much you will be able to afford to spend every month on rent. Consider also other aspects, like maintenance costs, parking fees, and utilities. In general, your rent shouldn’t go beyond 30% of your income so that you can maintain financial stability.

3 Tips for Choosing the Right Apartment

Finding a good apartment can test one’s optimism. But with the help of the following pro tips, you can easily choose the right apartment:

1. Go for a Perfect Neighborhood

Many cities boast a range of neighborhoods. Whether you prefer a short walk to a beach or want nightlife, you will find it in cities.

2. Consider Public Transportation

Even when you are planning to own a car, considering public transportation to run errands or work will save money in the end. When looking for an apartment, consider its nearness to public transportation. Of course, saving money on car maintenance, insurance, and gas will leave you with more in your budget that you can devote to your monthly rent or other daily expenses.

3. Avoid Relocating from April to September

70% of all moves in the UK happen during peak season, which occurs between April and September. Due to the high demand for apartments at this time, properties have less inventory, and owners or managers charge more for all the available units. This is a classic case of low supply and high demand, boosting prices.

Plus, it isn’t just the new apartment lease that is going to cost you. The costs for moving services will also be high during peak season, costing you even more. So, the best time to find an apartment and relocate is from December to March. This time is the slowest period for managers and owners to fill property vacancies – meaning you will have a perfect chance to save money.

Final Touches

Renting a good apartment takes negotiation skills and research. Using reliable resources, like Realtor and Zillow Rentals, may help to screen the choices you have. Also, be ready to negotiate the lease term, features, and price.