When young adults move out of the house to start a life of their own they usually rent an apartment. Some people who transfer to live in a new area switch from paying mortgage to renting a house or an apartment. It may be a daunting task to find the right apartment with the right price but this does not need to be too overwhelming. Once they know their budget for an apartment, they can now sign on the dotted line.

To make the search of finding an ideal home/apartment for rent smooth sailing there are some steps that need to be considered to make the process easier.

Talk to Tenants

People who want to rent a particular house/apartment want to make a strong impression on the landlord. In the same way, the landlord also wants to impress the renter. To know if they are sure they want to live here, they can get the feedback of former and present tenants. All renters would like a courteous and responsible landlord who addresses maintenance problems right away. Inquire about infrastructure problems, tenant turnover and how fast he responds to complaints.

In case they are transferring to a new neighborhood, it is also best to know about the living expenses there. The tenants who are currently living there can provide renters with a rundown on their expenses when it comes to utilities, transportation and entertainment plus information regarding the neighborhood like best places to eat, local amenities and location of school districts.

Do a Final Inspection

If they are satisfied with the location, apartment and landlord, they should do a last inspection before signing the lease. Sometimes, there are damages and maintenance issues caused by previous tenants therefore they need to make sure the landlord will not hold them accountable for issues they had nothing to do with.

They should do the following:

  • Throughout the apartment, turn on the lights and open the faucets to ensure they function well.
  • Check if there is any rodent/insect infestation especially in storage places and cupboards.
  • Signs of this include chew marks and droppings.
  • Plug a cell phone charger into the outlets to check if they work.
  • Inspect smoke alarms and see if there is any fire equipment like a fire extinguisher.
  • Check the doors and windows.
  • If there are appliances included, check if they work.
  • See if there are any damages on floors and walls. Inspect the carpet, drywall, hardwood, tiles and linoleum.
  • Take pictures of areas with problems using a digital camera then show them to the landlord. Save the file as evidence so in case there are discrepancies when it comes to maintenance or problems in getting the security deposit back when they move out, there is proof that they have nothing to do with the damage.

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