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You have to make a lot of important decisions when you're moving, but
one stands above them all: where are you going to move to? If you're in the
market to rent, nothing is as important as your apartment search. It's easy
to do a quick Internet search, pass a couple "apartments for rent" or "houses
for rent" signs, make a call or two and move in. But if you don't do the
research, you could just as easily end up in an apartment that's too small,
too cold, too run down or just plain wrong for you. And ultimately, no one
has to live in your uncomfortable apartment but you.
There are only two key ingredients in a successful apartment search: time
and effort. However, there are a few extra tidbits that can get your apartment
search off to a strong start:
- The easiest place to being searching for rental real estate is on the
Internet. However, if you just google "houses for rent" or "apartments" you're
likely to spend hours sifting through blind links and junk sites. Local
interest magazines and the real estate section of your newspaper still have
the edge in up to date listings for your area. In many areas you can find
local apartment guides aimed specifically at local apartment hunters.
- Ask yourself a single question: where do I want to live? Instead of
letting your apartment search dictate what neighborhood you end up in, pick
the neighborhood first and start looking around. Take a drive through the
areas you're interested in and look for "apartment for rent" or "houses
for rent" signs. Landlords who have just a single apartment to rent out
may not bother to do much advertising. And even if you don't find anything,
there's no way to get to know a neighborhood's real estate market like seeing
it for yourself.
- Apartment finder services - otherwise known as apartment brokers - should
be your last resort. Brokers have exclusive listings they can connect you
with and have plenty of contacts with apartment managers. However, in some
markets brokers charge a fee that can equal a month's rent.
- If you're moving a lot of furniture, take measurements of it all before
you go out to see apartments. That way, when you find a place you like,
you'll know what will fit and what won't.
- Try to see apartments during the daytime; otherwise you won't have a
sense of how much natural light the unit receives.
- Unless you've got a solid deadline don't rush your apartment search.
Take a little extra time and see a lot of real estate; this will give you
a good sense of how much apartment you can get for your money.
- If you're planning on seeing a lot of apartments, make sure to take
notes as you go. Without them it's easy to forget the types of details -
living room size, utilities cost, parking - that can make a big difference.
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