I will be moving off-campus next year and I’m planning to go apartment hunting in the next couple of weekends. I’ve been doing a preliminary search online and writing down places that seem promising so that I can check them out in person.
A website that frequently comes up is www.apartmentratings.com, but I wonder if an apartment complex exists that rates over four stars on this website. Nearly every review is terrible - from noise to safety to poor construction. I know the disgruntled are more likely to go online and air their dirty laundry than the people who are satisfied, but it still concerns me.
I’ll be bringing my mother along on my search to get a second opinion, but I’d love to get some thoughts from all of you. Having never done this before, I have no idea what a good sign is and what should set off alarm bells, etc.
Write a list down of what you absolutely must have and literally go down the list with the landlord (or visually), making sure you have everything. I am living in a place without a dishwasher because I’m a moron and didn’t bring the list with me.
Check off the things you “like, but aren’t necessary”.
Here is “my” list for my next apt (I’ve had 6 apartments after freshman dorm living). Some of these presume you have a roommate.
-My own bathroom
-dishwasher
-gas stove
-outdoor space (to grill and sit)
-ample street parking or an off-street parking space
-a/c (window is fine).
-The place must have laundry in the building; free is a bonus.
-3rd floor or higher must have elevator
-Overnight guests no more than 2 nights/week
-Close to busline.
-Within 3 miles of grocery store and gym
-Safe neighborhood
Preferences:
-said bathroom ensuite
-Remodeled within last 20 years
-heat included or most utilities included
-Hardwood floors
-Large bedroom (13x15ish)
-Berber carpeting in bedroom
-Newish kitchen
-ample sunlight
Yes. Make a list. Do not deviate from the list. I gave in a bit, and am now regretting the tiny kitchen (if you can call it that) and lack of bathroom counter top space. The thing about the list is it is sometimes hard to remember the little things that don’t really cross your mind until you’re forced to go without them. I suppose my advice for that would be try to keep track of what your housing offers now that you really enjoy, and things you wish you had. I’m sure coming from a dorm, this won’t be exactly the same as moving from one apt to another, but it’s good enough. Sorry, your apt complex won’t have a dining hall on the first floor.
And! Consider how you *feel *about the place, and don’t live in any place where the landlord is an asshole. If he’s a douche, go elsewhere. I don’t care how high the ceilings are; the douchiness will manifest itself when you need something fixed, or need your deposit back, or whatever.
Go to the apartment around midnight and park your car on the street. Get out and walk around for a couple of blocks. If you don’t feel comfortable doing this, you’re not going to feel comfortable living there.
Turn on the shower, and ask about the water heater (how many gallons, is it shared, etc.). Crappy water pressure and/or only five minutes of hot water is a life ruiner. Also, if there’s a window in the shower, check for breezes.
An ex of mine lived in a place with a shower window that I swear was completely uninsulated. Nothing like a 20 degree wind blowing on you in the shower.
Check out the kitchen cabinets for any signs of bugs/rodents or the tools to get rid of them. Be wary of first floor units as they are easier to break in to.
And try to view your “final choice” apartments a second time in the morning. Shower pressure for me is greaaaaat if I shower at 10am. Not so great at 8am.
Really pay attention to the ceilings. If you see any discoloration or signs of a lot of work having been done move on to another place. I learned the hard way that ignoring that kind of dark patch means constant mold and eventual ceiling collapse.
Back when I was renting I looked for 3-prong outlets. If you apartment has only 2-prong outlets, you have to get adapters that are a fire hazard.
Many things just depend on what you like, or can live with. I spent three years in a studio apartment that shared a wall with the laundry room. I sleep very soundly, so it didn’t bother me to have people running laundry at all hours. But I lived at the close end of the parking lot, so cars were constantly blocking my car in, as their owners ran into their friend’s apartment for “just a minute”. That drove me insane.
A lot of apartment places, especially around college areas, will show you their “demo” unit and not the actual unit you will sign the lease for. DON’T DO THIS. Make them show you the EXACT unit. Don’t entertain any excuses. You don’t want to sign a lease and then find out your actual apartment has nasty carpet stains, etc.
If you want something fixed before you move in get it in writing. Hell, get everything in writing.
Make sure you read the lease. Fully understand exactly what you will be contractually obligated to do.
Also, the nanosecond you sign the lease your landlord is suddenly going to be a lot less bright, cheery, and helpful about getting things done. Oh, they’ll do things, but only to the minimum extent legally required and usually the cheapest possible way. You don’t have much negotiating leverage once the ink is dry so make sure everything is squared away perfectly before you initial and sign.
Check every tap to make sure it works, get an appropriate temperature, and the pipes don’t bang and squeal. Flush every toilet to make sure it works. Look in every cupboard under sinks for leaks and bugs and rodent droppings.
Check the back alleys around the apartment or house - people put their best face on the front street, but you see how they really live around back. A clean, tidy back yard and alley is what you’re looking for, which indicates people who live there look after their properties.
It would be really super fantastic if you could find out about your neighbours and in which ways they will drive you crazy, but I don’t really know how you can do that.
what fixtures and materials are/are not included (this varies by location, and I move a lot)
that the electric outlets work (a nightlight works well for this)
that doors and windows open and close well
the status of bathrooms, kitchen, kitchen appliances, ac/heating, faucets: do they work, are they clean (sorry, why would I be interested in hiring an apartment whose empty fridge sports a minimum of four different species of microbial growth? I’m an engineer, not a biologist!)
If looking for a shared space,
what are the expectations with regards to cleaning, buying common household items? In most locations, we had a “common fund” for oil, salt, bread and cleaning items, but not the last time I shared.
Look at the “exit conditions”. What happens if you need to leave before the end of the lease? Are there “special conditions” under which you can break the lease more easily than others? (“My cat died” doesn’t have the same gravitas as “my dad died and I’m going back home to take over the family’s business”). Look at renewal conditions; one time, my coworkers had leases which automatically went to month-to-month at the end of the first year, but the landlords were trying to con them into signing up for a second guaranteed year.
Cheap places are usually cheap for a reason, doubly so if it is a complex run by a management company rather than an individual. When I first moved down to where I lived now, I was intrigued by one complex that seemed like a really good deal , but ultimately went elsewhere. This was in the days before rating websites and I later found out that the place is festering with drug dealers, etc.
Definitely check out the place after business hours. Issues with parking, noisy kids, etc, will be more apparent once everybody is home for the night.
In addition to what other dopers have mentioned. Try to live on the top floor if possible, this prevents you from hearing the upstairs neighbor clomping around.
Try to visit in the evening when most people are home. Is the unit noisy? Can you hear the neighbors? Check the state of the windows. Are they new, or are they old and drafty. Check the floors and ceilings for signs of water damage. What does the unit smell like? Is it musty? Do the walls look like they’ve been patched repeatedly? Check the condition of the bathroom. Make sure the tile, grout and caulking are in good shape. If they aren’t it doesn’t bode well for the unit being well maintained. Does the unit smell like the previous owner’s pets? This smell is hard to get out.
What are the neighbors like? Does the area feel sketchy?