Tips for a new apartment dweller

In My Humble Opinion
1

I searched and didn’t find anything like this, so here goes.

I’m looking to move into an apartment. I’ve previously lived with my parents and with roommates in college dorms. My finances and housing costs where I live are such that I can afford to live by myself, as long as I don’t wish to domicile myself somewhere incredibly opulent. And I do not. I will be living alone (except for a cat, who will acquire me when the time is right) in a small one-bedroom apartment. I do not yet have a place, however.

I’d like to know what the Dopers consider rules or guidelines to apartment living. “Don’t do it” is not an option. :smiley:

I am a quiet, rather solitary sort, who keeps her tv turned down low, when it’s on at all, always listens to music with headphones on, and rarely has noisy houseguests.

2

Nothing’s wrong with living in apartments. They are much less work than keeping up a house, and are usually much easier on the pocketbook.

Visit potential apartments once in the day, and go by again on a weekend night. No apartment will ever be entirely quiet. You will hear your neighbor’s TVs, footsteps, headboard bumpting etc. But you can weed out the party apartments. If you don’t want noise, stay far, far, away from students of any sort.

Try to talk to a tennant or two. The big concern is how good managment is at maintaince. Ask how long it takes to answer calls for maintance, if they ever have roof leaks, how parking works, if there is convient eating places and shopping nearby and if there is anything else you should know.

If you have Craig’s List in your area, that can be a great resource when looking for a place.

Most colleges have websites that give good renter’s info. You’ll want to take an inventory of the condition of everything so that you can be sure to get all of your cleaning deposit back. You will also want to be aware of state laws regarding renters- I know CA has a lot of renter’s rights laws, and it is useful to know them.

3

Few pointers I’ve picked up over the years, in addition to the above good advice:

Check their policy on pets. Some places require a deposit, and some even require the management to approve the pet first. Cats are typically much easier to get in than dogs, especially larger dogs.

Scope out the neighborhood as well as the complex. A nice apartment complex is great, but sometimes they put them in seedier neighborhoods.

A huge second on making sure you get a move-in checklist with the manager. Nothing is too small to add to the list. If it isn’t there when they run through the apartment after you move out, they’ll take it out of your deposit (and possibly bill you) later.

If you’re changing zip codes, check with your car insurance company to see how the change might affect your rates (mine went up $60 per period for moving 6 blocks).

If it’s something you might like to have, inquire into what, if any, additional cost there might be for a garage or carport.

Other things to consider: possible utility company monopoly vs. having a choice of companies to choose from, high speed internet availability, cell phone reception, proximity to grocery store/fast food/whatever floats your boat.

4

Since I’m not sure if the OP is about FINDING a first apartment, or what to do once they HAVE the place, so the first bit here is regarding finding…

  1. Make sure the place you settle on is in good repair, and make sure that if something breaks there’s someone on-site who can fix it.

  2. Location, location, location! Make sure there’s a supermarket nearby, a bank branch, all those convenient things.

  3. If there are no washer/drier hookups, make sure there’s a well-maintained on-site laundry facility. If no facility, see if there’s a laundromat nearby, but that’s generally a deal-killer for me.

  4. If you’re big on cooking, make sure the kitchen will work for you. The last place I lived had a nice-sized kitchen but the layout was so bad it is easily outshined by my present, smaller but more efficient layout.

  5. Try and meet the neighbors and see if they’re of the wall-punching psychotic alcoholic frat boy serial killer types that play their stereo too loud.

  6. Since you’ll be alone, make sure the building security is decent, at least has a deadbolt on your own door.
    Now, the advice for what do once you’re in:

a) At least TRY to keep clean (although I’m personally not even vaguely good at that). Nothing suchs more than finding out there’s a property inspection the next day and still having ketchup packets stuck to the walls.

b) As much as humanly possible, stay on good terms with your neighbors and the on-site management. At absolute worst a healthy neutrality.

c) Since you’re waiting for your cat to show up, make sure you place even ALLOWS cats, and if so if any additional fees are levied.

d) Make sure you have your keys in hand BEFORE arriving at your door.

e) Learn to cook, if you can’t already. Eating out is fun, but it should be a luxury.
That having been said, I’ve been an apartment dweller for… about 12 years now, and with the exception of the occasional weird neghbor, frantic housecleaning at 2 in the morning, and bizzare property management, it’s great. Good luck.

5

You mentioned cats … if your apartment will take one, and you have spay/neuter in your budge…and are interested in a spoiled rotten kitten…

6

Also make sure you never leave your apartment without holding the keys in your hand. Particularly if you’re coming in late.

If you don’t drive, check out the buses and/or railroads.

Call the police and inquire about the neighborhood and about police response time.

Call City Hall and check about the rent increase laws. Most places have caps and procedures on raising the rent.

Always get a written lease for the first year or two.

7

A lesson I learned is there ain’t no harm in asking.

You might be able to negotiate on the rent. Ask if they’ll take $10-25 less. They might not, but they might.

If they show you an apartment that’s good, but another one in the complex might be better, ask. (ie - I didn’t like the gray carpet in the unit I was shown. I asked if any with brown were coming up for lease around the time I wanted to move in. Turns out they agreed to hold a better apartment for me for a month, outside of their policy, because I was able to decide right then and write them a deposit check.)

Ask what kind of people live in the complex. Professionals? Students? Older folks? Professionals and old folks good. Students bad.

8

Here’s one:

If possible, get an apartment on the second story or higher. You’ll feel much more secure knowing your apartment is hard to reach. And you’ll have the option of opening your windows without getting wigged out.

I used to think going to the laundromat was no big deal until I moved to a small complex with a laundry room. I still pay for laundry but, wow, it’s so much nicer being able to do laundry right there.

Personally, I prefer the smaller, funky apartment complexes. They’re usually the same price as the humongo ones but they’re in more interesting neighborhoods (although they usually lack things like dishwashers). If you know an area you want to live in (and it doesn’t have to be right next to school, check out the bus routes), dirve around and lok fro for rent signs. Sometimes you can find really nifty places that way.

Other than that, the best advice my mom gave me was “take out your trash everyday”. I still don’t quite do that but I take out the smelly kitchen trash every couple of days at least. (related to that, note where you have to take your trash, if it’s really far, you’ll put it off) And smae goes for the litter box. It’s really easy to let it get gross but the kitty hates that. Just scoop it out every day, no matter what.

9

Make sure to look at the little things in an apartment when you go to look at it.

Are all the outlets three-prong/grounded? (This seems silly, but I didn’t look for that in my first apartment, and found out after moving in there was only 1 grounded outlet in the entire place, for the stove. I was afraid anytime there was a lgihtning storm my computer would get fried to a crisp.)

What’s the stove like? Gas, or electric? And do you pay for the type of energy it uses? (Previously, I had a gas stove aid didn’t pay for the gas. Now I have an electric one and do pay for my electricity.)

What kind of heat does it have? Forced air? Large, stand-up radiators? Small radiators running along the floor? And do you pay for the heat, and what kind is it? (Propane is good. Oil? Eh, not as much.)

Check the ceiling. Are they are brown spots? That could indicate a roof leak.

Check the windows. Are they old, wooden frame, and single-pane? If so, then they will lose a LOT of heat. Newer, plastic-framed, double-pane windows are much better.

Will you have to buy blinds/curtains, or aer there some already?

Check the door. Is it solid-core? (IE, not like a bedroom door. A solid piece of wood.) Does it have a deadbolt, or just a lock on the handle? How many keys to the door do you get, and can you make copies yourself?

Is there enough closet space for you? Enough counter-space?

What material are the floors? Both carpet and hardwood (or fake hard-wood) have their plusses and minuses, and each person knows what one they like ebtter (I prefer hardwood, but you may like carpet. But keep in mind if you get a cat, hardwood will be easier to clean if it has an accident.)

What’s the neighborhood like? Run-down, or nice? Is it an apartment complex kind of deal, or an old house that was converted into two or three apartments? A complex will have a greater chance of having maintanence, management, and laundry facilities on premesis, but miht have more rules about what you can and can’t do. (Like those living in complex C can only use laundry facilities on Modnays and Wednesdays from 5 PM to 8 PM.)

Is it close enough to your job, sotres, bank, post office, etc?

Where is the nearest fire station, police department, rescue squad, and hospital? You’ll have to judge for yourself if it’s close enough. I live in a rural area, but in the center of town, so i am within five minutes of all these thigns. Some people prefer to live in the boonies, but it will take them five times as long to get an ambulance and go to the hospital.

On street or off street parking? Do you get a garage/car-port? Does it matter? (If you live in a place that dosen’t get a lot of snow, it’s less important.)

And, most importantly, will you be allowed to have sexy parties? :wink:

10

Which reminds me, make sure to find out what you do with your trash. Both places I’ve had, I forgot to ask ahead of time. The first palce wasn’t so bad, I just took it to a shed thingy and the landlord took it all to the city dump every week. But in my new place I am 100% responsible for it. I have to drive a dirty, stinky, sometimes wet bag of garbage to the landfill myself. You think I want that in my car? Even in the trucnk? No. But I have to, as such, I double or triple bag sometimes. And it’s pricey, too. I have about a bag a week, and it costs me $5! (Anything less than 40 lbs is $5. Fucking rip-off.)

11

It’ll also cut down on noise if there’s no one living above you. The dropping-things-on-the-floor or dragging-things-around noises, at least.

And your heating bill tends to be a bit lower if there’s someone underneath you heating their apartment, too.

12

Good points about the advantages of living on the 2nd floor. However, the downside is having to carry everything up and down stairs (move in, move out, trash, groceries). So make the choice that is right for you, considering the pros and cons.

One other piece of advice is to understand exactly what is involved in paying rent and utilities on time and late fees. These can be brutal. Then of course develop a system to make sure you pay all your bills on time.

13

Walk around naked!

14

If possible, try to find out what company manages it and if it is up for sale. Ask how long the management team has been there. See if you can determine the vacancy rate.

One very bad thing I’ve had happen in the past is when a complex is sold and the place completely changes (always for the worst.) I’ve lived in places where the new management team has come in and rented apartments to ANYONE with a pulse.

Another thing, ask the manager how they handle guests using any facilities you’re interested in. There is nothing worse than a pool filled with children that don’t even live in the complex. Or, a gym filled with one resident and his group of ten non-resident workout buddies.

If parking is important, you wish to check the proximity to bars and nightclubs. If the apt. complex is lax in parking enforcement, many spots might be taken every night. It will also increase your chances of overhearing drunken domestic disputes at 3 in the AM.

15

With the blinds closed! :stuck_out_tongue:

16

Here’s a tip I learned from my apartment complex. You know those certificates the state issues for elevators? I don’t know about Louisiana, but the ones California puts out have a definite expiration date and maintenance dates which are clearly written on the certificate, which itself must be clearly displayed in the elevator (usually near the buttons). When you try the elevator, check the certificate. Is it out of date? If so, my crystal ball predicts that you will have problems getting the management to help you down the line when you need it. Even worse if they intentionally cover up the certificate so you can’t read it–my complex started doing this recently.

17

A loft bed can be a great space saver.

18

Actually, this is something to consider. I had a place that where everyone that entered the building could see into my apartment. Had to be very careful about keeping the blinds closed. It was not fun.

19

Before you sign anything, don’t forget to turn on the water! How’s the pressure? How long does it take for it to get hot? How hot does it get? This will matter to you several times every. single. day., so if any of those things is inadequate, that’s a dealbreaker.

20

Oh, and this hasn’t been mentioned either, so I’ll say it:

Smoke detectors. Look for them. If it’s one of those larger, “cookie cutter” style complxes, they might have a centralized alarm system. This can get annoying if the neighbor two doors down always burn her cookies, since they often have an entire “block” of alarms go off if jsut one apartment’s goes off.

If they aren’t there, ask if you can get reimbursed for buying a couple and leaving them installed. In some places, it might even be law to have them.

Same thing with a small, kitchen-sized fire-extinguisher.