Renting an apartment for the first time in your life is not an easy thing to do. Therefore, you should make sure to conduct your moving preparations in accordance with your status. For a person who has been in such a situation before, coming up with a checklist should not represent an issue. On the other hand, first-time renters’ checklist is surely going to be more thorough. In order to help you understand what you need to pay attention to when renting your first apartment, we have decided to provide you with an article that is going to sum it all up in one place. Therefore, if you are a first-time renter looking to come up with your first-time renters’ checklist. Bear with us till the end and you will be ready to start looking for an apartment for yourself.
Choosing your first apartment according to your first-time renters’ checklist
Preparation is key both in choosing an apartment in which you are going to live in and in moving. Obviously, trusted long distance movers NYC will move you with ease and very quickly. However, there are those that should not be so trusted. The same goes for renting your first apartment. You need to make sure that it meets the following criteria:
- Your apartment should suit your needs.
- It should be affordable enough so that you can live a comfortable life while paying for it at the same time.
- The location of your apartment should be close to your school or to your work. If you change companies, you might want to think about moving to another apartment. After all, why lose time in transport if you are not obliged to live in one particular place your whole life.
- Decide whether you are going to live with roommates or by yourself. Both have good and bad sides to it. Make your choices wisely.
- Look for a decent landlord. They can be quite difficult to come by. Once you decide to rent an apartment, make sure to come to an agreement with your landlord about the dynamics of his visit. You would want to make sure that your landlord does not come so very often. Once a month is enough, just in time for you to pay the rent.
These have been the general rules that you should follow when renting an apartment. Let’s take a look at what a first time renters’ checklist should contain.
The first time renters’ checklist
Once you arrive at the apartment that you are thinking about renting, you should pay attention to the following:
- The budget.
- The general outlook of the apartment. Is everything in order? Is there mold? Cleanness.
- The state of the furniture inside, sleeping room in particular.
- Amenities that the apartment offers – what does it have and what are you going to need to invest in.
- The length of your contract.
In order to save money on moving, make sure to receive moving quotes NYC from various sources. Then, choose the one that you like to best.
Budgeting should be on top of a first-time renters’ checklist
Before we move on any further, let’s state the obvious. You should establish a budget before you start looking for an apartment. Then, look only at those properties that are within that budget of yours. In the same time, if you should find out how much local moving is going to cost you. Then, move on to the next point.
First of all, think about how much money you will be earning on a weekly or monthly basis. Then, decide how much of it you will need to sustain yourself regardless of the rent. Only then will you be able to calculate how high rent you will be able to afford to pay every month.
What is the apartment like?
Once you have arranged to see an apartment, pay attention to details. There should be no visible mold or structural damage to it. Your first-time renters’ checklist should also include the questions of cleanness. Both the place and the neighborhood should be spotless. Otherwise, you may want to double check the history of the house and the neighborhood as well. Once you are sure that everything is in order, you should get in touch with reliable movers NYC and arrange your relocation.
State of the furniture inside
After you have checked the structure of the house or of the apartment, you should check the status of furniture inside. You will be using that furniture on a daily basis. Therefore, you should make sure that the bed that you will be sleeping in is comfortable enough for the money that you will be paying. The same goes for the kitchen, living room, etc.
Write down to check amenities on your first-time renters’ checklist
Some apartments come fully furnished. Other less so. Check the amenities that the place you are looking at offers. Are you going to have to buy some new amenities? That may open a pace for bargaining.
The length of your contract is important
When renting an apartment, be it the first time in your life that you are doing it or not, you need to have a contract signed. Some landlords may offer to rent it out to you without a contract. Avoid such rentals and make sure to receive a written contract instead. You will want to have a legal kind of protection while living under someone else’s roof and this is exactly what a contract is going to provide you with.
Conclusion
Living by yourself is wonderful. However, it does come at a cost. Aside from the monetary expenditures that you are going to have from now on, you should be sure that you are renting the place that is going to fit your needs. Follow the above pieces of advice and your first-time renters’ checklist will be all set.