Shopping for an apartment is more challenging than ever before with the wide variety of new apartments to choose from, as well as the rising rent costs in certain regions. Many Americans are paying higher rent costs – rates rose four percent in April to reach a median $1,364, according to Zillow, but they are getting more bang for their buck. As a result, weighing all the different apartments in various neighborhoods in your city can often seem like a daunting task.
ApartmentSearch is here to help. There are many ways to simplify the process the shopping process – and choose the apartment home that is right for you. Our top tips include:
- Start shopping early. Many other Americans are also looking for new apartment homes in the summer – often the only time they are available to move. With the competitive apartment market and low vacancies in many regions, you need to have your top apartment community choices lined up at least a month in advance of when you plan to sign a lease.
- Consider at least five to seven different apartment communities; don’t settle for the first one you see online. Especially if you are from out-of-state or out-of-country, be sure to spend enough time in the area so you can tour many different communities and areas of town.
- Use online tools. To find the best apartment for you, in the neighborhood in which you would like to live, you have to use an online apartment locating service, such as Apartmentsearch.com. This first step in your apartment-seeking journey will significantly streamline the process, allowing you to quickly find the top choices that you would like to tour.
- Once you find apartments that you would consider renting, drive the communities at night as well as during peak traffic times, such as the time you would be leaving for work in the morning. That way, you can determine whether the community will work for you and your daily commute – before you sign the lease.
- Don’t shop for an apartment based on the rent rates alone. While a monthly budget is important to every apartment shopper, there are many other quality-of-life factors and amenities that factor into your renting decision. Is the potential new apartment close to top-rated schools for your children? Is it close to the kind of activities that you and your family enjoy? Does the community provide a free workout facility so that you no longer have to pay an expensive gym membership? These are all important considerations that go beyond the base rental rate.
- Does your apartment come furnished? If it does, what is included in the package? If it does not, you can rent furniture for a reasonable monthly rate or purchase gently-used furniture from your local CORT Clearance Center.
- Will your apartment get great cell reception? Test out the connectivity of your mobile devices when you visit the complex. Ask if the community offers free wi-fi or cell-boosting service.
- In this competitive apartment rental market, you should act quickly once you make a decision on price Remember that the apartment that you look at today, someone saw yesterday. If you wait until tomorrow to put down your deposit, it may already be gone.
The best way to make your apartment shopping easy, fun and productive is to visit www.apartmentsearch.com. You can select your price range, neighborhood, desired amenities and other factors, and let the site quickly create a customized list of apartment recommendations for you. We will even give you up to $200 in rewards when you let your new apartment community know that you found them on ApartmentSearch.
