Lets face it. Right now, some of you despise the apartment you currently live in. In fact, you’re counting down the days until your lease term is up so you make your grand exit. Adding to your frustration, a brand new apartment community just opened up on the other side of town and they’re advertising one month of free rent. Not to mention, you have not had a response to the work order you submitted two days ago asking maintenance to fix the leaky faucet. All of these things add up to your much-celebrated exit from life at your current community. But wait — there might be more to the story than meets the eye. Is the grass going to be greener on the other side of town, or are you off to a new community with the same story as before? Consider these things before you start searching for your next apartment home.
MONEY is not everything but is usually one of the biggest (if not the most important) factors when choosing an apartment. But, just because an advertised rate seems cheaper doesn’t mean that it is. There may be some conditions to that rate. Many apartment communities are offering longer lease terms (15 – 24 months) that earn you price reductions. However, since there are more months involved, you may spend more money over the term of the lease than before. And what happens when the deal runs out? How much will rent be then? Also, some apartments are now also asking for residents to pay added amenity fees for things such a pet services or package receiving. Make sure you’re comparing apples to apples when looking at the costs for your next apartment.
MOVING is pure joy and something we should all look forward to… said no one ever! Moving is a pain, even in the best of scenarios, and there is a lot to think about before you decide to move to your next apartment. The time it takes to move is one challenge. Also, there are the costs associated with moving. A moving truck, boxes, pads, fuel and even pizza and beer for your friends and family all cost money. And how much money is your time and effort worth on top of the hard costs of moving? Hiring movers might actually be a less expensive option. What about your stuff? Does it all fit in your new place or do you now need an assortment of new furniture and things? If you’re a fan of changing things up every year or even every few months, renting furniture from a company like CORT could be the solution to help you in the long term. All of these costs should be answered before you sign your lease cancelation.
MAINTENANCE issues can move just the same as you can. Further, just because a community is newer does not mean that you will have less maintenance challenges. So how do you know if you are in for better service or more of the same nonsense? Reviews are a great place to start. However, make sure to take the things you read with a grain of salt. Some people will just post a non-specific review out of frustration. Other places seem to have nothing but perfect reviews. Look for specific references to challenges being resolved. In addition, look to see if the community is engaged in a conversation with residents, or if it is just two sides yelling at each other. And, even if a community is too new for a significant indicator through reviews, you still have options. Wherever you consider your next apartment home to possibly be, make sure to meet with the maintenance team in advance. Get a feel for who they are and judge for yourself if they are the ones who will take care of your needs when it matters the most.
When the day comes, all of these things can help you make a better decision about when and where to move. When looking for your new apartment, look no further than ApartmentSearch.com. Our unmatched apartment database can help you find the best apartment options selected by the things that matter the most to you. Our free service will even put money in your pocket and reward you when you let your next community know that you found them using ApartmentSearch.com. And that is something that I always believe is a good idea.
