Almost every apartment has some good and some bad to it. You might have hardwood floors on the one hand, but on the other there’s that oddly shaped closet you can’t seem to fit anything into. Or maybe you’ve got a nice patio, but the kitchen counter is barely big enough for a crockpot. Accepting these tradeoffs comes with the territory, and you learn to live with them. However, there always comes a time when you need to consider a new option. Is it that time for you? Here are a few questions to ask yourself.
“Has my apartment gotten too expensive?”
This can sometimes happen, especially in growing cities. After you sign a few lease renewals, the price starts to seem like less and less like a good deal. And if you’re dealing with a private landlord who really wants to rent to someone else, it can happen even more quickly than that. There’s no sense putting yourself in a financial bind just to avoid moving, so consider if you might be able to find a new place that fits into your budget.
“Can I afford a bigger place?”
Space isn’t everything, but it sure can make a difference. Maybe your financial situation has gotten better since you first moved in, and you can start to look for an apartment that has more space and better amenities. While you never want to spend too much, sometimes feeling a little less claustrophobic is priceless.
“Am I still happy with my landlord/management company?”
Having a good landlord can be the difference between loving where you live or hating it, especially when it comes to things like maintenance and repairs. And management changes hands, that can can drastically change your situation, too. If you’re less than pleased with how your are treated as a tenant, then it might be time to move out.
“Can I find a place closer to work?”
About the only thing as important as where you live is how long it takes you to get to work. No one wants to spend hours in their car every day, and moving a little closer to work—even if the rent is a little higher—can drastically improve your quality of life.
“Am I able to fix the things I don’t love about my current place?”
When you live in a place for a long time, it can be easy to forget that you can make some simple changes to your decor or to your storage that can it feel like you’ve breathed new life into your living space. But sometimes you just can’t fix the things that really bug you. If you know something else would make you more happy, it may be time to move on.
Of course, you are the only one who can know for sure if it’s time to move out, but asking yourself these questions can help you take stock of your current situation and give you the right perspective for what you need in a new place. When you’re ready to move, check out our apartment moving checklist to make sure you don’t miss anything, and keep coming back to our blog for more apartment tips and tricks!
