Sure, you could throw a plain old BBQ to get the summer fun started… or you could try one of these creative apartment party ideas and blow your friends away! Make your summer party one to remember, even without a backyard or a big porch. Read the rest of this entry »

The apartment balcony has become a battleground for flying the American flag in recent years. Across the country, disputes have arisen between landlords and tenants over whether the Star-Spangled Banner can wave from an apartment balcony.

Unfortunately, federal laws don’t precisely spell out in black and white what the rules are about flying the Red, White, and Blue from an apartment balcony. Nonetheless, we can give you some guidelines about the proper etiquette for showing your patriotism by flying the American flag from your apartment balcony. Read the rest of this entry »

So, you’re moving out of your apartment before your lease is up. You signed on the dotted line, but circumstances have changed. It won’t be a big deal, right? Think again.

A lease is a legal contract. In other words, it doesn’t matter if you get a new job with an hour-long commute or if your best friend offers you a room in a better apartment with cheaper rent. Sure, these are great reasons to move… but not necessarily great reasons to break a lease early.

Before you pack up your boxes and hit the road, make sure you understand the consequences of breaking a lease early. We’ll help you weigh the risks and benefits when deciding whether to leave your apartment before the end of your lease. Read the rest of this entry »

You might not get caught when you drive over the speed limit, but you’re still breaking the rules. The same can be true if you sublet an apartment without your landlord’s permission — you might not get caught, but you’re probably breaking the rules. Read the rest of this entry »

Filling out the application for an apartment and then reading through the lease can be a confusing process. We understand.

One of the things that might be a bit hard to understand before you sign on the dotted line is the difference between an individual lease and a joint lease. We’re going to break it down for you. Read the rest of this entry »

Your framed painting of dogs playing poker finally arrived! Will you hang it over the couch, bed, or in the hallway? More importantly, how are you going to hang it without damaging your apartment walls? We’ve got you covered when it comes to apartment decorating tips that won’t leave you searching for putty and paint on move out day. Try one of these damage-free ways to hang pictures to help make sure you get your security deposit back when you move out. Read the rest of this entry »

An eight-letter word — eviction — can frighten any apartment tenant. If a landlord threatens to evict you, it can trigger a variety of problems. But if you are facing eviction, you’ve got some solutions at your disposal. Read the rest of this entry »

Your boxes are packed and the paperwork is finished for your new apartment. Moving day is just around the corner. Are chaos and drama inevitable parts of moving day, or can they be avoided? They can, with these handy moving day tips from your friends at ApartmentSearch! Read the rest of this entry »

There’s no doubt about it: Like pretty much everything else in life, the cost to rent an apartment in the U.S. is going up.

Median monthly rent for U.S. apartments rose by 15 percent from 2000 to 2016, according to Harvard University’s Joint Center for Housing Studies. During that time, the median monthly rent went from $850 to $980.

To reduce the cost of an apartment, some renters turn to something called income-restricted housing. At complexes that offer income-restricted apartments, the monthly rental amount takes into account the renter’s income.

How does all of this work? Here are four things you should know before renting an income-restricted apartment. Read the rest of this entry »

Moving out? Apartment cleaning should go at the top of your to-do list. As excited as you are about your new apartment, you can’t just walk away from your old one. There are some responsibilities you have as a renter when moving out, and those responsibilities involve cleaning. Read the rest of this entry »