Credit Scores Affect Your Life

Your credit score might be one of the most important numbers in your life. Especially if you’re thinking about buying a home, leasing a car, getting a loan, or even renting a college apartment. To qualify for these things, companies will want to take a look at your credit score.

But why is this number important? Well, a low credit score can keep you from getting the things you want and need. If you don’t meet the requirements of a company, they might reject you when you apply for something. The reason for this is that companies want to be absolutely sure that you will be able to pay back your loan, pay off your car or home, or pay your rent on time. It’s easy to understand if you put yourself in their shoes — if you were letting someone borrow something valuable of yours, would you loan it out to just anyone? Probably not. You’d want to give it out to someone whose trust and responsibility had been proven.

Like apartment ratings for our industry, credit scores tell someone, if you have a high credit score, that you have proven yourself as a borrower. And if you have a low credit score, it tells someone you might have made some mistakes. Things that can lower your credit score are missing credit card payments, paying bills late, or opening too many credit cards, for example. The best way to have a high credit score, according to industry experts, is to pay your bills on time.

Credit Score Details

Credit scores range from 300 to 850, with the best and highest credit report score being 850. If you have a credit score lower than 620, you are labeled high risk and therefore might have a hard time getting loans or approved for credit accounts.

Credit Score Tips

But whether your credit score is low or high, it’s important to keep tabs on it. Every year, consumers can order one free copy of their credit report from each of the three credit bureaus. From this, you’ll be able to see how many accounts you have open, inquiries made to your credit and more.

It’s important to look at this credit report to be absolutely sure no one has opened any accounts in your name without you knowing. You can also keep an eye out for information that is not supposed to be included on your credit report. For example, a family member with the same last name as yours might have some of his or her information on your credit report. These kinds of mistakes could negatively influence your credit score, so keeping an eye out for them is necessary.

Daily Credit Scores

There are also a number of services that monitor your credit score more closely, including some companies that will run daily credit scores for you. For most consumers, a daily credit score service is overkill, but if you’re in an ongoing battle to remove a lot of black marks from your credit score report, you may find such a service useful to see what kind of progress you’re making. The credit agencies try to maintain accurate information, but change takes time and each modification to your credit score report requires proper documentation to prove that you’re correcting actual mistakes.

Get a Higher Credit Score

How do you get a higher credit score?

• Pay your bills on time.
• Don’t overextend yourself – your credit score reflects how well you stay within your means. If you’re barely making ends meet, your credit score will be low, even if you’re not missing payments.
• If you’ve defaulted on any old debts, like a college loan or a renters insurance bill, make sure to contact the lender and set up a payment arrangement to clean up the debt.
• Get a copy of your credit report from all three credit bureaus and contact them if you find any mistakes.
• If you have trouble keeping to a budget, help your credit score out by cutting inessential regular expenses. Drop premium cable television for your apartment. Find a cheaper cellphone plan and use a landline for longer calls. Don’t eat out as often. Take the bus or bike to cut your gas bill. Your credit score will thank you!
• If necessary, sign up with a service that sends you your credit score on a regular basis – even daily credit scores in extreme cases.
• If you know you’re going to miss a payment, contact that lender before the problem hits their records and let them know what’s going on. Try to set up a payment plan so you don’t show up as a credit score offender.
• If you’re turned down for credit, the law allows you to request a free credit report even if you’ve already received a free report for that year. Request the additional credit score report and find out why you were turned down. If it’s a credit score mistake or a forgotten debt, clean it up.

Taking these steps should help you get a higher credit score… and getting a higher credit score will forestall any ugly misunderstandings the next time you are buying something hefty or working on finding an apartment.

Take care of your credit score, and it’ll help take care of you! Happy borrowing!

What is Wind Power?

Wind power is the conversion of wind energy into a useful form, such as electricity, using wind turbines. Wind energy is plentiful, renewable, widely distributed, clean and reduces greenhouse gas emissions, which is a much better option for the environment. Wind energy has quadrupled in the last seven years globally and is only growing.

What are the Benefits?

The main benefit to switching to wind power is the improvement to the environment. Wind power can displace power from fossil-fueled power plants and help to improve on greenhouse gas emissions that are hurting our environment. On average, the electricity generated in the U.S. results in the emission of 1,341 pounds of carbon dioxide. The electricity generated by U.S. wind farms represents about 6.7 million tons of avoided CO2 emissions. Even by switching only your electricity to wind powered, you are helping the environment.

How Can I Help?

Living in an apartment actually gives you a pretty good opportunity to do something good for the environment. Electricity doesn’t cost you an arm and a leg when you live in an apartment; therefore making the switch to wind powered electricity is totally affordable.

Where is Wind Energy Offered?

Many states offer wind energy. All you have to do is visit your local electric company’s website and see if they offer wind energy. You can also explore other companies in your area if your current electric company doesn’t offer it. Texas is the leading state in wind power, with 3.3% of all the state’s energy coming from wind power. Austin, TX leads the entire country in wind power. If you live in an area that offers wind powered energy, you should definitely look into it.

What is the Cost?

The average retail cost of electricity in Texas is 6.25 cents per kwh. Electricity from wind typically costs between 4 cents per kwh and 6 cents per kwh. According to a case study conducted by the Center for Renewable Energy and Sustainable Technology (CREST), consumers in Texas will only see about a 75 cent increase on their monthly bill from using wind energy. The cost will depend on your area and electric company, but for the most part, an increase will not be significant considering the size of an apartment. This allows you to switch to wind power without hurting your wallet and sit back and enjoy your contribution to the environment!

Check with your local electric company to see if they offer wind energy in your city!

In order to begin your apartment search, you will need to register at ApartmentSearch.com. This will allow you to see all of the apartments that fit your search criteria and take you one step closer to your new home.

Once You’ve Found the Perfect Apartment

The most important part of the Reward process is telling your apartment complex where you found them. Make sure you write down ApartmentSearch.com by CORT as the referral source on your rental application and you are on your way to a $200 Reward. At this point, you will want to let ApartmentSearch.com know that they helped you find your apartment. To do this, go onto www.ApartmentSearch.com and go to the ‚ “Claim Reward” tab, where you will find step by step instructions on how to claim your Reward.

How the Reward Works

You might be asking yourself, “What’s the catch?” Well, you will be pleased to know that there is no catch! When you source ApartmentSearch.com for finding your apartment, your apartment complex pays ApartmentSearch.com a referral fee. As a result, ApartmentSearch.com can provide you with a Reward as a thank you for using their site to find your apartment at no expense to you!

The Reward

The Reward is anywhere from $100 to $200. In most cases, you will get a $200 Reward, which consists of $100 in CORT Bucks and a $100 American Express card that you can use anywhere AMEX is accepted. You can use your CORT Bucks at any CORT Showroom nationwide to buy or rent furniture for your new apartment.

If you are in a city that offers a $100 Reward, that consists of $100 in CORT Bucks. The $150 Reward is $100 in CORT Bucks and a $50 AMEX card. Click for a list of cities and their corresponding rewards.

When Do I Receive My Reward?

Once ApartmentSearch.com has confirmed that you’ve signed your lease, they will send you your $100 CORT Bucks. This is convenient, so that you can get that last piece of furniture you need for your new place. You will receive your AMEX card once your apartment complex pays ApartmentSearch.com for the referral. Go ahead and allow around four to ten weeks to receive your AMEX card so that ApartmentSearch.com and your apartment complex can get all of the scores settled.

For more information, read the terms and conditions on claiming your reward and good luck finding your perfect place!

5 Apartment Safety Tips to Help You Sleep Easy

Apartment safety tips may seem like common sense, but don’t get careless and leave yourself open to crime. Here are five apartment safety tips to consider. (Don’t forget to look into buying renters insurance, too!)

Apartment Safety Tip #1: Lock Your Door

Believe it or not, this is one of the most important apartment safety tips. Remember, most burglars are looking for the easiest opportunity. We’ve all left a door unlocked while we get the second load of groceries out of the car. You think you’ll just be gone for a minute, and you don’t want to have to fumble with the key again. You can always set the groceries down beside your door, unlock it, and pick them up again. Also, don’t leave a hidden key in a plant, under the mat, in a fake rock, or anywhere near your door.

Apartment Safety Tip #2: Leave the Light On

Leave a light on for safety, especially when you know you’ll be coming home after dark. If you’re worried about running up the utility bill and going through bulbs, use a compact fluorescent bulb. You might also put on some music at a low volume.

Apartment Safety Tip #3: Be Careful When Answering the Door

Don’t just open your apartment door to anyone, especially when you’re not expecting them. Use that peephole.

Apartment Safety Tip #4: Get to Know Your Neighbors

We recommend finding an apartment neighbor who can be a friend. You can look out for each other. Also, if you should have an emergency, strangers in your apartment complex may ignore you out of fear, but if they know you, chances are they’ll open the door or at least try and get some help.

Apartment Safety Tip #5: Improve Your Apartment Safety with a Pet

Thieves hate pets, especially dogs. Dogs, birds and even some cats can raise a very loud ruckus if a stranger enters your apartment. Consider seeking apartments that take pets and adopt a pet from the local animal shelter. Burglars will probably not want to come in, and you’ll have a great new friend.

Organize Your Apartment: Get Rid of Stuff

If you’ve got a cluttered or messy apartment, your first problem may be that you’ve just got too much stuff. After your long search for an apartment, you don’t want to be buried in it by miscellaneous piles of papers and clothes that you know you’re never going to wear. Organize your apartment by clearing out the clutter!

Take a Trip to Charity or the Library

If you’re not using it, maybe someone else can. Load up those extra clothes and the furniture that doesn’t quite fit your new digs and drop it off at the local thrift store. Do the same with some of those books that you’ve already read and don’t want to give up, or those you’ve “been meaning to read.” You can always donate books to the local library, and if you ever really need to read them, you can simply borrow them. If you have less stuff, you are on the way to having an organized apartment.

Organize Your Apartment: Rent Storage

You’ve got to keep certain items where you can find them, but you don’t need to trip over them every time you get in the door. Documents proving what you claimed on your taxes, for example, should probably be kept around for 5 to 7 years. Why not rent a storage space to keep some of this out of your apartment complex and out of your way? If the tax man comes round, you can always go and retrieve it. Ask at your management office. Some complexes even offer additional storage right on site, so you don’t have far to go to organize your apartment.

Buy a Few Key Organizational Aids

You don’t need to clean out this whole section of the store. Take a look around your apartment and see what would benefit you most. For example, whether you take your shoes off at the door or pile them up in your closet, either way you’re likely to have a pile cluttering up your floor somewhere. Why not invest a small amount of cash into a shoe rack or shelves so you can stack them neatly and organize your apartment using vertical space?

If paper clutter is your enemy, try scanning documents into a computer and keeping electronic copies only, or investing in a file cabinet. Clearing out the paper piles will help you organize your apartment – and help your state of mind too!

Create Your Own System to Organize Your Apartment

Decide how you’re going to deal with things like mail every day, and find tools and systems that work for you to organize your apartment. Try immediately dealing with junk mail, and having a mini-filing system right at the door to separate bills and materials that you want to read later.

Good luck, and happy organizing!

Apartment Finders: Their Job Is to Help You

Apartment finders are there to help you out when you’re trying to find that perfect place to live. Where do you even begin your apartment hunt, especially when you live in a larger city, when you’re working on finding an apartment?

There’s a lot to consider when finding an apartment. Are you interested in renting a college apartment, a loft apartment, or a high rise apartment? What kind of location, how many bedrooms and what about price and amenities? Some people value safety over amenities; others just want to find smoke-free apartments or apartments that take pets so they can stay with their furry friends.

While many people might prefer to just dive into hunting for a new apartment, others might find the help of an apartment finder extremely useful. If you’re a person who wouldn’t mind a little apartment finder assistance, consider following these apartment finder guidelines:

1. Research the Market You’d Like to Explore with Your Apartment Finder

Research can save you time before you meet with your apartment finder. Use a website like ApartmentSearch to browse apartment listings. But don’t stop there — ask around, too. Talk to friends and neighbors about the areas of town they prefer. Get recommendations from happy residents, and don’t be afraid to ask them questions. Visit some apartment ratings websites for opinions. Researching apartments and areas of town is a great idea to start narrowing down your hunt to the neighborhoods you like.

2. Decide What You Want in an Apartment

What exactly makes an apartment a home for you? You should think carefully about this. What’s important to one person is not important to the next, so think about what you value.

Do you have pets? What is your budget, including renters insurance and utilities? Figure out how much you can spend on rent per month. Your apartment finder will tell you that to qualify for an apartment, your maximum rent usually should be around three times your monthly income. Think about other things like apartment cable television service, internet providers and school districts if you have children. Crime statistics, parking and swimming pools are good things to consider as well. And, of course, how much space you will need. Write this information down and bring it with you when you meet with an apartment finder.

3. Find a Reputable Apartment Finder

Ask around for recommendations for an apartment finder. You want someone who will listen to your concerns and someone with enough experience to know which apartments are offering specials and discounts. A good apartment finder will find apartments that would be a good match for you based on the criteria you give them.

Some apartment finders win incentives from apartment complexes for placing residents; make sure your apartment finder is showing you the full selection of choices and is respecting your preferences rather than pursuing a hidden self-interest.
4. Set Up a Meeting Time with an Apartment Finder

Once you pick an apartment finder, call their office to schedule a meeting time. You’ll want to set aside a few hours, as this can take a while. You’ll need to sit down to discuss what you want; then the apartment finder will search for good matches. They may also be able to do this for you over the phone so that when you come in for the meeting, you and the finder can leave right away to start visiting apartments. Be sure to bring a photo ID, as some places may require one to view an apartment. A pen and paper to write down notes on your discussions with apartment managers would also be helpful.

Going from place to place can be exhausting, even with your apartment finder’s assistance, but at least by the time you get back from your search, you’ll have your hands full with brochures, floor plans and pricing information from a few good apartment complexes. Then comes the hard part: picking an apartment to move into.

If you feel like you haven’t been given enough choices or suitable options after meeting with an apartment finder, don’t be afraid to go back and ask for more help — or choose another apartment finder. The search for an apartment can be long and frustrating, but it sure is a great payoff when you find what you want and start moving into your apartment.

Congratulations! Ready to rest? Not quite! Now it’s time to start decorating your apartment!

Choosing a Secure Apartment Will Help You Sleep at Night

Any police officer will tell you that they most frequently get called to apartment complexes about domestic disputes and burglaries. They’ll also tell you that there are a number of things you can look for before you even move into an apartment home to ensure your safety. Choosing a secure apartment can make a big difference in the quality of rest you get at night – and the enjoyment you derive from being at home.

Pay Attention to the Application Process

Did it take an hour or two to complete your rental application? Did they check your references? That’s a good sign, however painful it might have been. Thorough screenings are important if you’re serious about choosing a secure apartment. How well they screen you will be how well they screen your neighbors.

Go with an Upper Floor

While it’s a pain to lug furniture, groceries, and other stuff into the elevator or up and down the stairs, if choosing a secure apartment is your priority, go with an upper floor. Breaking into a first floor apartment sure looks easier to a thief. If it’s in your budget, take a look at high-rise apartments.

Examine the Outside Areas

Take a look at any gates and fences. Are there any? If so, are they just for looks, or are you actually getting some security for your money? A lot of apartment complexes have a big, fancy looking gate and fence at the front, and then nothing at the back, or something so short a snake could jump it. If there’s a keypad entry system, try to go in one day without buzzing in. Try driving through the gate behind another car and see how easy it is. If there’s a security guard, try and talk your way in after the office is closed. Tell him/her that you just want to take a look around the place, and see how easily you can talk your way in.

Trace the steps you’ll frequently take from where you’ll park your car to your apartment, or other frequent areas, such as your mailbox, the laundry or gym area. How well-lit are they?

Examine the Apartment

Take a careful look at the doors and windows. How thick and sturdy are the doors? How easy is it to open a window from the outside? Does the door have a peephole so you can see who’s there before you open it?

Talk to Current Residents

Current residents will know and will probably tell you if there have been a lot of problems. Try to drive around one night after dark and see if there are residents walking around the buildings. If they feel secure, chances are you will too.

Talk to the Management

Find out if the office will check on your apartment or collect your mail for you during an extended absence. Ask them if the locks were changed since the last renter, and if you’re not satisfied, ask to see the receipt for the locksmith. Ask who has access to your apartment and what the policies are for letting employees have a master key.

Talk to the Local Police About Choosing a Secure Apartment

Most police officers are happy to help you before you have to call 911. They may or may not have statistics on the crime rate at a particular apartment complex.

While we can’t assure you that nothing will ever happen in your apartment renting experience, we hope these tips will help ensure that you’re successful in choosing a more secure apartment.

ApartmentSearch by CORT does not guarantee security or safety at any property. For local crime statistics and information, please contact you local law enforcement agency.

Decorating Your Apartment: Add Some Color

Decorating your apartment with color? What? Color? Yep. Color adds mental stimulation, a mood, and variety. Just because most apartments have leases with restrictions on painting doesn’t mean you need to stare at 4 boring white walls every time you come home. Oh, and if you didn’t read part one of “Decorating Your Apartment“, you might want to go back and read that first.

Painting May Be Possible

First, ask your apartment manager about your options. Some will let you paint one accent wall if you promise to turn it back to white before you go. Then, get your mind out of the box, and think about how you might go about decorating your apartment with color while keeping management happy.

Alternatives to Painting Your Apartment

If you can’t paint in your apartment, try decorating your apartment by using supersize canvas from your local art supply or craft store. Or hit the lumber yard and get thin sheets of plywood. Instead of painting the wall, you paint the wood, then attach it or lean it against the wall. There’s also fabric. You might choose a flat piece of fabric in a color that goes along with your theme for that space. Or experiment with decorating your apartment using strips of fabric to create texture.

Remember to Not Damage Your Apartment

It’s important to remember to not damage your apartment or you could get hit with fees. You’ll want to use the smallest thing available to attach it to the wall. You might try thumb tacks. Visit your local hardware store and explain what you want to attach, and tell them you need to make the least noticeable mark on the wall possible. There are some great wall hooks made specifically for this purpose. Also, if you spot one of the maintenance crew at your apartment, ask them for suggestions. They’re usually the ones who have to do the clean up and patching, so they may be able to give you suggestions on decorating your apartment without causing.

Better yet, select a wall you want to accent, get a cheap tensioning curtain rod, and mount it against the opposing walls. From there you can hang drapes or curtains, giving the illusion that there is something behind there, and that you’ve actually got more space then you really do. If you take care, decorating your apartment with this technique shouldn’t even leave a smudge on the wall when you’re ready to move out.

Choose Your Lighting Well When Decorating Your Apartment

While you can’t install your own lighting fixtures in the walls or ceilings of an apartment, there’s a lot you can do if you go out shopping for lamps to fit your functional or theme space needs. For example, a few small lamps in the corners of your bedroom installed with colored light bulbs can give it a romantic feel without the danger of candles. Or a lamp with multi settings and multiple bulbs in your dining area might be able to provide bright light for studying or doing your taxes on the table, or a calmer, background light while watching TV in the evening. Don’t forget the importance of lighting in decorating your apartment.

Shop for Furniture, Organizational Supplies, and Knick Knacks

Now that you’ve got your canvas ready with theme ideas, colors, and lighting, pick the big items to go along with the rest of your apartment personality. Start with just a few major items you need, like a bed and table, then slowly work your way up until you’re happy. Less is definitely more when it comes to decorating your apartment.

Now go get those creative juices flowing, and decorate your apartment!

Renting a college apartment takes some forethought, but it can be done efficiently. Some people even find it fun!

Looking for an apartment in a college town, either for yourself or a son or daughter, can prove to be a daunting task for even the most independent student or trusting parent. With proper planning and research, renting a college apartment can be an easy and rewarding experience for all parties involved. There are a number of factors to consider when choosing an apartment. Read below for some factors that I’ve found most important during my college career.

The most important factor is location. You can save considerable time and money by walking or biking to classes instead of driving (and trying to find that impossible parking spot) if you live close to campus. But, this often comes as a tradeoff, as apartments closer to campus tend to cost more. This rule is by no means set in stone, but finding a cheap apartment close to campus takes more time and work. Trust me, it’s worth it.

A second factor to keep in mind when renting a college apartment is the neighborhood. For example, you might find a dirt cheap apartment, but it isn’t such a good deal if it’s in a crime-stricken neighborhood. Instead of solely relying on price, try to find a balance between proximity to campus, cost and the nearby amenities. Consider the distance to the nearest bank, movie theater, bus stop or grocery store. Also, it’s important to consider your neighbors. Is your apartment in a neighborhood surrounded by other college students or by elderly people? Remember that when you move into your college apartment, the neighborhood can affect the way you feel about your new home just as much as the price.

You may also want to seek out apartments that take pets. No one wants to leave a pet behind and dogs and birds can be invaluable in scaring away would-be thieves. Another important factor is the physical layout and facilities of the apartment. Is the bedroom big enough for your bed? Can the kitchen fit all of your appliances, such as a microwave, coffee maker, or washing machine? If you have a car, does the apartment complex have adequate and safe parking? If you plan to live with roommates, is there enough space for everyone? These are all important questions to consider.

Apartment ratings can be an important help, too. Apartment rating websites often have a wealth of information about the pros and cons of popular apartment complexes, making it much easier for you to weed out the bad seeds when you’re renting a college apartment.

Finally, how do you plan on paying for the apartment? This can be an especially important question for college students, as money tends to run tight. First, check to see if the heating, electric, water, cable and internet are all included in the monthly rental fee or if you have to pay for them individually. Also, make sure to ask about the average monthly costs from past tenants to see if you are consuming too much energy. Check to see if everything is clearly stated on your lease agreement, including the date of payment and the terms of the lease. As you will be probably living in the apartment for months or even years, it’s important to take the time to carefully read over the contract. This will help you to avoid future disputes with the landlord down the road.

Living in an apartment during your college years can be one of the best experiences of your life. Take the time to think about what qualities are important for you. Then browse through our list of apartments for rent to find your perfect college apartment. Don’t forget to claim your reward for renting through ApartmentSearch.com!

Decorating Your Apartment Is Like Furnishing Your Life

Decorating your apartment should be something you look forward to. But that’s not true for everybody.

For some apartment dwellers, finding an apartment is the big challenge and decorating an apartment is an afterthought. Apartments become places where they just store stuff. They think of it as a temporary space, and figure that with the restrictions in their lease about painting the walls that they’re stuck with a generic white apartment treatment that looks like every other apartment on the floor.

With a little decorating creativity, though, you can make your apartment feel more like a real home that says something about your personality. Whether it’s candlelight and pastel-colored, fluffy pillows, or a display of your favorite team’ sports memorabilia, here’re some ideas to get your creative juices flowing and your apartment decorated in style.

Decorate Your Apartment in Themed Spaces

The important thing here is to brainstorm, and not worry too much about how you’re going to decorate. Just get your creative cap on, or invite your more creative friends over to brainstorm ideas and help you with decorating your apartment.

Mentally Divide Your Apartment

Even if it’s only a one bedroom apartment you’re living in, take a look around and mentally partition your apartment into some divisions around which you can create a few different decorating themes. Use the # of bedrooms + 3 rule. That is, you can usually choose a theme for each bedroom in the apartment, and create three other themed spaces. More themed spaces may create a busy, crowded feel; fewer themed spaces may give the impression that you stopped decorating your apartment halfway through.

For example, the best corner in the apartment could become a mini antique display, a spot to highlight family photos, or a morning meditation spot. By creating themed spaces, you’re taking a small, homogenous space and giving it variety. You’ll also make your small apartment feel bigger. That’s what decorating your apartment is all about.

Functional and Random Spaces in Your Apartment

Your themed spaces can be functional and random. For example one corner could be your dog’s, with his doggie bed and a few pictures of him on the wall above it, while the general living room area can evoke a relaxing, laid back feel, with a recliner as the main focus.

A Central Decorating Theme

Try making your apartment’s themed spaces revolve around a central theme. Your living room area could be decorated in a South American fiesta theme, with a large map of the continent on the wall, while your apartment’s bedroom can have an Asian theme, with bamboo pictures and thrift-store lacquer furniture. Use your own style and interests to define how you approach decorating your apartment.

Physically Decorate and Divvy Up Your Apartment’s Space

A divider can be a great way to decorate your themed space and give you even more of a feel that you’ve got more space than you do. These are a great cure for the layout of a studio apartment, which feels like (and is) one big room.

Here’s a creative alternative to the usual wooden dividers: head to your local crafts or sewing store, and ask them about large, folding table pads, used to protect tables from needles and to provide a work surface. You can throw a large sheet, blanket, or other cloth over them to create a different look, and nobody knows what’s under there. Not only might this save you money, but the foam type of material inside makes a great sound absorber, which is important in a small apartment. You never know when you’ll have trouble quieting noisy apartment neighbors, too.

Stay tuned! In our next blog, Decorating Your Apartment Part 2, we’ll give you some tips on how to add color to your apartment while keeping the apartment management happy.