Whether you’re leaving your parents’ house or can’t stand living in dorm rooms anymore, becoming a first-time apartment renter is a part of growing up and an exciting moment in your life. Of course, learning how the renting process works entails new and exciting obligations, as well as the flexibility to choose the right place to call home.
Even the most determined and well-organized first-time apartment hunter might become overwhelmed by the procedure. Apartment searching entails a lot of applications, fees, budgeting, packing, and all the practicalities of relocating which are all stressful, but they are well worth it. To make the transfer as seamless as possible, we prepared a first-time apartment renter checklist with everything you need to know about how to rent your first apartment for a successful relocation.
Choose the right location
California is quite a large state, and you will definitely want to consider all of the options available. But for the sake of simplicity let’s say you choose the city of San Francisco. In such a big city how do you find the right place that is most suitable for you? With so many studio apartments for rent in San Francisco, this may seem like an impossible choice.
However, there are ways to narrow down your choices. Consider how far you’ll be living away from work, for example, a cheaper apartment that is on the other side of town will cost you more because of travel reasons. Another way to narrow down your choices is choosing between a quiet or noisy neighborhood. These are a few examples to help you narrow down your choices.
Determine your budget
It is typical for a first-time apartment tenant to overestimate their ability to pay for rent and other expenses. Rent should not exceed 30% of your total income, according to the US Department of Housing and Urban Development. This isn’t always achievable in costly areas like New York, or Boston, but trying to reduce your housing expenditures to 30 percent or less of your income will help you immensely. Considering a roommate or taking up a side job might help you save money on living expenses.
A rent calculator can help you determine what you can and cannot afford. Enter any part of California as your location, preferred number of bedrooms, and monthly gross income into the rent calculator, and it will handle the rest.
Prepare a checklist of essentials
Once the deal has been set and you have determined your choice it is time you bring your essentials to your new home. Because most of the studio apartments are already furnished and usually come with everything you need you might want to consider things that make you happy and make you relax.
Examples of this are things that make you feel at home, like your favorite coffee mug, or a bowl that you eat your morning cereal in every day. And of course, the mattress has to match the one that you are accustomed to in order to get a well-earned rest. Because let’s face it, you will be living in a new area and you will be up exploring it all day, and a custom mattress of your desire will help you rest in your new bed.
Get renters insurance
Sure, you’re not looking forward to another monthly bill. However, renter’s insurance can save your life if the building you’re in catches fire, a natural calamity strikes, or your home has been the latest target of burglars.
Many tenants mistakenly believe that a landlord’s insurance coverage will cover their personal belongings. Consider how much you own, can you really afford to replace everything out of pocket? Fortunately, renter’s insurance isn’t expensive—usually $20 or less per month—and many landlords now demand it.
Check If All The Lights And Lightswitches Work
If you’re seeing the rental property during the day and there’s plenty of natural light, you might not think to switch on the lights in every room to make sure they work, but you should try to remember to do so. If the light switches don’t appear to function or bulbs in light fixtures need to be replaced, it’s also a good time to check with the landlord to see if you’ll be required to change them yourself.
Go through the same motions with the HVAC in the apartment and all the kitchen equipment, as well as the bathroom.
Final Thoughts
Before you decide to rent a home, make sure you consider not just what’s outside the property and your accessibility to things like public transit, parks, and supermarkets, but also what’s within the rental property. It’s no joy moving into a new apartment only to learn that there are a lot of minor flaws in the area that you must now hound your new landlord to address. You may easily escape liability for most problems in your rental by bringing them up during the move-in walkthrough with your landlord.
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