After several years of diligently saving money, I’m nearly ready to purchase my first home. Because I’ve been thinking about buying a home for so long, I know exactly what I want my house to look like. I desire a place that has three bedrooms and three bathrooms. I also need a quiet space to set up my home office in. I want a massive, walk-in closet in my master bedroom. My master bathroom needs to have double vanities, a tiled, walk-in shower, and a Jacuzzi tub. On this blog, I hope you will discover how to set priorities during your new home search. Enjoy!
A New Home Search
Three Smart Strategies To Help You Find The Right Apartment
Elli Jokela
The basics of apartment hunting are common sense—look for a clean place in the best neighborhood you can afford that is close to work or school and offers good local shopping and entertainment options. However, it's best to dig a little deeper while you're at it. Following are three strategies for ensuring that you end up in the right apartment.
Visit the Area In the Off Hours
Apartment showings are generally booked during business hours. Although it's a good idea to see the building, the grounds, and the general neighborhood during the bright light of day, you should also return to the area once during the evening and once during the weekend before making your final decision. Apartment communities and surrounding areas can differ wildly during different times of the day or week, and the serene, quiet environment you saw during your daytime appointment may very well change into something else after hours. You'll also want to see what surrounding traffic is like during the evenings and weekends.
Ask the Same Types of Questions as if You Were Buying a House
If you're like most people, your tour of a potential apartment is pretty basic—you determine if your furniture will fit, if the general area is to your liking, if the apartment's style is something you'll be comfortable living with, and other fairly superficial criteria. However, you can save yourself potential future hassles by treating a prospective apartment lease a little more like a possible home purchase. You don't have to go overboard, but ask pertinent questions about the working order of the various appliances. While most landlords are responsible for the repair and upkeep of water heaters, ranges, refrigerators and other large appliances that come with the unit, some landlords are sluggish about performing necessary repairs. You might also want to ask if the unit has a history of mold, particularly if you or another member of your household experiences allergies. Definitely ask if the unit has lead-based paint or plumbing fixtures if you have children who will be living with you there.
Do a Little Online Sleuthing
Use the internet to learn a little bit more about your potential new home and the neighborhood in which it is located. Websites exist solely for the purpose of rating landlords and properties.You can also run the name of the property management company or private landlord through a search engine. You can also read about the experiences of tenants in places you're interested in to get an idea of what life is like there. For more information on successful apartment hunting, feel free to contact your local real estate office at your earliest convenience.
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