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Guide To Finding The Right Apartment

By: Susan Chiang Finding the right apartment requires, time, effort and money. It isn't very hard to find a good apartment if certain basic steps are followed. The time required to find the correct apartment could be anywhere between 1 to 3 months. The following information can be used as an apartment guide.

Sources
There are many sources available today to help you with your apartment search, such as brokers, newspapers, internet, friends and colleagues. Most of the advertisements detail the area in square foot and number of rooms, furnishings and amenities. The internet is a good way to do an apartment search. There are hundreds of websites listing apartments for rent such as http:// www.rent.net which is a popular apartment finder.

Apartment Requirements
Note down your requirements in a notebook:
* Parking space
* Keeping a pet
* Specific room requirements like office, studio, a work room, a storage room etc
* Closet space
* Number of bedrooms and bathrooms
* Size of apartment in square feet
* Kitchen requirements like microwave, dishwasher, broiler etc.
* Are the rooms big enough for your furniture, beds, sofas, mattresses, fitness equipment, piano etc?
* Amenities like elevators, intercoms, cable TV, gym, swimming pool, air conditioner, washer and dryer etc
* Connectivity and commute time to your work place, and availability of public transportation.
* Safety and convenience of neighborhood.
* Decent view and large windows (especially important for those doing indoor gardening)
* Consistent water supply
* Good security

Inspecting the Apartment
Inspect the apartment thoroughly. It is prudent to check out the actual apartment you are going to rent rather than inspecting a sample apartment.

Affordability
The quality of the apartment, neighborhood and amenities have a direct bearing on the affordability of the apartment rental. Most apartment owners also demand a security deposit and a minimum one-year lease.

Roommate
Having a roommate will decrease the cost of the apartment rental considerably. Roommate listings are available in newspapers and on the internet.

Brokers
If you do not have time to conduct an apartment search, then hiring a broker will reduce a lot of burden. However it is better not to pay in advance and pay only after signing a lease. It is also a good idea to research the approximate cost of rent through newspapers and internet in order to avoid being overcharged.

Documents
Good apartments tend to be snatched away quickly, so keeping documents ready may help in signing apartment rental contract earlier. Documents like check book, bank statements, tax returns, employment letter, reference letters, identification such as driver's license should be kept ready.

Finding a good apartment needs effort and patience. Doing the groundwork beforehand is a must to finding a good apartment at a reasonable cost. Read the apartment rental terms and conditions thoroughly before signing the apartment rental agreement.