x things I wish I knew before I started renting an flat

broad city abbi apartment

Your apartment should be somewhere you lot're comfy.
Comedy Central

My roommate and I didn't spend a lot of time flat hunting or researching for places or areas to alive when nosotros outset decided nosotros wanted to move in together. The four weeks that we spent looking for places were pretty quick because nosotros thought we knew exactly what we wanted and when we wanted it.

When my roommate found the building we at present live in, we were both smitten immediately by the attractions, features, and glam of living in an sometime high-rising edifice in the middle of Eye City, Philadelphia. As our lease agreement comes to an end in about 2 months, nosotros've both spent time reflecting on how nosotros can enhance our apartment hunting feel this fourth dimension around.

In our search, nosotros narrowed down ten things nosotros wish nosotros knew before we began our journey a year agone.

Make sure you lot empathize exactly what you're paying for.

It might look pretty, but it'south important to read the reviews.
Ryan DeBerardinis/Shutterstock

As it appears online, our flat building has an abundance of luxury features that were advertised to u.s.a. when we commencement decided to sign on. In our rather expensive monthly rent, information technology is said that the following amenities are included in our bank check: 24-60 minutes emergency maintenance and forepart desk coverage, fundamental laundry facility with oversized equipment and waiting area, controlled access entry, package and dry make clean receiving, fitness center with a cardio theater, and on-site direction, among others.

Alongside those luxuries, we also pay for utilities which includes heat/ac, water and electric. All of these concepts seem pretty standard, right? Except, when our bathroom ceiling is leaking at ix p.m. on a Monday night, and nosotros telephone call the front end desk-bound, nobody answers for the first half hr of our incessant calling. And second to that, when nosotros ask for our "24-hour maintenance," the man on-call has to travel from New Bailiwick of jersey to our apartment to even "take a expect."

My advice? Read the reviews, and ask for a specific breakdown of your utility use every month.

Be realistic.

Have measurements of your apartment and plan accordingly.
Vanessa Porter/Flickr

Although my roommate went and saw the identify before we moved in, I didn't have the run a risk.

The only view of our apartment I looked at was the pattern. I did most of my planning co-ordinate to that little box that was labeled "bedroom" without even accurate measurements of what would fit in that infinite. On motility-in day, I had the misfortune of learning I couldn't squeeze my queen-size bed and my babyhood dresser into the same living space.

Make sure to plan appropriately and become and see the identify if you can. Measurements are one thing merely seeing the place is a whole other story.

Take notice of the location.

Decide if you want somewhere loud and heady or quiet.
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Where I live is ideal for 2 20-something-twelvemonth-olds who like to be social, go out on weekends and work in unlike areas of a smaller city. Nevertheless, when we first moved, I had essentially no idea what I was getting myself into. I didn't know where the subway was in relation to the apartment edifice, I didn't know my area was the expressionless eye of the urban center, and I certainly didn't know that on any given Friday dark the two clubs from beyond the street would be loud plenty to hear through open windows on the second floor. Before making a determination, look effectually the area to run into what might pose a problem.

Think what your priorities are.

Decide what amenities​ are virtually important to you.
HBO

When I moved dorsum domicile later on graduating from college I counted the days until I could motion out of my parents' house. By the third month of living at home, I didn't take much of a preference about the apartment, except that I needed one to live in.

Afterwards a year of living in this apartment, I accept found myself maxim "I wish the flat had" or "thank goodness the apartment has" or "I couldn't imagine what I'd practice if the apartment didn't have" and so on. If I hadn't been in such a hurry to leave habitation, I would've considered the amenities that I notice to be so integral nigh my living state of affairs now, and maybe fifty-fifty sought after others that I don't currently have access too.

Check out the entire building.

Cheque to see if things like the laundry machine work.
Fox

This ane is actually important. Even yet, there are spaces in my apartment building that I've not seen, or that yet cloy me to this day. Not merely should you look all around your specific apartment unit of measurement to make sure everything is in order and everything that'south advertised is actually there, but you lot should make certain to look around the building or the circuitous equally a whole.

I was in for a surprise the starting time fourth dimension I went to the gym down the hall from my apartment to detect that there were only 3 treadmills and 3 ellipticals, which is not the "cardio theater" I believed it to exist. In order to make a truly informed decision about what you're really getting, you don't desire to take whatsoever surprises after yous've already signed the charter just to be disappointed by what the reality of the situation is.

Accept that not everything volition go according to plan.

You might find a cockroach or two.
Yodchompoo/Shutterstock

For the most role, apartment living is pretty standard. Occasionally you'll see a few unexpected obstacles that you might not accept been expecting. After our first full month in the apartment, my roommate and I found our first roach on the kitchen floor. When I inevitably overreacted and freaked out, both of my parents shrugged and said: "that'southward apartment living."

Of course, information technology's still off-putting and unnerving to run across a roach in the sink once a month or so, just information technology'south not a strange concept anymore and we know how to take care of the problem at present. Things like this are going to happen and they will throw you lot off, but you take to learn to exist resilient

Who you live with is as of import every bit where you live.

Finding the perfect roommate is key.
Warner Bros.

I was lucky plenty to discover a roommate who wanted all of the same things as me, simply figuring out who you want to live with (even if it's merely yourself) might be the hardest part of the journey.

Finding somebody you lot're uniform with in terms of living habits and priorities is extremely difficult and takes fourth dimension to effigy out. Don't exist afraid to alive on your own if it's your best selection, or tell somebody you lot don't want to live with them anymore if they don't seem like a good match.

And if you are fortunate enough to observe somebody who you experience comfortable lodging with, communication is key. As cliche equally that sounds, when my roommate and I first moved in together we had completely different ideas of what we idea the other person wanted. My roommate thought I wanted to get out every dark and be social all the time, while I idea she wanted to exist out every night with dissimilar groups of people.

It turned out both of us wanted nothing more than to come up home from piece of work and sit down on the couch with a glass of wine.

Accept a articulate budget.

Be realistic about what you tin can beget.
Screenshot via Mad Money/Big City Pictures

Having a strict limit on what you can realistically afford to pay in rent is a major office of the battle and will proceed yous in line to search for places that yous won't strain to pay for. This is even more important if the place you similar the most predictably raises their rent prices every year with a new lease. Definitely remember to ask nearly that when you offset sign on. That "renew your lease" electronic mail a twelvemonth later tin be pretty jarring if you're not expecting the price of rent to increase past $100 when you're still making the same amount of coin.

Have some fun in the procedure.

Get excited about the prospect of being on your own in a new place.
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Understandably, searching and taking intendance of your first apartment can be quite stressful. After a few weeks, if you're not finding something you can see yourself in, it tin get pretty frustrating and discouraging.

Similarly, a few weeks after moving in you lot might not notice your living space to be a reflection of what you wanted. All of these factors tin contribute to taking this process super seriously.

To some degree, information technology's important to invest in this process because this will be your living situation for as long as you lot sign on a lease but it, it'due south also equally as crucial to enjoy yourself and have some fun with the apartment hunting and moving in process. This is to be your new space, and then decorate it, invite people over and show them around.

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