(ThySistas.com) For people that have never done it, apartment hunting seems like an exciting thing. Finally, the chance to get your own place and all the freedom that comes with it. You do get all of that, but you have to jump through a lot of hoops first. The unfortunate truth is that landlords are not good people a lot of the time. Ideally, you’d want to own your own home so you don’t have to deal with them but you probably can’t afford that just yet. There’s always a chance that you could get lucky and find a nice one, who genuinely does want to give you a nice home at a reasonable price. But the likelihood is, you’ll get somebody who is trying to squeeze everything they can out of you, so you need to be on your guard. This is your first time so take this advice with you when you go apartment hunting.
The Lease
This is going to sound a bit patronizing, but make sure you read the lease before you sign anything. It sounds obvious but you’d be surprised how many people don’t do it. And when I say read, I mean read properly. Landlords will slip things in that can go unnoticed if you just skim it. The main things that you want to look for are the length of the lease; if it’s your first apartment then you won’t know what you like in a home so it’s best to go for a shorter lease in case you want to move. Also look at the notice period on both sides. Having to give a long notice period if you want to move out could cause you trouble if you need to move quickly. Similarly, if the landlord only has to give you a week notice if he wants to sell the property, you could find yourself in a sticky situation.
Check The Cupboards
This is a great tip because landlords will often try to hide problems like Asbestos, mold, or mice infestations, but they often forget about the inside of the cupboards. Having these things in your apartment is a huge health hazard so it’s vital that you check. Look into the corners to see if there is anything that looks odd, or any mouse droppings anywhere. If you find anything, no matter how small, it’s best not to take the apartment is. It’s probable that the landlord has covered up the issue just before showing you around so these small problems will become big ones after you’ve moved in.
Speak To The Neighbours
If the landlord owns the whole building that the apartment is in, speaking to the neighbors can give you valuable information that will help inform your decision. If the landlord is bad then the neighbors won’t hesitate to tell you about it. They can give you information about whether they are good with maintenance, how flexible they are on rent, what the area is like generally, and much more. You’ll also want to check them out as well; if they don’t seem like the kind of people that you don’t want to be living next door to, then maybe give this one a miss.
Staff Writer; Shawna Rose