Tips on Renting an Apartment
Exercising caution and care is crucial when renting an apartment. It is very important to do enough research before signing the lease agreement of your new apartment. After all, a lease is a long term commitment, and also involves significant financial commitment from your side. Here are a few tips on ’things to do’ when you are looking for an apartment to rent.
Research the neighborhood
Visit the neighborhood that you want to live in both during daytime and at night to get an idea of how safe, how noisy or how busy it is at different times of the day. If you have a few apartments lined up on your ‘check them out’ list then take a stroll around them to see how the surroundings are, especially at night.
Talk to ‘neighbors’
Get a feel for the area as well as the apartments by talking to a few ‘potential neighbors’. People who live in the building where you are looking for an apartment will be able to give you a very accurate picture of the pros and cons of the apartment and landlord. Chatting with neighbors also gives you a preview of the kind of people who live in the building.
Check for parking spaces
If you will require a parking space, this is a good time to check what the other apartment dwellers do about their vehicles. You can ask if there is a designated spot for each apartment or, if parking is allotted on payment, what are the charges. You can compare this information with what your landlord tells you when you meet him. If you like the apartment, make sure your landlord includes terms pertaining to the parking area in the lease agreement along with a specific mention of the spot earmarked for your apartment.
Read the lease thoroughly
Never sign the lease in a hurry just because your landlord pressures you into an instant decision. Read through the documents more than once to understand every clause in it. Clarify every doubt you have before you sign on the dotted line. If you find any ambiguity in the lease documents ask your landlord if he can clarify the terms in writing before you finalize the agreement.
Be prepared for a credit check
Many landlords prefer to carry out a credit check on prospective tenants to assess their capacity to pay the rent. They may also ask for details of your employment, your salary slips and other kinds of documentation to show that you have the necessary finances to make payment on time. Carrying these details with you when you go apartment searching is a good way to save time while creating a good impression about yourself with your future landlord.
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