Beginner’s Guide to Apartment Hunting

Ready for a Change?

The new year can bring a lot of change, including change of house! If this is you, then congratulations for taking such a big step. Finding the place you’re committing to pend the next year of your life is exciting, but can be overwhelming. And if this is your first time, it can be confusing.

When I first started apartment hunting, I had just moved to somewhere with the complete opposite climate I was used to, which meant I had no idea what was good or bad in apartments here. For starters, I didn’t know how to check for leaky windows, or to ask about snow removal. I didn’t even know to ask the average utility cost!

But over the years I’ve learned some things that are essential when apartment hunting, so I’ve worked to compile them into a list for anyone who might’ve had similar struggles.

Where to Start

The hardest part about looking is figuring out where to begin. These might not be perfect for you, but even if it helps get the ball rolling, that’s great!

You’re planning on living somewhere for at least a year, so you need to know what would make that place ideal for you.

1. Make a List

The easiest way to start this project is to fantasize. Take out a pen & paper to make a list of your Nice to Have’s, Need to Have’s, and Deal Breakers.

These can be really basic things. My personal Need to Have’s include natural light and off street parking, while my Nice to Have’s are more things like a clawfoot tub (the dream) and a dishwasher.

Knowing what’s your deal breaker is just as important as your needs. Some things just can’t be made up for by a good price and a shiny coat of paint. My list includes an insane commute, no hot water, and being in an overly dangerous area among other things.

It’s important to understand why you like something to know you’re making your decision for the right reasons.

2. What’s Your Ideal Commute?

If you’re moving for school or work (which is less of a worry during Covid it seems), you need to be comfortable with how long it takes you to get where you need to be.

Public transit isn’t available everywhere, so it’s good to know if you’re going to be spending an hour in the car twice a day. Included in that time, it’s a good idea to look at traffic during rush hour. This can easily be done by mapping your route from your potential home to your work/school/etc and then changing the “Set depart or arrive time” to your desired time.

3. What’s Your Budget?

The general rule of thumb is that your rent+utilities shouldn’t exceed 1/3 of your monthly income. With the real estate market what it is, I know that’s not always what ends up happening, but it’s still something to strive for.

The price can be a trade off, being more expensive for convenience and less expensive for safety etc, but you should never feel like your rent is preventing you from being able to eat or live comfortably.

4. What Purpose Will It Serve?

You need to know what your apartment’s job is. With the pandemic, many of our homes have also become our offices. If that’s the case for you, do you want a larger living room or do you want an extra bedroom to accommodate that need?

Or maybe you’re looking to have your own garden. This could take the form outdoor space or even a small balcony.

Looking to live with your furry friend? Make sure wherever you’re looking is pet friendly and budget in a little extra in case of potential “pet rent.”

5. How Walkable Do You Want It?

My favourite place to live is one that’s surrounded by life. I’m talking about the kind of life that doesn’t need a car to be experienced. Being able to walk out your front door and go down a couple blocks for dinner, drinks, or even some green space is the best way for me to spend my off-time away from school or work.

You can check your neighbourhood walkability score here on many sites, but this is the one I like to use:

Apartment Checklist

We’ve put together a downloadable checklist you should feel free to take with you on your apartment tour and fill in.

Along with that, we’ve made an apartment comparison Excel Sheet to help you narrow down your decision so that you pick the best apartment to suit your needs! That being said, here are the basic things to look for when you’re deciding on your future apartment.

How to Find Open Apartments

1. Online Search: Commerical

I’m sure by now (at least in the USA) you’re familiar with sites like Rent.com, Zillow, etc. These sites are great resources because of ability to filter content.

Filters include things like:

• Number of bedrooms

• Pet policies

• Location (Zillow can actually draw borders)

• Monthly rent

• Rent price comparison to market price

These sites are also free and generally do not require fees for contacting potential landlords.

Tips:

• Sort by New and check periodically to hopefully snap up a really good deal

• If they have listings in a larger building, feel free to ask if they have any other openings in that building besides the current listing

• If you have a good credit score, don’t be afraid to casually sprinkle that into the conversation

• Don’t put down any money until you’ve seen the apartment to avoid being scammed

• Application fees are capped in many states like New York, so if the application fee is higher than the legal limit, you know that landlord is most likely going to spend your whole living period scamming you in one way or another

  • a.k.a. say goodbye to your security deposit no matter what you do

2. Online Search: Independent

Great deals and great landlords can often be found independent from corporations. Obviously, that’s not always the case, but it can give you a lot more flexibility in the long term if you have a good relationship with your landlord whose just some guy and not a manager following specific rules he cannot bend.

Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, and even coffee shop bulletin boards are great places to look for a new apartment. You also tend to get older houses with a little more character (or issues) going down this route.

Because these are just people, they’re not as good with keywords as their corporate counterparts. That means when you’re searching these sites, you have to use every keyword you can think of, turn filters on and off, and constantly be refreshing to find hopefully your next home.

Tips:

• Sort by New and check periodically to hopefully snap up a really good deal

• If they have listings in a larger building, feel free to ask if they have any other openings or properties besides the current listing

• If you have a good credit score, don’t be afraid to casually sprinkle that into the conversation

• Don’t put down any money until you’ve seen the apartment to avoid being scammed

• Never go alone while touring

• Tour with someone who knows what a good apartment looks like

3. Word of Mouth

All your friends and colleagues live somewhere, which means that those people are walking resources. It may be as easy as a friend has an opening in their building or needs a roommate. More likely, though, someone saw a for lease sign down their street.

If nothing else, these people can tell you why they like their specific neighbourhoods and what they’ve found is necessary in an apartment.

Making Sure It’s A Good Place

So you’ve found somewhere that meets most of you needs, but how do you know it’s in a good area? Visiting it once will only tell you so much. Here’s a quick list that we like to go through before making the final decisions of new housing.

1. Check the Crime Stats

When looking at potential neighbourhoods, make sure to use a crime stats just to know what you’re getting yourself into. While the score itself can tell you a lot, looking deeper is also extremely helpful. Not all crime is created equal, and I’m personally much more comfortable living in an area known for petty theft than an area known for armed car jacking.

In that same vein, it can also be useful to look at the registered sex offender map just to err on the safe side.

2. Find Out Why It’s Open

It’s good to know why the previous tenants left. Asking them is the best option because it also helps you get a real impression of a potential landlord, but asking the landlord can also be useful. Ideally the apartment is open because someone graduated, bought a house, or had to move for work. If they were kicked out for something trivial or because the landlord wanted more income from a new contract, it’s pretty telling of how you as a tenant would be treated. When in doubt vibe it out.

3. Drop By The Neighborhood

Just driving by or walking thorough a potential neighborhood can be all you need sometimes to decide if that’s the right area for you. It’s good to look around and see if there are any restaurants, cafes, or parks around that you could see yourself enjoying. It’s also very helpful to see if your potential neighbors have any signs stating their beliefs. It’s a good way to know what you’re getting yourself into before you can’t leave.

This method really comes down to gut feeling. If it feels right to you, it might just be the right place to call home!

Have Someone Look Over Your Contract Before You Sign

Get someone you trust and ask if they’ll go through a potential lease contract with you. There are a lot of things you might not know to look for if it’s your first place, and sometimes there are just odd things snuck in there that you won’t want any part of. I’ve had several people tell me that their lease included a clause stating that their landlord could drop by randomly for “security checks." That’s not something you want.

You have the power to negotiate. That contract is not final until you and the landlord both sign it. If you’re uncomfortable with some clauses, ask for them to be changed. Remember to be specific if you ask for a change. If your landlord wants to drop by randomly, be clear that you’ll need at least 24 hours, 2 days, 1 week, etc, notice before he arrives. Make sure any agreed upon changes are also in the final contract.

Know your rights as a tenant(they vary from state to state) and make sure everything is in order. Trust is an important part of a lease, and at the end of the day you want a good relationship with your landlord, if possible.

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Anything we missed? Let us know!