Important Questions When Apartment Hunting

So as you probably know, I’ve been apartment hunting this weekend for a place down in SoCal. My move there is coming up and it was time to solidify my living situation. Otherwise, as my dad said, “You could just live in a tent on a beach.” Not sure that would be the best solution…

Anyway, I came up with a list of things that you might want to ask about when looking at/inquiring about an apartment:

Parking – if you’re living in a big commuter area and having a car is the best way to get to work, you’ll want to ask about parking. Something apartments have an included parking space, some don’t and you’ll have to park on the street, and others charge an extra monthly fee for a parking space. It’s always good to ask even if you don’t have a car just in case you decide to get one later!

Laundry – laundry is something you’re going to have to do. It’s always good to know if it’s included in the unit or off site or if you’re going to have to drive a ways to go do it. Most places have coin-operated machines but it’s good to check with whoever’s showing you the apartment and actually take a look at the machines.

Utilities – ask whether you need to pay for electricity and water and trash and cable/Internet. It’s an important thing to think about because it will add up if your landlord doesn’t help you out with some of it. Maybe it’s already included in the rent, maybe it’s not. Ask and see what you’re really paying for.

Neighborhood – asking about the neighborhood is a big thing in my book. I want to know what kind of people I’m living around and whether it’s a safe place or not. At one of the places I checked out this weekend, the person showing me the apartment told me that the cops actually hang out around the 7-11 around the corner all the time. I guess that’s a good/bad thing. Good since they’re near by but bad because…well why are they in the area all the time?

Appliances/Furniture – see if the apartment comes pre-furnished or if you’ll need to bring your own appliances. Sometimes, old tenants can leave behind furniture and it’s up to you whether you want it or not. One of the apartments I saw didn’t come with a fridge so I would have to get my own. It’s not a big deal but it’s definitely something I needed to know before moving in. Otherwise I’d have to eat nothing but boxed food and canned goods for while!

Pets – pets are something that some places are ok with and some places are adamantly against. Even if you don’t have a dog or cat or even fish at the moment, ask to see if anything would change if you did decide to adopt a pet later on. Sometimes it’s a matter of the neighbors not wanting pets or sometimes you’ll have to pay some extra each month for your pet.

These are just some things I would think about when looking at apartments. I’m probably forgetting some things but I’d love to hear your thoughts!