What you pay for your apartment and
how fancy it is depends on your negotiation and deal-finding skills. However,
before you negotiate anything, you've got to decide what you're looking for in
your rented space. Read on for six steps to help you find an apartment for
the lowest possible rental rate.
Seek
Web Help in Picking Features
If you don't know what features are available in your area, try exploring
the websites of online apartment locator services. You can search for
apartments based simply on whether you want a one- or two-bedroom apartment or
by other features. It's a great way to find out both what your pad will cost
and what neighborhoods have the features you want.
Avoid
Choosing a Home Based on Perceived Value
You can get a great deal on an apartment with vaulted ceilings and
an island kitchen, but the neighborhood may not be what you're looking for, or
it's missing other things that topped your list of desired features. Don't make
the mistake of renting
an apartment because it seems like a good deal
according to someone else's needs but not a good deal based on your needs.
Call
a Locator in Your Area
Look online or in a physical phone book for numbers for apartments
in your area.
- Call at least
two and ask about which rental communities and neighborhoods have the most
features that you want within your price range.
- Ask about
specials. You may be able to find an apartment that would normally go for
$1,000 a month for $800 per month.
- Because the locator will get a commission if you choose a property he or she recommends, make sure the locator calls ahead to see if the two to three properties you like have the best units available.
Always
Call a Community Before Visiting
Before you visit a property, call before visiting to get a quote
on prices. Once you are on the property, the leasing agent may hope to wow you with features, but on the
phone it's all about the numbers. Compare the figures you received from your
locator with the number you gathered from online and local apartment locator
services.
Tour
Properties in Person
While virtual tours can be found on most apartment complexes'
websites, there's no substitute for visiting a community in person. Websites
will provide an idea of what the community and interior look like, and should
be used as an initial screen. Walking around your potential new neighborhood
and apartment will give you a better feel for the location, Also, don't limit
the search to one property; visit at least two, so that you have a comparison.
Reevaluate Your Feature List
During the very first step of the process of finding a fabulous
new place to live that's also easy on your wallet, you developed a list of what
features that are important to you in and around your new home. You should have
also decided what you are willing to pay for them. Now that you have at least a
couple different properties to choose, see if you still hold the same values.
Adjust your list accordingly as to what each feature is worth before doing your
final comparisons of cost versus home value.
Summary
Once you know what you want and what it will cost, sit down and
think about your choices in the following two ways:
- Look at your
actual budget. Consider whether one apartment would leave you with more
money left over.
- Evaluate an
apartment's worth based on the sum of values you haves assigned to the
features from your list. Make sure the actual rent you pay is within
reason for what you can afford.
Knowing you have an actual value for what's important to you will
enable you to make a decision on where you live based on your own needs instead
of a community advertisement.
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