Everyone who has rented more than once has an apartment horror story. Maybe it was a nightmarish neighbor or leaky faucet, perhaps the floor wasn't level or your "quiet yard" backed up to rush hour traffic. Sometimes apartment woes are fairly innocuous, other times a bad apartment can turn into a downright disaster! The following tips can help you or your loved one from living in a lemon.
- Do your research. A major result of the housing bubble bursting was people being evicted from their leased property after a landlord failed to pay their mortgage! Contact the county clerks office and make sure the landlord is not in the midst of foreclosure before you agree to sign a lease.
- Bring a level when you visit properties. The tilt in the floor that doesn't seem like a big deal because you love the location becomes a big deal when the excitement wears off. Un-level cabinets or uneven deck repair speaks to the sort of care you can expect from your landlord and are signs of a bad apartment.
- Find out if your landlord or property manager has a contractor on hand for repairs. If there is not you need to find out how damaged appliances or plumbing will be fixed. A broken fridge or pipe can cost an insured hundreds in lost food or damaged property if you have to wait for regular business hours. A good landlord will provide you with a list of emergency contacts.
- Drive by during different times of day. The apartment complex you see during your visit may look drastically different on a weekend or at night. Don't wait till after you sign the lease to find out you have noisy or unsavory neighbors!
- Drive from your work to the location during rush hour. Depending on the flow of traffic your 20 minute commute could become an hour at this time. Nothing screams bad apartment quite like a long or stressful commute.
Don't forget to contact your agent about a
quote for renter's insurance before you move in!
