Tips for Renting an Apartment for the First Time

Someone who decides to move away from home for the first time, and into an apartment, steps into an independent lifestyle as well as a world full of new questions.

Driving by an apartment complex with several swimming pools and meticulously kept landscapes, a sight that is appealing for many first-time renters, is not the same as living there, and it does not cost any money, not yet.

Preparing oneself for the sales pitch from the apartment manager, and the questions she will have for the new renter, can feel like preparing for an excruciating job interview, but it is really much easier, and potentially just as exciting, as landing a new job.

Apartment managers want to know a few things about the renter. Most importantly, they want to know that the new renter will pay his rent on time and not bail out of the lease agreement, forcing expensive court action on the apartment owners. New renters should expect apartment managers will run a credit check and check with the renter’s employer to verify he has the means for paying the rent.

Landlords also want to know how many people will be living in the apartment. They may ask some impersonal questions about the relationship between the renter and the person sharing the apartment. What they are really asking is whether the renter intends to rent space in the apartment to someone else.

Some apartments have strict policies against subleasing arrangements. Getting caught in this, a tenant may commit a breach of the lease contract and be evicted.

Apartment managers will also share with the tenant a list of apartment community rules. This is a way of advising the new renter, before either party commits to the lease, what kind of personal behaviors are forbidden. For instance, there will be rules about noise levels, conducting business in the apartment that might infringe upon the privacy of other tenants, how many cars a tenant can park in the parking lot, and keeping pets in the apartment.

These rules are not personal, but they are put in place to protect the rights and privacy of the community as a whole.

Renters should go into the interview with questions of their own. They should ask what is included in the price of the rent. Some possibilities are internet service, cable television, and utilities. There may also be a fee for the use of amenities such as private party rooms, swimming pools, and other recreational extras.

Moving into independent living is an exciting time. Finding the perfect match of an apartment with a renter is a rewarding experience. Coming into the process prepared will ensure that both parties are equally satisfied.

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