Let’s face it: moving out, or renting an apartment for the first time is no easy task. Whether you move off of campus or from your parents’ home to an apartment, you’ll be faced with a lot of things that you would have to tackle on your own.
To make things a little easier for you, here are a few tips for renting your first apartment. These are the essentials that would find you a comfy place and information to get you started.
Renting Your First Apartment
Here are a few things you need to consider when renting your first apartment.
Start Saving for Upfront Costs
For your new apartment, paying the rent won’t be the only financial worry. You ought to save money for the upfront bills, long before your monthly expenses. You’re going to fork out some serious money between processing fees, security deposit, pet deposit if necessary, as well as your rent for first and last months before the landlord hands you the keys to your new apartment.
Therefore, it is better to start saving for these upfront costs beforehand so that you’re fully prepared when you get the keys.
Get the Applicant Information Ready
You would need to gather all your applicant information and any references that you would want to show at the time of booking your apartment. Other weapons in your applicant arsenal include your pay stubs and bank statements. These are for showing that you would be able to pay for the apartment. A savings account also works in case you lose your job.
The aim is to be able to sign all the paperwork when you find your dream apartment.
References Can Help Too
Because it would be your first apartment, you won’t have references as of yet. That may only pose an issue if you’re looking for corporate apartments. Therefore, when you work with private landlords, you’ll be able to communicate with them much better.
Still, either way, references will always help you. If you have lived in dorms, see if you can receive a reference letter from the Resident Assistant that states that you’ve been a decent neighbour. Retrieve written references from the landlord if you have lived in a rented place in the past. Your future new landlord will also call and follow up, so you will get your foot in the door with that message.
Inspect the Neighbourhood
Finding a good apartment is only half the deal. You need to ensure you’re going to a safe and friendly neighbourhood as well.
You can check the neighbourhood in the day if you think safety is a problem. Walk outside to check what the neighbourhood is like and if your lifestyle would blend in. Are there pubs, hotels, nightlife, coffee shops, and more?
In case you are visiting the apartment during the weekend, don’t forget to consider your weekday commute into account. Is it near a subway or railway station? If you’re going to drive to work, what is rush hour traffic like? You can plot a path to see how long it would take at various times during the day for Google Maps. Try predicting how Monday mornings would be like when you move in and if that’s something you’re comfortable in.
Tenant Insurance
Another very important factor to consider while renting your first apartment is tenant insurance.
Just like landlords can have insurance on their property, tenants can also have insurance on their belongings. This helps safeguard the tenant’s belongings in case of a catastrophe, burglary, and other mishaps.
Consider getting tenant insurance before you move into your new apartment so that you can rest assured that your belongings are protected. For further information on tenant insurance in Ottawa, visit Surex.
Take A Look at The Utilities
You would have to find out what utilities come under your responsibility. Whether it’s phone, electricity, hot water, internet, etc. you would have to get in touch with the respective agencies and have them turned up. You would have to put them under your name regardless if the heat and power are working as you first move in. If you don’t do that, you may start on the wrong foot with the landlord or your roommate!
Consider Your Package Deliveries
Ahh..the bliss of online shopping!
As you move in, you would have to consider what things you need in the apartment that you don’t have at the moment. You may order online many of them and have them delivered at the doorstep, however, you would have to be careful about that.
Many apartments have a stringent rule of deliveries; therefore, if you’re ordering something big, try and get it shipped over before you move in. In this way, you won’t have to worry about the delay in your items and moving in.
Wrapping Up
In this article, we discussed a few tips for renting your first apartment.
The tips involved preparing for upfront costs, your applicant documents, and your references, inspecting the neighbourhood, getting tenant insurance, inspecting the utilities, and considering how to get things delivered to the apartment.
We hope that this guide helps you move in smoothly into your new apartment!
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