No matter if you’re moving into your first apartment or if you’ve been through this process a few (or many) times before, there are certain basics to be aware of before you undergo your apartment search process. During this time, it’s completely natural to feel stressed or uncertain ahead of your big move, but rest assured that with the right tips and tricks, your apartment relocation should be largely simple and stress-free.

Things To Know Before Buying an Apartment

Looking for the most foolproof system to follow for what to do before buying an apartment? Discover our seven stellar steps below!

• Understand your budget

As you begin your search for the perfect apartment to call home, one of the most important things you can do is to understand your own budget. Knowing the budget you can realistically afford is a critical part of the process. The typical rule of thumb is that your rent should be about one-third of your monthly income. This rule can be altered depending on your individual circumstances, but this is why it’s crucial to understand what you can truly afford. Plan a budget for what a typical month would look like in a new apartment, and see what rent cost would leave you with enough funds for your other essentials and extras. Be aware of utilities and other bills during this process. This is also an important time to consider who you will be living with, if anyone, and if you will need to find roommates.

• Prepare what you need to provide

When you apply for an apartment, you will need to prepare a few different things to provide to the landlord. Usually, you will need to give a form of identification, two pay stubs to show proof of income, credit score, and rental references to show that you haven’t had any evictions or other issues with previous rentals (if applicable). Your prospective landlord will also complete a background check to verify your eligibility and check for things such as a criminal record. Be ready to offer this information to the landlord transparently.

• Don’t wait until the last minute

As with most things in life, waiting until the last minute to handle them only results in undue stress and chaos. Rather than procrastinating, give yourself ample time to search for apartments. You can never predict how long it will take for you to find the right place for you. There are many factors, such as budget, location, and availability, that can alter the speed of this process. Sometimes the way apartments appear online ends up being much different than they actually look in person. Even if a place seems perfect following the tour, there may be other applicants who act faster, which can’t be foreseen. Because of this, it’s wise to allow yourself more time than you anticipate so you can avoid any stress or difficulties.

• Assess the location

Location is everything. Even if you absolutely adore an apartment, the location could take the grade from an A+ to an F. Everyone has different specifications for their apartment location, depending on what they prioritize among their own wants and needs. Of course, for most people, safety is a huge key. We usually want to find an area that feels as safe and comfortable as possible. Other than that, proximity to important places like work and school is a huge factor. If you plan on driving a lot, you want to be able to easily park your car somewhere close by and get where you need to go swiftly. If you want to use public transportation, it’s important for your area to have easily accessible transit options. Among these considerations, you also want to be in a place you enjoy. These are major ideas to examine as you choose your future home.

• Establish your deal breakers

Before you start your search, know your requirements for buying an apartment. For each individual, their deal breakers will be different. These are aspects that you absolutely require (or absolutely want to avoid) in your new place. Although you don’t need to know every little detail of what you want, you should establish your deal breakers ahead of time to make sure you end up renting a place you truly like. Perhaps you really need central air, or maybe you decide an in-unit washer and dryer is one of your requirements. Another common need is that the apartment needs to allow pets. Whatever it is that you require, be clear about that during apartment hunting.

• Anticipate decluttering

Living in an apartment, there is often limited storage space. Especially if you were previously living in a single-family home ahead of this move, you may have too many items that you need to narrow down. Unless you plan on investing in storage space, you will need to complete a thorough decluttering before you move into your new residence. This involves sorting through your belongings and deciding which items you no longer want or need. You can separate your items into different categories: donate, sell, trash, and keep. Plenty of thrift stores will gladly take your gently used items, and for items that are valuable or in particularly good condition, you can opt for selling. If you have a lot you want to sell at once, opt for a good, old-fashioned yard sale. This is a fairly easy strategy, and it can help you to easily clear out your home.

• Get ready to organize

Finally, as you prepare to move to your new home, do what you can to make the upcoming organizational process easier. As previously mentioned, apartments typically have less storage space than you may be used to in a house, or perhaps your new apartment won’t have as much storage space as your current one. In either case, you will want to stay as organized as possible, as this can make the storage situation a lot more ideal. Things like shelving, under-bed storage, and pieces of furniture that have storage areas within them are excellent options to make the best use of the space you’re working with.

What to look for when buying an apartment

With these seven tips in mind, you’re prepared to get out there and find the perfect apartment for you and your needs! Prevent yourself from feeling stressed, and search for an apartment like a pro. And if you’re looking for the help of true professional movers to make your move even easier, count on Cord Moving and Storage Company for all your needs. We can make your residential move a breeze with our trusted service at a competitive price. Interested in relying on Cord for your next move? Request a free quote today!