What should a tenant look for in an apartment?

One of the most important things to consider when looking for in an apartment is "location, location, location". You want to pay very close attention to the area that you are apartment shopping in. Location is always important because of neighbors, jobs and schools. You obviously do not want to live in a neighborhood with excessive noise, bad traffic or high crime rates so you want to look at all of these things when deciding on an apartment. Take a drive or walk through the neighborhood at different times of the day so you can observe what the neighborhood is like during rush hour, after school and at night. This will give you a very good idea on what the neighborhood is like and whether or not you should live there.

It is also important to make sure that the unit is clean and well maintained. Unkempt grass, trash in the hallways and run down units should all raise a red flag. Knippa says, "When you are shopping for apartments...you should look at the whole complex. How is the maintenance? Is it obvious that it needs an exterior paint job and that the complex has not done it or can't afford to do it? Does the pool area look nice and do they have fire extinguishers placed strategically in the complex?" In addition, you should make sure that the complex, the landlord and the property manager is compliant with all laws and regulations and that the unit is safe. Gary Knippa, a property management company owner with over 30 years of experience in the real estate field, tells consumers to "In addition, you should make sure that the complex, the landlord and the property manager is compliant with all laws and regulations and that the unit is safe. Gary Knippa, a property management company owner with over 30 years of experience in the real estate field, tells consumers to "First, as the tenant, be aware of your rights. Be aware of what a landlord is obligated to do regarding the law, regarding the smoke detectors, marking sure all the windows have proper locks and locks. Mainly from a tenant's perspective, it's health and safety items...there [are] many security issues [to consider] like, is there a lockable gate that gets access into the courtyard of the complex? When you look at the unit, does it have smoke detectors in each bedroom?"

You also want to make sure that the unit you are looking at is within your price range and is a good value for your money. Knippa explains, "Another good thing is to be informed on pricing. Does the price that you are seeing compare to the price per square foot with other units that you might have seen that day through the course of doing your looking and being an informed buyer?" Do not allow "first month free" specials to talk you into moving in an apartment that really is not a good deal after all.

If the rent is very low, chances are there are not utilities included. Considering the extremely high costs of energy bills nowadays, it may be cheaper to rent a more expensive unit that includes some or all utilities.