How to Adult: Renting an Apartment

Parents want you to get out of the house? Looking for a place to live? No need for stressing, all you have to do (if you aren’t ready to buy a house) is rent an apartment. It’s actually not as complicated as it sounds.

There are a few steps you should follow when deciding to rent an apartment:

Find an apartment:
This is probably the most crucial step in the whole process. If you have no idea where to start looking, use Google. It is your friend to search for rentals. Find an apartment complex that’s at a safe location and the people don’t seem too shady. You need to ask yourself, “Can I see myself living here?” before making a decision. Don’t forget to visit potential prospective rentals. You don’t want to buy something you’ve never stepped foot into. When visiting, ask current apartment owners what their experience has been like.

Figure out how much you can afford
Everyone loves money. It’s human nature. So to make sure you don’t break the bank, you need to find an affordable place to live. Rule of thumb: it’s suggested to spend about 30 percent of your income on rent. If you can’t find a place within your budget, consider getting a roommate to split the cost. Remember some apartments may have income requirements that will put you out of the running altogether.

Fill out the rental application
When you find an apartment that suits you, you’ll probably have to fill out a rental application. Landlords typically use the application to screen potential renters. The application will ask questions such as your employment and monthly income as well as your rental history. You’ll have to sign a consent form giving permission to the apartment manager to run a background and credit check. Be completely honest when filling out the application. Any lies on the application will most likely be discovered during the background check which could lead to your application at the bottom of a trash bin. If the manager approves your application, you’ll then be asked to come into the apartment building to sign a lease.

Sign the lease
After your application has been approved, the apartment manager will ask you to come to the office and sign a lease. This is where you can bring up any concerns you have about the apartment. At this time, you can also negotiate for better terms. Read the lease carefully because once you sign the dotted line, you’re stuck with the terms printed in the lease.

Move in and enjoy
You’ve made it this far. All that’s left to do is to move into your new apartment. Remember to be a responsible apartment owner or you might get kicked out.

That’s all there is to it. Renting an apartment isn’t as hard as it seems, now was it?