Amazing Tips For People Getting Their First Apartment...(r/AskReddit)

what is your first apartment tip set a budget and stay within it don't let yourself be talked into something you can't really afford if you see one Mouse take it very seriously there are bound to be more and they have likely been issues in the pastures in rat poop on every surface edit of course mice push out rat crap do you even vermin fill out the check and check out sheet extremely throughly if you don't list something that's damaged when you move in it's not uncommon for them to keep your security deposit and even charge you extra when you move out unless you have proof they have the legal upper hand to charge you so that they can make repairs for things that weren't your fault if you have roommates all on a lease make sure you remove your name from the lease if you leave before they do even if it's expensive to break it I learned the hard way and got sued for $5,000 in damages that weren't my fault introduce yourself to the neighbors you share a wall floor ceiling with if anyone is annoyed by loud music or pot smoke or whatever it makes them more likely to come directly to you instead of the landlord make sure the flush of the toilet works correctly dish soap is not a replacement for your dishwasher soap document everything they cannon will shaft you on the way out I moved in with a broken blind blade on one window and didn't document it they charged me 50 dollars for a new set of blinds pocketed the money and left it for the next guy make sure it has decent water pressure take your time looking at a place don't feel rushed if the person showing you the place rushes you ask to reschedule check windows in case they stick try each tap for good water pressure flush the toilet check for lit pilots on furnaces open cabinets to check for water damage identify basic safety issues like quality of exterior doors lock alt hand railings on stairs document anything and everything budget for renters insurance and accurately inventory your belongings don't get an over your head on your budget if a roommate bails will you be okay , and do prioritize your quality of life educate yourself on any potential legal issues your rights your landlord's rights also many states afford rights to people guests whose a certain time but be careful who you let crash or you may have a really tough time evicting them when you need your space back Google address for bedbugs ask how pest problems are dealt with and if there are any current ones ask about the culture of the building and why the last person moved out get renters insurance you're gonna mess up in one way or another take as many notes as you can of all the mistakes agile definitely makes so you can learn from them when second apartments time comes along get a plunger before you need one also get a bathroom trash can that has a lid keep a fire extinguished near the door if you put it near the stove if the stove is on fire you might not be able to get to it if it's by the door you can grab it while evacuating and then make the decision on whether or not to go back in once you're safely outside rather than having to decide which way to run out or to the fire extinguisher in the middle of an emergency you can by Universal fire extinguisher for $15 at any store like Walmart also make sure your smoke detectors work your landlord should be responsible for making sure you have them well it's on you to change batteries etc and they're not expensive if your landlord is dawdling just buy your own and include the receipt as part of your rent or something paying an extra twenty dollars is better than being dead try not to spend any unnecessary money during the first month or two then you'll hopefully have some laid back for when you might need it and you'll be sure to know how much you can and have to spend good luck do a walk-through with the landlord and video every part of IT the day you move in have a box bag with toilet paper a hand towel some soap some plastic cups and paper towels in it that box bag should be the first thing you put in the apartment and should be unpacked immediately during the move you'll eventually need to use a bathroom or drink water now you can any damage that happens while you're there and is not your fault document IT our neighbors above us had a flood and it soaked out walls and carpet we called and no one came to fix it when we moved out they tried to charge us for water damage luckily I had photos and videos of the damage and we were able to get out of it edit floor to flood lol always have at least a month's rent in savings ideally more most of us are only one or two setbacks away from not being able to afford rent at least have the security of being able to afford rent even if you lost your job tomorrow this goes for any move not just apartments the first thing that should be moved in his a roll of toilet paper into every bathroom read everything and ask questions before you sign anything also take pictures video and write down every possible thing flow in that apartment also I would ask if there are any additional fees associated with the apartment for example I moved into a two bed / 2 bath apartment in PHX on a $1100 mo special they did not tell me there with trash disposal fees pest control fees water etc on top of the $1100 mo rent I caught it in the small print I read before signing those little additions added up to almost another 150 dollars now a good landlord will let you take the cost of minor repairs and improvements off the rent if you ask in advance do the work yourself and provide receipts lease signing is an ideal time to negotiate when I got my first apartment a window had no curtain found out later that was because the previous tenant had trashed the place the owner had meant to replace it but hadn't gotten around to it so I showed her an example at what I had in mind gave her a cost estimate and she gave the okay that window needed a curtain one way or another got something nicer this way than what I would have sprung for on my own don't rent the apartment that's underneath the room with the communal washer/dryer if there's a problem with the Machine overflowing or water piped drain hose it's gonna be mostly your problem feed your lease agreement it's becoming extremely common that even death will not release a tenant from the contract or they don't offer a lease breaks altogether always ask how you can get out of your lease if something comes up also know that even if you're not occupying the space you are still required to pay the rental installments until you fulfill your lease agreement ask if prorating is an option if you're moving at the middle or later in the month ask if proration is an option that way you don't have to pay the full month any communication you have between the landlord of the Accounts Manager about your lease agreement or account statements have everything in writing this protects your rights as a tenant just in case they're playing games with your account or lease agreement call maintenance for every single thing they might get annoyed but think about this if you mess something up and put in a request you have a 50 stroke 50 chance of them fixing it for free if you leave and they do their inspection and it's messed up than you will almost always get it snatched from your security deposit note use the Craigslist help job offered section let's say you mess something up and it's totally your fault and you know 100% they will make you pay for it there is almost always someone on Craigslist willing to repair it for about 50% of the cost of a contract of the apartment people hire the economy isn't amazing there are tons of people on Craigslist who aren't looking for cheap jobs because they don't know what they are doing if they're looking for cheap jobs because their field might be hard to find work in or they hit a rough spot or maybe they just do site jobs because they either one make more direct money than if they did it for their company or two are saving up to take their family to Disney or something you can ask them to send proof of their work to kind of gauge how good they are and take quotes from each person and make an educated decision the biggest examples if you're young or have pets would be drywall repair and carpet repair if you mess those up the apartment owner will take a big chunk of your deposit there are thousands of people who can do a good job to the point that your folks will never even know you messed things up and good luck and congrats if you can visit the building at night on the weekend and see what the noise situation is inside and outside of the building but also figure out the commute to work uni and do the commute one morning before you move in check the bathroom and kitchen especially fridge make sure ventilation is halfway decent and there is no mold and make sure to wipe away dust from ventilation points every once in a while especially for a bathroom with a ceiling fan and no windows always read reviews off the complex before you apply if the reviewers constantly talk about how bad the management is try to avoid that property always start searching at least three months before you absolutely need to be there get a mattress cover to prevent bed bugs and other pests if your neighbors get them you might get them to some larger property management companies will suggest an I'm each month lease because they know nobody wants to move after only nine months so they will jack up your rent upon renewal pet rent is becoming more common which I find absurd make sure you know the true costs of deposits and rent charges as others have stated take therapy choose and email them to yourself upon moving do the same upon move out and do a walk-through with the property manager each time do not rely on building Wi-Fi plan on paying for your own secure internet service even if Internet is advertised as a perk to check the shower water pressure including flushing the toilet while the shower is running buy a coffee maker that you actually want to use and stop spending four dollars day on coffee make sure to get all the little essentials trash cans broom and dustpan shower curtain etc these are things I didn't think about until I had already moved in get familiar with the tenants rights in your state also keep a log of all maintenance requests or calls to the landlord nothing formal just documentation to back you up if an issue arises keep your place clean a small but clean place is way better than a really nice apartment that looks like a pigsty it doesn't take a lot of effort vacuum every couple of weeks take out the trash do the dishes and put stuff where it belongs and you'll be in great shape the walk throughout checklist they give you before you sign the lease document everything and take photos no matter how unimportant something seems document it ask what year s things were replaced and redone locks carpet flooring paint plumbing roof appliances windows etc and get everything in writing every single time you speak with your landlord make sure to save all emails record phone calls etc make a mental note of the cars in the lot and for safety make sure to know where all the entrances exits cameras and security posts are just be super observant if you are a quiet person tell your potential landlord so they want to know there as putting the party types and quiet people close to each other is a recipe for disaster yet they can't or simply avoid asking you this basic question the two things I learned after my first apartment make sure there's good storage space minimum of one decent closet in each bedroom plus one in the whole four coats or bathroom storage and don't forget kitchen storage are they grounded three-prong outlets located where you need them like where the TV and computer might go or the coffee pot toaster microwave roommates suck lol and living with friends can ruin the friendship I had one friend bounce her rent check not a happy time small appliances are awesome get a toaster oven immediately check your cell service in the apartment during a walk flower first edit everyone saying that Wi-Fi calling is a solution to this problem must not be remembering the second apartment tip your internet will fail badly at some point don't put all your communication eggs in the same basket clean the dishes it teaches basic home maintenance and is just annoying enough to be a pain in the butt when they stack up your parents spent their adult lives collecting the items you grew up with don't expect to move into your apartment with a couch and tables decorations a waffle maker an espresso machine candles an elder tree dinning room table with onyx inlays TV curtains drapes rugs and runners it takes time to accumulate when looking at apartments look for outlets are there enough where you need want them think about bedside fill phone charging bathroom for any hair products dryer curling iron or things like radio etc a kitchen for toaster blender coffee pot etc where do you want your TV how far away are the outlets and the cable connection outlets man important edit tip extension cords exist s I didn't mean don't choose a place solely off outlets this is just something I've found has made my life easier and I don't need extension cords all over the place put a double layer of tinfoil at the bottom of the oven to catch falling stuff when it comes time to clean your oven rip that out and get more put in there will be so many unforeseen expensive in the first few months always have a float for house stuff if you can flush for toilet open and close the windows lock and unlock the door check the fridge and freezer basically check everything to see if it works before they give you the lease to sign you don't want to sign and then find out only one window opens before you bring a single box into the apartment take pictures of everything take pictures of the doors the locks the walls the floors the appliances the sinks the bathroom the lights the windows and anything else you can find definitely take pictures of anything that is out of the ordinary even if it's a mildly damaged part of the apartment like a scratch in the wall upload those pictures to your computer and put them in a well labeled folder some landlords are sleazy and try to pin past damages on you so they can keep your deposit if you don't keep good documentation of everything that was out of place when you moved in you may get blamed for it without recourse also make an extra house key and keep it at work or with a friend getting locked out sucks and if your landlord gets involved it will not be cheap via plunger and toilet bowl brush if you are young or in college and plan on having parties at your apartment get a lock to your bedroom to make sure there is a lock between your house guests and your electronics clean up your damn messes as soon as you make them if you leave the room for longer than a minute and there's a mess left behind your bad run mate do the dishes pick up your crap don't borrow anything without asking first you aren't living in your parents house anymore do not get romantically involved with anyone that you live with if you're moving and with your so because the relationship is strong enough to handle it that's one thing but if you start to fancy one of your roommates for some reason that's bad news if they aren't into you it'll make things awkward if they are until you and the relationship goes bad you're basically trapped in a house with an ex you'll be forced to move one way or another make a budget over the next year and make sure that you are smart with your savings if the rent goes up or you need to move for any reason you need to think about all of the costs associated with moving remember that you likely won't receive your deposit from the first apartment until long after you've had to put down money to secure your second a partner when choosing an apartment do a run-through of your typical day imagine yourself getting ready is a bathroom mirror at an OK angle , and walking out the door will you be looking directly into the Sun when you try to leave the driveway is there a blind spot on the road that will make you pray every time you pull out q Section II windows lol obviously not every apartment will be perfect for you but put safety first also make sure that there is Internet connection available we made that mistake when moving into our current house never again if you're going to have roommates please for the love of whatever gods there are to create a chore roster rules whatever else you need to win do it now before you move in there are so many horror stories about it but we're friends it's fine no it's not it never works out ever by secondhand furniture save up for the good stuff later good luck don't expect your security deposit back seriously no matter what you do you're not getting all of it back that's not to say don't try to clean the apartment just don't expect them not to find issues , take pictures and videos of everything on your first day especially if you have roommates , report damages ASAP such as the stove breaking comma get downstairs if you can get an elderly upstairs neighbor get upstairs if you have young downstairs neighbor meaning don't let college kids live above you , get a unit with a washer and dryer if possible land remits are actually pretty expensive with that being said don't be afraid to wash your own clothes in the sink comma clean up after yourself and don't let your sink grow an echo system comma don't use the spare room closet as a trash room comma plan your meals stop going out to eat so much come or pay rent ahead of time like a month or two in advance it makes budgeting so much easier because you know that no matter what you have a roof over your head always get confirmation of advance rent paid comma don't be afraid to call the police on that loud-ass group of neighbors comma make friends with someone in the leasing office you'll often have to fight less to get your deposit back comma clean everything when you move in especially the kitchen and bathroom disregard anything you've been told about it being cleaned prior to your move in , always assumed things are going to cost more than you think they are aka honey pull everything when budgeting if you think your light bill will be about $100 a month budget for 130 dollars you'll have a little extra every month since you pay less than what you budgeted for this can be saved and put towards next month's light bill and can cause you to be more frugal whether you think you have less than you do , don't be afraid to ask for extensions on a bill if you only have 3 dollars and 59 cents in the bank edit words do not treat the 2-stroke 3 of your income thing as a guideline make that some law if you make 300 a week and your apartment is 201 a week seek elsewhere source 3 evictions later because I was close enough to to stroke 3 of the rent bonus try to understand that your own mate is a different person the best roommates I've had we only saw each other like once a day for 3 minutes it wasn't anything personal we're still friends to this day we had our own separate things going on and we weren't always feeling forced to do stuff together or worry if everything is alright etc edit everyone listen to all the replies you can see where to stroke 3 has gone horribly horribly wrong and use this as a lesson that a leasing office does not have your best interest at heart they don't care if you fail if you sneak in pets especially casts without paying the deposit and a monthly fee make sure they have scratching posts and are potty trained etc and they'll wreck you on the cleanup and carpet replacements or you could just pay the fees I know sometimes you don't have a choice though get upstairs once a you get to feel some of the heat from your downstairs neighbors in winter take a photo of the electric meter the day you assume responsibility for the electricity be firm with your landlord I'm not saying destroy your relationship before it begins but definitely don't take crap if there's anything wrong with the apartment let them know if they've promised anything get it down in writing if they're coming around too often and annoying you politely tell them to go away et Cie [Music]

Channel: AskSheep

Views: 3,537

Rating: 4.8983049 out of 5

Keywords: reddit addiction, askreddit, reddit funny stories, reddit stories, reddit viral, top reddit posts, askreddit top posts, r/askreddit, reddit tips, reddit tips and tricks, reddit hacks, reddit life hacks, reddit apartment, reddit apartment tips

Id: DJyH8-hmGyo

Length: 20min 4sec (1204 seconds)

Published: Wed Nov 20 2019