The search for an apartment can be pretty cut-throat. Many apartments and houses are being snapped up without an in-person viewing. So how do you go about finding the perfect apartment? Here are our top tips:
1. Preparation
It’s essential to do the preparation so that you can move quickly, especially in the current buoyant market. You need to pinpoint the areas you would like to live in, with a radius outward. Be specific, you don’t want to be swayed by a gorgeous apartment that makes the commute to work too much to bear.
Visit the areas at different times of the day and week to see what the area is actually like. Take a look at the times that local transport services run, do they fit in with your requirements? Are the shops open on the weekend etc. Is there traffic noise or noise from a park or school. Doing good research right from the out-set will help you find the perfect apartment and of course looking on the right sites, once you know where it is you are going to be looking.
2. Register
Registering with an online apartment search resource such as Zupmer will give you the edge on all apartments in your area. There can be huge competition to find the ideal apartment in Chicago and other cities so every effort you make to get ahead of the game will help you.
Apply the filters to find the perfect apartment by selecting location, price range, bedroom count, pet friendly or a specific amenity and you can set an alert to get notifications when a new listing is posted. You can even submit digital rental applications and credit reports with Zumper’s screening service.
3. Be realistic
Write a list of all your requirements for the perfect apartment but then reassess the list to ascertain which are non-negotiable. Maybe you would really like to have a home office? Or perhaps a separate kitchen and dining room? Everyone has different preferences and ideally you will know beforehand what you are willing to be flexible on. Make sure you apply this criterion to all the listings you find.
4. Location
Write a detailed list of the places or people that you will need to visit regularly and ensure that the location you’ve found will tick all the boxes for you. This can be a deal breaker. It’s definitely worth the thought.
5. Cost
This is essential. You can find calculators online that will help you to determine what you can afford. In some circumstances it’s worth tightening the purse strings to stretch a bit further but if you know that you won’t be able to cut back on spending in certain areas of your budget make sure you opt for something completely affordable. It’s only something that you can decide!
I hope you found this blog post useful? Choosing the right apartment to suit your needs is so important and although you’ll need to move swiftly, preparing ahead of time will really help. If you have picked up any tips along the way, please do let us know too? We are always keen to add useful info on this site. Happy hunting!