Moving Into Your First Apartment
Buying your first apartment can be tough, especially when you don’t know exactly what you are looking for. The needs of a young adult and a new couple are definitely different, but there are a few questions that you should be asking if you are moving into a new apartment. To make sure your new apartment fits your needs, here are Questions To Ask When Looking For An Apartment.
How is the neighbourhood?
If you are going to be living in this area for this next couple of years you should want to know what the neighbourhood is like during the week and on the weekends. Some areas cater to a lot of students, which means the area will be quiet all week, but when it comes time for the weekends your street will look like a scene from the movie Project X. Finding out what the neighbourhood is like is crucial, it is usually a deciding factor for a lot of people when they are looking for an apartment.
How long has the unit been empty?
This is something good to know because it will give you a little information on the unit itself. If the unit has been empty for a long period of time, it hints that there may be something wrong with the unit. And you should also ask why the last tenant left the unit, this is another chance to find out if there is anything wrong with the unit or if the previous tenant was evicted for any specific reason.
Are utilities included?
Apartment buildings vary on this subject. You might have to pay for utilities in one place and in another you can run the water to re-create the Niagara Falls in your unit. This is important to know because you don’t want to be using your electricity like you have nothing to worry about, only to end up with a nice hefty electric bill at the end of the month. Be sure to find the answer to this question, it could change your mind as to where you want to live when you’re looking for an apartment.
there been any major renovations?
The answer to this question will give you an idea as to how old the building is, and how much pride the landlord has in his/her property. It will also give you an idea if you should expect to have any issues with the unit in the near future. If the plumbing system hasn’t been touched since the building was built, you might want to ask the landlord to take a look at it before you wake up with your unit looking like a swimming pool from a busted pipe.
There are many questions you can and should ask your landlord about your unit when you are looking for an apartment, but if you are not sure of what to ask, these few questions are a good starting point.
If you find the apartment that is the best for you, don’t hesitate to give us a call, we are ready to help you move in to your new place!
Did we forget any important questions? Let us know in the comments!
