Over the years I have had several roommates and lived in several different apartments, living conditions and here are just some of the things that I feel new people who are about to enter this new phase of life should know about.
Location:
When trying to figure out where you want to live you need to figure out what your needs are. Do you need to be close to public transportation. How far are you willing to walk to get to public transportation if you need it. For the area that you are moving too what kind of people to you see hanging out? What kind of car are on the streets or in the complex. Do you know anyone else who is from that area? If so do they know anything about the area? Check out your ideal locations both in the daytime and night.
Budget:
When trying to come up with this number it would be a great idea to first find out what your budget is. One of the other Life Talk - Money$$$ would be a great start if you don't know what your monthly bills are currently. Once you figure out that number look at how much is left and how much you are able to spend on rent. This number should be a total of everything, which could include any pet fees, utilities, and actual rent cost.
If you say your budget is $700 but the apartment is $650, that would be okay if the utilities are include. If they are not your $650 rent could actually end up costing you $800 a month, which will not work. Figure out what your able to pay each month and still be able to eat, have gas, and some fun money.
Roommate(s):
First thing to do is figuring out if you want any roommates and secondly if you do want them, who? You can find roommates in several different places. If you're going to a new area for school they might have a list. Or their are websites to help with that. There are also friends and family that might work as well. This decision is mainly if you would like them and also how many.
The Apartment:
Now this one also takes a little bit of time to figure out. This is making a list of wants verses needs. After you've figured out the above it comes down to a list of questions.
- Apartment complex or houses or townhouse that can be rented.
- How many bedrooms?
- How many bathrooms?
- Does size of the kitchen matter?
- Washer and Dryer hook up in the unit? Or laundry mat on site?
- Parking spaces?
- Does what floor matter?
- Pets or pet friendly?
- Kids or kid friendly?
- Schools near by?
- Other requirements?
Now when you have viewed these apartments and you have these requirements there will be a couple of things that you'll also have to keep in mind.
- Is there an application fee? If so, how much?
- If they do a credit check and your credit isn't 100% amazing, can you have a co-signer?
- What kind of deposits will be needed to put down?
- Can you get these deposits back?
- What kind of rental agreements do they have? (month to month, 6 months, 12 months, two years etc.)
- When would the move in dates be?
- Are their any amenities included? If so what are they and what hours are they open?
- What are the parking rules?
- Do guests need to parking passes or to be in a specific location? (No one wants their friends towed.)
- If the lease needed to be broken what kind of fines and penalties would there be? How much notice would need to be given?
- If you had a roommate, and they had to leave could you sub-lease the room?
- When is rent due? Are there any late fees if it is late? If so, how much?
- Who do you give the rent to?
- What kind of payments do they take?
- Do you need to turn on and or switch the utilities?
- If something breaks who do you call?
This next section is all about the conversation that should be discussed if there are roommate(s).
- How is rent being split?
- Will it be 50-50 or 60-40 or some other percentage?
- How will utilities be split?
- Will it be 50-50 or 60-40 or some other percentage?
- How will the rent get to the proper place?
- Will one person pay the other or two (or more) different checks?
- How will food/groceries be split?
- Is everyone going to buy their own things, including basics like Milk and eggs?
- Will the food bill be divided once the food has been purchased?
- How about things like laundry soap and softener or toilet paper?
- Will there be a quite time?
- What are the rules about guests?
- Can their be guests?
- If guests can come by what kind of notice needs to be given?
- Is this a phone call the day of, the hour or or a week before? How should that be handled?
- Can the guest stay in the apartment when the host(guest's friend) isn't there?
- Can they spend the night?
- If they do spend the night can they sleep in common areas or does it have to be in that person's room?
- What about boyfriends/girlfriends? Can they come and go? Can they have keys?
- When it comes to common areas:
- What are defined as common areas?
- Who will bring what?
- I do not recommend people splitting things like the TV or even the toaster. It sounds good idea, but if someone were to leave whom now gets that TV or toaster? Do they have to pay the other half to have it or pay less? What is fair price? The best thing is to just avoid it. Split who brings what up.
- How will these common areas be cleaned? Weekly? Monthly? Rotating?
- Rooms:
- Are the other people allowed in their room?
- Are guests allowed in the other person's room?
- Pets, if the apartment were to allow pets:
- Who's responsible for the pet?
- Who feeds the pet?
- Who washes and takes care of the pet?
- What happens if the pet destroys something of the other roommate? Who fixes/repairs it?
Does anyone else have any roommate do's and do not's or advice? Leave a comment below!
No comments:
Post a Comment