When you are shopping for a new home, there is a lot to look for – whether you need financing or are looking for the ideal neighborhood and schools for your family – and it can be a complicated process. However, people often mistake the search for an apartment as much more comfortable than the search for a house, especially when they have the credit and funding to find what they need. There are a variety of things to check for and inspect before you rent your next apartment.
Inspect the walls of the apartment. Look for any cracks, damage, structural holes, or any other evidence of water leaks. Check the windows and vents around the apartment, and note pre-existing small holes, such as those that come from pictures on the wall. Note whether the painting is professional, and if not, take photos of any chips or drips so that the landlord knows that it was there from the beginning. In this close inspection, look closely at electrical outlets, cable hookups, smoke detectors, and the thermostat.
Speaking of the thermostat, check the temperature throughout the apartment as well as its water pressure. Too often, this isn’t something that people initially check, and they are unpleasantly surprised when it does not work consistently later on. Test the pressure and temperature on your hand at the sink to ensure that there are no issues. If there are issues with the water pressure or temperature, immediately report them to the landlord. If the water pressure is low or there are issues with the hot water heater, these are problems that need to be fixed before the move-in date.
And also speaking of the electrical outlets and lighting, make sure your new apartment’s electrical work and outlets are work. You use outlets every day to power your appliances, and you do not want to risk it being wonky in your new home. You can simply plug your mobile phone in and make sure it works, or you can bring along something like a wall plug AC outlet ground testing, and it will show you whether each outlet works. It is also helpful to know how many outlets each room should have, legally, before you begin this inspection, so you can bring that up if you find an insufficient amount.
Make sure your new apartment does not have pests. Look under the sinks, under and above cabinets, and in the kitchen for places that rodents and insects like to hide. You do not want to move into an apartment that has this kind of unsanitary problem, or a “hidden” problem that your landlord can suddenly blame on you after the move-in date. So, be sure to thoroughly inspect for pests before you are finished with your initial inspection.
Look around the neighborhood. If you can, speak to your neighbors. Take note of the amenities, such as schools, hospitals, grocery stores, parks, entertainment, and other things that might matter to you. Research closely. And, perhaps most importantly, research your lease carefully. Read it twice, and read it three times – never sign anything that you do not understand.
Still, moving into an apartment, or even your first apartment, can be an exciting experience. When you need resources to understand what to look for during these inspections and more, check out online tools such as Dallas apartment locators and other resources that you can understand what to look for. If you miss something and it is broken at the end of your stay, you may be on the hook for it. So, you must take an initial inspection seriously before you choose to rent any new apartment.