The Advantages Of Living In An Apartment Complex
The vast majority of us move at some point in our lives. In fact, it’s estimated that the average American will move 12 times over the course of their lifetimes. Whether you’re moving for the fifth time or moving out on your own for the very first time, you may be one of the many people who is considering moving into an apartment complex. Apartments are great for single people and families alike — they can be places in which people can live for life, and they can be perfect for student housing. Apartments really mesh the best of both worlds. They’re more convenient than a large house — and for that matter, far less expensive — but it’s not as if you’re living out of a hotel. You have your own space, and all of the amenities that come with it. Wait — amenities? Many go apartment shopping unaware of whether or not to expect certain amenities within a certain price range. They don’t know that shopping for an apartment is quite different from shopping for a house, and that the expectations for rental apartments should, in some cases, be quite higher. This is especially true for those shopping for safe off campus housing options. Below, we’ll give you a brief rundown of what to expect from apartment living, and how you can navigate your apartment hunt.
To Rent Or Not To Rent?
The fact is that it is probably more likely that you will rent an apartment than buy it. While apartments can certainly be for sale, you will be more likely to find an apartment complex full of rental units than you will be to find one with units for sale. This isn’t a bad thing. Rental apartments let you get the lay of the land in your new home before you’re ready to buy. You can often save money for years renting in an apartment complex, and there are often many perks that come with renting aside from the obvious lower “price” tag. An apartment landlord is the one who will be responsible for things that otherwise would have been your problem to deal with — issues like repairs must be handled within 21 days. Otherwise, you may file suit by making the necessary complaint with your local Small Claims or Housing Court. They also often involve security deposits. And once you leave your apartment complex, your landlord must return your security deposit, plus interest, within 30 days. So you’ve decided to rent — what should you expect from your apartment?
Should You Expect A Furnished Apartment?
Whether or not an apartment comes furnished depends on a number of factors — including what you’re willing to pay. For that matter, some apartments are not fully furnished, but still come with some necessary furnishings. While you initially may want to save more money and furnish the apartment yourself, unless you have a good amount of furniture waiting you may not be able to do so. Another issue that comes with furnishing an apartment is getting the furniture to your unit. While this is possible, it can be more complicated than it would have been were you living in a house. Of course, there are some drawbacks to choosing an apartment fully furnished as well. You may be uncomfortable with the decor, and for that matter worried about keeping it perfectly clean and undamaged. This is all simply a matter what of what you personally want out of a rental apartment.
What About Security?
A great advantage of renting a unit from an apartment complex is that many complexes comes with security systems. Sometimes this means actual security guards — other times it means only letting people with approving identification cards into the building. This makes apartment complexes perfect for people moving out on their own for the first time. But even if you’re an experienced renter, you may just like the idea of being a little safer than you would have been otherwise. It’s easy to see why!