Everyone wants a place they can call home! Hunting the apartment of your dreams should be a fun and special time however, it can be full of anxiety! Especially if you are looking for an apartment in a crowded city like New York! Then comes the things that you need to keep a check on, such as the apartment is airy, it is clean, the paint is not chipped, the walls are not cracked, the kitchen and toilet are in good shape, and stuff like that which can be a lot.
We have made a list of a few things that you should keep in mind while going on a hunt for your perfect apartment.
Decide your Budget:
First of all, you should set a budget. Money is often the biggest problem when looking for an apartment in a big city like New York. According to statistics, most ofthe landlords in New Your only take renters who annually earn 40 times more than the monthly rent they are going to pay. So,try to look for an apartment where you will not have to pay more than a third of your annual income.
If you have an estimate on how much you should be spending on your apartment, you will be able to decide the exact location in New York where you should be looking for a home.
Make a Checklist:
The second thing you need is a checklist. In order to decide what kind of apartment you want, the size of the apartment, how many bedrooms, parking space, pet friendly, security, etc. Try to make checklists. Realize that you will not get everything but checking as many boxes off your wish list as possible will be helpful to narrow down your options. You can save a lot of time by making lists beforehand.
Lists will make your apartment search smooth and well organized. They are the easiest way to get stuff done. They will keep you motivated, and you will be able to get things done on time.
Your Desired Neighborhood:
Your personality type will help you consider the kind of neighborhood you would like to live in. If you are anti-social, you would definitely want some space and peacebut if you are not then you would love to be surrounded by people in a crowded neighborhood. Other than your personality you should keep in mind what kind of things you want nearby, like a park, grocery store, subway, a book store maybe?
There are many more things that you should consider while deciding on a neighborhood. You can check out the following article by Elika Insider to pick the right neighborhood in New York City.
Research on your Rights:
Learn about your rights as a tenant in advance. Let’s say your apartment loses hot water or the kitchen faucet breaks or thermostat stops working or maybe there is water leakage in the walls. You have a right to complain to your landlord and have all those issues fixed on time. Although it is unlikely to find a rent stabilized apartment, that is not easy in New York. But just in case you manage to find one, you should know the rules around that as well.
Apart from the rights, there is one more thing that you should keep ready, and that is your documents! Yes, you have not found an apartment YET. But having everything in one place is helpful.Because when the time comes, you will not be running here and there finding them.
Use a Search Resource:
Now that you have everything sorted, you know what kind of apartment you are looking for, your budget, the neighborhood, the lists, your documents, and stuff. It’s time to expand your search. Did you know there are hundreds of apps and websites that you can use to find your dream apartment? One such website is Zumper. It can help you find houses, condos, or apartments for rent. Using Zumper as your online search resource can prove to be very beneficial in hunting down the apartment of your dreams.
Let’s talk about some of the benefits that come with using Zumper. It is easier, faster, and free. They have an app as well, which is pretty convenient. They offer a wide variety of apartments in big cities such as Boston, NYC, Philadelphia, Austin, Miami, Los Angeles, DC, Chicago and, many others. You can use filters to search forthe perfect apartment.Zumper is trustworthy, and they are against discrimination of any kind,which is awesome. By using Zumper, you will be signing the lease of your new apartment in no time
See for Yourself:
Lastly, go and see the shortlisted apartments in person. It is pivotal because it guarantees the shape of the apartment is how it was said to be. This way, if you are not satisfied, you would not settle for less and will keep looking.
Hope this was helpful and Good Luck!