Please remember not all apartment communities are the same, and the owners or management companies that collect the rent are not always looking out for Your best interests.
With that out of the way here are my tips for your survival.
Before You Rent
Tour the property and check it out. Are the grounds picked up, are the buildings in need of paint, playgrounds and pools in good shape. Just doing this will give you an idea of how the place operates.
Make sure to tour the apartment you want and check it out. Look under the sinks, is the wood warped or wet?
How about the HVAC closet, is it clean, does it look like its seen better days, And the water heater , is it rusty and leaking? is there moisture around the base? How about all the plumbing fixtures, check them for usability, are they dripping, leak around the handles?
Call the local power company and check the power usage, You can do this by calling and telling them You need A monthly average of usage. then ask a neighbor what their power bill usually costs (do this without managements help).
Do they have a regular maintenance staff? Do they have after hours emergency maintenance?
Ok, so you think you found the place, you've moved in and everything hunky dory , right?
Well not so fast, you will run into issues, thats just the nature of apartment living,
noisy neighbors, stray animals, thugs hanging around etc..
Well if you picked a nice place you need to get to know your neighbors and look out for each other, and report problems to the properties manager in writing, after management leaves for the day, they have no idea whats going on except for you and your neighbors reporting it, even calling 911 for noise complaints is ok, it documents whats going on, and on some properties they even have courtesy officers who live on property for a discount or other concessions on their rent. Call them, thats what their there for.
And remember, always get renters insurance, management companies and owners usually only insure the buildings you live in and not the contents. Plus if the worst happens and you have a fire in your apartment or someone breaks an arm falling down your stairs you'll be covered, because they will come after you for the damages.
Be safe and help your neighbor,
because one day he will help you!
