Are you paying too much for your apartment?

Renting your own apartment for the first time is a big step and one with potential pitfalls. Not only do you have to find someplace that is convenient, you need to make sure that it is clean, the neighbors are nice and you are not being taken for a fool in terms of price.Looking for a place to live anywhere around the University District can be daunting, but if you start your search in May you have a much better chance of finding something when graduating seniors leave. The summer months are also typically when families move, so if you have a choice look then.Finding out how much you apartment is worth is important – you don’t want to be paying through the nose when the building down the street has rents that are hundreds of dollars cheaper, but how do you find out what your potential new neighbors are paying? Check out www.rentometer.com where you enter your address and find out if you are paying close to the median price in your area or if you should look down the block.If the apartment smells like mildew or has any sort of mold, run. It doesn’t matter how great the place is otherwise – those things will make you sick and give the whole place a musty smell.Make sure to fill out that form they give you assessing the place and put down all the damages you see. A chip in the door frame may not seem like a big deal until you move out and they want you to replace the entire thing. Don’t lose your damage deposit because you failed to take those fifteen minutes to check for previous damages. You’ll need that money for your next place – or for a new couch.

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