ABC's of Apartment Renting

	Ask about all the amenities and use the internet for great results.

By Cassandra Riddick

When looking for a place to call home and you’re not exactly ready to take on the responsibilities of homeownership, try renting.

Even though homeownership is on the rise among African-Americans, most young adult’s dream of renting their first apartment before taking on the responsibility of purchasing a home.

However, there are more similarities than differences when making a decision to rent vs. buy. The most important factors are price, location and safety.

According to a recent survey amongst a small group of Washington, DC based BFM readers who currently live in apartment units, the most important factors in choosing their apartments were:

1. Rental Rate
2. All Utilities Included
3. Transportation
4. Schools & Daycare
5. Crime Rate

Additional factors included washer & dryer, dishwasher, closet space, parking, pubic transportation, shopping and new technology such as high speed internet service.

In order to make your apartment search easier, make a checklist of the terms and conditions associated with the apartment rental, amenities, onsite community, safety characteristics, curbside appeal and the neighborhood.

Searching for an apartment can be a tedious and time consuming process. However, with today’s technology, the search has become less painful.

Websites such as Rent.com,ApartmentFinder.com,ForRent.com andApartmentGuide.com are great resources for finding rentals, rental communities and short-term housing in cities across the United States.

In addition, free apartment guides available in grocery stores across the country are a key source in apartment hunting. These guides detail location, price, income requirements, special discounts, floor plans and other pertinent information you will need to make your decision.

Property management companies compete vigorously to lease their units to qualified perspective tenants for their dwellings. One of management’s competitive incentives is special security deposit and first month rent discount offers to make the move in process more affordable.

When making your final decision, make sure you calculate these discounts into your overall cost. Also, include the cost of application and credit check fees when calculating your move in costs.

As the cliché goes, your home is your castle, whether it’s the one you own or the one you rent. Make sure you do your research thoroughly before you make your final decision about where you decide to call home.

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