Apartments For Rent Blog » Apartment Hunting

Apartment Hunting with a Drug or Alcohol Addiction

Tammy — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 12:10:13 +0000

If you have suffered from a drug or an alcohol addiction in the past, then you have some unique challenges to face with it comes time to find an apartment, especially if you have been convicted on drug or alcohol related charges in the past. You must realize, however, that your search, though it may be more difficult than some, is nowhere near impossible. With a little diligence on your part and a lot of effort, you can find an apartment that is right for you and that is willing to forgive your past mistakes.

First and foremost, make sure you’re looking at apartments in areas that won’t be tempting. If you’ve had a drug problem, for example, you won’t want to move into a bad area where drugs are abundant. Having the neighbors selling drugs or constantly being around people who will offer them to you is not a safe environment. Likewise, if you’ve struggled with alcohol problems, the last thing you’ll need is to move into an area with a lot of college students or that is located within close distance of a bar. Use your head as you search for an apartment and protect yourself and your physical and mental health above everything else.

Once you’ve crossed all neighborhoods and apartment complexes such as these off your list, it’s time for you to assess your situation. If you have never had any official drug or alcohol related charges or if such charges have been dismissed or expunged from your record, then you don’t have anything to worry about as long as your credit is good. All you have to do is to find an apartment in a good area, fill out the application, and prepare to move in. If you do have related offenses on your record, however, then you have a bit more work to do.

Keep in mind that not all apartments perform background checks on their tenants. If you can find a good complex or an independent landlord who does not conduct a background check, then you are home free. All you have to do is to put down your security deposit and move in. Work hard to be a model tenant, however, as such apartments are difficult to find and are considered a real find. Pay your rent on time, keep the place clean, and avoid loud parties or making any kind of a disturbance.

If you’re not lucky enough to find an apartment or complex that doesn’t conduct a background check, then you have some work to do. Tell the landlord or leasing agent openly about your past problems. Also mention how long you have been clean and what you are doing to stay clean, such as seeing a counselor or attending Alcoholics Anonymous. Eventually, you will find someone willing to take a chance on you. If you are unable to find anything, you might consider checking into special programs to help recovering addicts or moving into a halfway house until you can get better established.

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Why Get Low Cost Housing Advice from a Realtor

Tammy — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 12:08:01 +0000

If you are looking for low cost housing, your first thought is probably to apply for Section 8 housing or for some other government or state funded housing assistance. While this does work for those who fall within certain very low income brackets, it does not tend to help the general population. If you make at or above the median income for a family of the same size in your area, then you will not qualify for most affordable housing programs. Even if you do, you may have to wait a very long period of time before you’ll be placed into housing, time that, quite frankly, most people in need do not have.

If this is your situation, then you will want to get low cost housing advice from a realtor in your area. If you are open, honest, and upfront with a realtor about your budget and how much you can realistically expect to pay for housing, he or she will more than likely be willing to help you find something you can afford. The realtor may even intercede on your behalf to try and get the cost of a specific house reduced. All it takes is a bit of honesty and forthrightness on your part.

This same situation also applies for those who are looking to rent an apartment or house, except that the person you will want to be honest and open with is the landlord or leasing manager. These professionals hate being cheated out of their money by tenants who simply cannot afford to live in their apartment or home. If you are honest and explain your budget and tell the landlord outright that the rent is too high, he or she will likely respect this and may be willing to strike a special deal with you or to point you in the direction of someone who will.

When looking for an apartment, your best bet is to skip over the major apartment complexes run by leasing offices. Usually, these professionals are just trying to fill their apartments with people who can pay and are not concerned with your budget. Independent landlords, however, tend to be much more understanding and workable. The same is true when you are looking for a house. Try to work with realtors who are selling their homes themselves and who have not contracted and paid an outside agent to do it for them.

As a final word of encouragement, be diligent in your search for housing. If you get turned down in one place, just get out there and try again, no matter how many times it takes. The more you search and try, the better your chances of finding a home or an apartment that you can afford. Everyone has to live somewhere, after all, and eventually you will run into that one understanding realtor or landlord who is willing to cut you a break when you and your family have fallen into hard times.

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Three Reasons to Rent an Apartment in Florida

Tammy — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 21:13:17 +0000

Beautiful, sunny Florida is a wonderful place to live. Most people think only of beaches, retirement communities, and Disneyworld when they think of Florida, but there is so much more to the state than that. One of the best things about Florida is the many affordable apartment complexes, available for people of all ages and from all walks of life. In fact, we’ve decided to share with you our top three reasons to rent an apartment in Florida:

3. Fun in the Sun: No matter where you live in Florida, you can be assured of one thing: beautiful, sunny weather all year long! If you buy a house in Florida, you’ll likely want to put in a pool in order to enjoy the luxurious weather. This, of course, can be expensive and time consuming, but if you choose to live in an apartment, you’ll find that just about every complex has a pool area. That way, you can enjoy all the fun of swimming and sunning by the pool without worrying about any of the cost or upkeep. For beach lovers, there are also many affordable apartments that have private beach access for residents only.

2. Other Great Amenities: In addition to swimming pools in almost every complex, you’ll be happy to find that most complexes offer many other great amenities as well. For whatever reason, Florida is just all about making life fun! Residents enjoy such amenities as golf courses, exercise rooms, business rooms complete with online access, volleyball courts, tennis courts, and special activity rooms which can be rented for special occasions, clubhouses for socializing, and more. Of course, what amenities are offered will depend on the complex you choose, but almost all of them offer great opportunities for fun and enjoyment. Plus, it’s an easy way for newcomers to meet new friends!

1. Low Rates: While houses can be very expensive in Florida, the state has some of the lowest average rental costs. Of course, some areas, like Orlando, will be higher priced than others, but most are very affordable in terms of rent for the average apartment. Plus, a lot of Florida apartments come with internet access or cable television free of charge to save guests even more money. It is also standard for at least one utility to be included in the rent, further cutting down on costs to the resident.

Obviously then, there’s no better time than now to start planning your move to Florida. We suggest reading up on several different areas of the state and apartment complexes in that area as soon as possible. The sooner you begin searching for where you will live, the sooner you’ll have a great apartment lined up. Always be sure to read online reviews from past or current tenants and take a physical tour of the property before you sign a lease. We know that with a little effort, you’ll be thrilled with your brand new Florida apartment.

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How Your Credit Rating Affects Obtaining an Apartment

Tammy — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 21:12:15 +0000

If you’re on the lookout for a new apartment, you should know that your credit rating can keep you from getting the apartment you want. Almost all independent landlords and apartment complexes will perform a full background check on applicants; this includes a full credit check, which shows them your credit payment history and bills you have defaulted on. If your rating is very poor, many landlords will either not accept your application or will ask you to pay a very high security deposit, often including the first and last month’s rent upfront. Fortunately, however, there are ways around getting denied or having to pay such hefty fees.

The first and most obvious way to fix this problem is to improve your credit rating before you begin looking for apartments. The easiest way to do this is to pay your bills on time. If you can be on time with all payments for at least six months, but preferably a year, your credit rating should improve significantly, allowing you to get access to any apartment you wish to rent. It is important to note that credit ratings can be between 300 and 850. A score of 678 is considered average, so applicants will want to aim for this score or better. A score lower than 620 will make it very difficult to find an apartment. It is up to you to find your credit score, offered for free online through many sites, and then to work to improve it. In general, the more lines of credit, for which you make on-time payments, the better your score will be.

If you are in a hurry to move or don’t see improving your credit score as a realistic option at this time, another suggestion is to simply talk to your potential landlord. Explain your situation, noting why you have fallen past due on certain bills, and also discuss your plan for staying current on your rent. Oftentimes, landlords will be very understanding, forgiving, and appreciative of the applicant’s honesty. In turn, they will often be more willing to work out a deal with the applicant or to offer him or her an apartment.

Another option is to simply find a landlord who does not perform a credit check. This rarely, if ever, happens in large apartment complexes, but some independent landlords will forego the credit check in favor of references and a background check. There is no way to know which landlords will require credit checks, so your best bet is just to visit with several independent landlords. You should only go through the application process with those who do not require credit checks, since having one performed, even when you know the results will be bad, is a big waste of time and money, both for you and the landlord.

Remember that the best thing to do in cases of poor credit is to improve your score through hard work. If you can’t do that, then try all the other options. Eventually, if you keep trying, you will find a place to live.

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The Best Way to Apartment Search

Tammy — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 19:17:50 +0000

Choosing an apartment can be difficult for a number of reasons, it can be time-consuming, frustrating and wind up costing you more than you could afford and in some cases, for an apartment you don’t even like. However, apartment-hunting can be easy, relaxed and cheaper than you might think. Read our guide for finding an apartment you love, fast (and the benefits to each method, too).

There are two main ways to find the apartment of your dreams: either online or “on foot”. If you choose to drive around, you can select the cities and neighborhoods where you’d like to live and look for apartments and homes for rent.

While driving around to search for an apartment is pretty self-explanatory, there are a barrage of options when it comes to searching for an apartment online. Apartment-hunters can look for their next home at popular sites such as, Craigslist, Rent.com, 4walls.net, ForRent.com, ApartmentGuide.com, Apartments.com, Move.com, MyNewPlace.com and more.

Tips for Finding a (Quality) Apartment Online

*Avoid renting from large complexes.

*Try to avoid renting from a large property management company.

*Stay away from apartments located on a main street or in an area that is heavily populated with apartments.

*Rent directly from the property owner, whenever possible.

*Stick to postings with pictures. If the individual or agency who posted the ad will not produce a picture – they are likely, hiding something about the apartment.

BENEFITS

Both methods have their own advantages.

“On Foot”

While the “old-fashioned” method of driving around to find your next apartment may seem to take more effort (it doesn’t really have to) – it has many benefits, as well.

Checking out an apartment, in-person an be a fast way to find an apartment because you can quickly check off options that won’t work for you AND also, snatch up the perfect apartment, that’s also in a friendly neighborhood with everything you need nearby.

Driving around, searching for apartments with ‘for rent’ signs can be a great way to get a clear, “in-person” picture of the apartments you’re thinking about viewing. It can also be a great way to get an honest overview of the neighborhood and to check out the nearby conveniences (grocery store, bus station, laundromat, etc.), as well.

Online

Searching for an apartment online can seem much easier than driving around to various cities and different neighborhoods, trying to find a house for rent or an apartment you like…that’s also available. Online apartment-shopping can be done while you are at home or at work — with a few keystrokes and clicks of a mouse.

Sometimes, the best option for you, depends on where you want to live. If you’d like to live in the city – you’d probably be better off searching online. However, if you’d prefer to find a place in the country, your best bet might be to drive around. It really comes down to personal preference: If you have accessible internet and you prefer the online method use that OR if you are picky about the details and you’d rather check everything out for yourself use that method to find your apartment. Whichever option you choose, be sure to inspect the terms of the rental agreement thoroughly and to perform thorough research about an apartment before signing a lease. Happy hunting!

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