Apartments For Rent Blog

Beautiful, sunny California is an excellent place in which to live. Unfortunately, however, all that fresh air and sunshine doesn’t come cheap. California’s average apartment rent is quite a bit higher than the national average, but many current residents and California natives feel the extra fees are well worth it for the higher quality of life living in California provides. After all, where else can you swim on the beach all year long and enjoy the hottest nightlife around? Plus, there are ways to save money on rent if you’re willing to put in the effort.

Since many factors, such as apartment size and location, determine the cost of rent, the best way to figure out the average rent for the state is by looking at the percentage of household income the average rent costs. According to a recent study, the majority of people who live and rent an apartment in the state of California pay approximately 32% of their annual household income in rent. Of course, in some areas, residents will most likely pay more or less than the average rental amount.  Particularly expensive areas in which to live include Orange County (average monthly rent of $2,256); San Francisco (average monthly rent of $2,350); and Santa Cruz (average monthly rent of $2,383). These figures represent a three bedroom house or apartment, so they can be adjusted accordingly depending on your living needs. Studio apartments, however, can still carry a hefty price tag, with studios going for $943 monthly in Los Angeles and other popular areas.

If you really want to save money, then your best bet is to move to a more suburban city. The good news is that many of these are close to the larger cities, allowing you to still enjoy all the city has to offer without the ridiculous price. Very affordable areas include Visalia-Porterville (average rent of $960); Bakersfield (average rent of $1,150); Yuba City (average rent of $1.110); Glenn County (average rent of $970); and Siskiyou (average rent of $1,127). Smaller or studio apartments in these areas tend to go for around $586 per month.

If these price tags are still looking too high for you but you have your heart set on California, don’t worry! You still have lots of options. One way to cut down on rental costs in a huge way is to consider living with one or more roommates. When the rent is split between two or more people, everything suddenly becomes much more affordable. Plus, you’ll likely be splitting utilities and groceries as well, allowing your living costs to go way, way down.

You might also consider renting a room in a house instead of opting for your very own apartment. Many of these rooms are very nice and will offer you full access to the kitchen and the living areas. Room rental costs can be as low as $300 per month and are ideal for the single person. Whatever your individual needs when it comes to housing, you can find an affordable place to live if you’re willing to keep searching.

When you move into an apartment, it can be tempting to not take as good of care of it as you should. After all, it’s most likely not your permanent forever home, so it’s easy to let the little things – like  a broken faucet handle or a stain on the carpet – go. However, you really should make that extra effort to treat your apartment just like you would your own house, for many different reasons. Just to convince you of how important this is, we’ve compiled the top three reasons you should take great care of your apartment, whether it’s a cheap one-bedroom or a fancy luxury apartment.

1. Maintenance Issues:  A lot of apartment dwellers let the little issues, like a slightly leaky faucet or a broken burner on the stove, go to avoid dealing with the hassle of letting in the maintenance workers. When a big issue comes up, however, such as a busted hot water heater, you’re going to have to finally let the maintenance workers in, and you don’t want them to find the place looking a wreck. If they notice a lot of damages or even extra clutter or uncleanliness, they will likely report it to the leasing office, which could get you fined or, in severe cases, even evicted. To avoid this, it’s best to keep things tidy and looking good.

2.  Your Security Deposit:  Almost all apartment landlords will require you to pay a security deposit when you first move in. If you have pets, small children, or bad credit, this security deposit can add up to a hefty sum of cash. If you ever want to see that cash again, you need to leave your apartment looking as good – or better –than it did when you first moved in. Even the smallest unreported issue or damage is enough to prompt the rental office to keep that money all to themselves even after you move out.

3.  Your Own Happiness and Wellbeing:  Though an apartment is most likely not your permanent home, it is your home for now, and, as such, you will want to make every effort to make it enjoyable to live in. Having a messy, unkempt apartment can leave you feeling stressed and unproductive and only hurts you in the long run. Plus, you pay rent; therefore, you deserve a safe, comfortable place to live. Part of that rent goes to pay the maintenance workers to do their job, so when you don’t ask them to fix what’s broken, you’re settling for less than what you’re paying for, and you’re not cheating anyone but yourself.

Obviously, taking care of your apartment, then, is extremely important. If you can just add in a few minutes of cleaning each day and report any and all issues to the maintenance workers, you’ll be much happier in your apartment, and you’ll stand a much better chance at getting that safety deposit back where it belongs – in your wallet!

If you’re in the process of looking for an apartment and think you’ve found the perfect place, you need to check and make sure you haven’t overlooked one very important factor – the neighborhood your apartment is in. All too often, people will rent an apartment without ever really considering its location. Then, they end up disappointed and waiting out the lease they’ve signed themselves up for in misery. To keep this from happening to you, make sure you spend the time getting to know the neighborhood surrounding any apartment you are seriously considering. There are many reasons to do this, but we’ve chosen to offer you the main three:

1.Location is Everything: Whether or not you’ll be happy in your apartment depends upon a lot more than just the size and the color of the walls. You need to seriously consider the location of your apartment. If you love the wild and crazy nightlife, you’re probably not going to be happy with an apartment that is situated several miles away from the closest bar or nightclub. Likewise, most families with young children won’t want to find themselves living across the street from the hottest hotspot in town. Just taking a few minutes of your time now to see what your prospective apartment is close to can save you a lot of hassle later on.

2. The People: When you spend some time exploring the neighborhood, you’ll also learn a lot of important information about the people who will be living around you – your neighbors. Young singles probably wouldn’t feel too comfortable in a neighborhood full of older couples, just as families with children would feel out of place in a neighborhood that isn’t kid-friendly. Neighborhoods tend to cater to certain types of people, and whether you want to end up surrounded by loud partygoers or sweet little old ladies is something you seriously need to think about before you make a commitment.

3. Amenities: If you’re planning on living in a large apartment complex, you’ll definitely want to check out the amenities offered to the community before you make a commitment. Sure, the leasing manager might tell you there’s a pool and a gym, but it’s up to you to do some exploring of your potential new neighborhood. Is that pool really a messy stinkhole that nobody uses, and is the gym really a gym or just a little room with a treadmill? Doing your investigating now will save you from future disappointment.

Choosing an apartment is a big decision, one that can often be so stressful and overwhelming you’re just ready to get it over with. Don’t let this stress push you into making a hasty decision you’ll later regret. Take the time to get to know your prospective new neighborhood, paying attention to the factors discussed here and others that are important to you. After all, you deserve to be happy and comfortable in your brand new home and with your big decision.

People have a lot on their minds as they prepare to move into new apartments. They’re thinking about the costs of moving trucks, where to put all their stuff, and turning on the gas and electric as soon as possible. In all this chaos, many people overlook or skip the apartment inspection process, but doing so is a big mistake. Before you bring that first suitcase or moving box into your new apartment, you absolutely need to have it inspected. Not doing so can cause you lots of trouble and cost you your valuable time and money later on.

The most important reason you need to have your apartment inspected is so that you do not end up getting charged for damages or missing equipment that were already there (or not there) when you moved in. Have the apartment owner or an outside third party inspector walk around with you, taking note of the condition of the apartment, especially of any damages, such as holes in walls or stains on the carpet. Also write down if any piece of included equipment that should be inside your apartment is not. Make sure all of this is written down and that one copy is given to the landlord or leasing office and another stays with you.

Another big reason for inspecting your apartment is for your own safety and the safety of anyone else who will be living there with you. Anything that is a health hazard or a safety hazard should be noted. This includes crumbling or unstable stairs, mold growing on the walls or anywhere else, gas leaks, locks that don’t work, and anything that you feel poses a threat to you. It will be up to the landlord to fix these items before you move in.

Also, when you have the apartment inspected by an outside agent, you’ll know whether or not you are truly getting a good deal. Finding out all the faults of an apartment is the surest way to know whether you’re overpaying or to find out if that dream apartment really is too good to be true. Inspection is not a fun step, and it may cause you to start the whole apartment hunt over again, but it is definitely worth it in the end. If you have your apartment inspected thoroughly, there will be no surprises later on down the road.

Having your apartment inspected is basically like a guarantee that you’ll be eligible to get your security deposit back, providing you don’t cause any new damages of course, and that you’ll be happy and safe in your new apartment home. Most larger complexes will have someone on hand to inspect the apartment with you before you move in, but with smaller or privately owned apartments, you may need to hire an inspector. You can usually do this by contacting the state health board or any agency that provides renter’s insurance. We know you’ll be glad you did.

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.