Finding an apartment you like is hard. Finding an apartment you love is even harder.
This is especially true if you are a college student moving somewhere for a limited time and on a limited income.
You may feel like you don't have a lot of choices, or at least a lot of choices that you'll actually like.
There are so many things you want your apartment to have and just want to make sure it’s somewhere you will enjoy living, even if it’s only for a couple months to a year.
The good news is that there is a way to find the lease up apartment you love, and here are five ways how.
1. Ask around
One of the best ways to find an apartment you will enjoy living in is to ask your friends or family who live in the city that you are going to move in where they live and if they love it, or ask where they wish they were living.
If you can schedule a tour, check out things like approved student apartments, your friends’ apartments, and other apartments near work or school.
Not only will it give you an inside scoop but it could possibly be handy as a reference if you decide to move into the same apartments as your friend.
2. Don’t be afraid to be picky
This applies to both apartments and the people you will be living with.
You may have found your dream apartment but if you have bad roomies that dream can turn into a nightmare real quick.
Consider looking on roommate boards or social media and talk to potential roommates to make sure you have things in common and that they are reliable and responsible.
Also don't be afraid to be picky about where you want to live, up to a point.
It’s totally ok to have certain amenities or features that you won’t budge on, but have some things that you will be more flexible on.
3. Make a list
Speaking of things you want and don’t want as you are apartment searching, make a list of the qualities you are looking for in an apartment.
Are you ok with sharing a room or would rather have your own? Do you want a laundry machine in the apartment or are you ok with just one on sight? Do you want it to be walking distance from school or work or are you ok with driving?
Write all of these things down and as you search to find the apartment that most resembles your list.
4. Turn on notifications
If it’s beginning to feel like every time you are opening your phone or computer all you do is look for apartments for hours on end, make sure to turn on app notifications so you won’t have to do that as much.
You can put in the keywords you want to be notified of that way if an availability for your perfect apartment comes up you can know right away without the long search.
5. Be realistic
You probably have this vision of what the best apartment to live in might be, but the reality is it may take some time and you might need to live in something below your standards until the perfect apartment comes along.
Don't be too discouraged, eventually, you will find an apartment that fits everything on your list and more.
