Administrator answers:

Read and understand your lease fully.
See if water and sewer, electric, heat, and or gas, trash collection, TV, , are included.
If not you will need to budget and pay for these utilities.
Who signed the lease, one or both of you.
What happens if one moves out???

Administrator answers:

Typically, apartment managers require that you TAKE HOME 2.5-3 times the rent. So, for a $700 place, the two of you will need to take home $1750-$2100/month.

What utilities are included will vary by the specific complex. Typically, water is included, but that’s about it.

First time renters are usually fine, as long as your credit is clean. No credit is better than bad credit. You will also both have to meet the credit and background check requirements AND be of minimum age that they require.

Demand a walkthrough/inspection, get any promises or requests in writing, and READ & UNDERSTAND your lease/rental agreement. Understand that a lease is a binding legal contract, not something you can walk away from if you and our boyfriend break up. In fact, you need to put a contract together with your boyfriend as to what happens should the two of you break up before the lease expires. It’s one of those things that no one like to think about happening, but protect yourself.

Administrator answers:

Make note of any damage in the apt. When you move in…take pics, hold up newspaper in some to prove date…when you move clean like a fiend-and again take pics to insure you get your security back. If you rent a steam cleaner keep the receipt.

Also–check out the neighbors as much as possible–try and view the apt when they are home from work-how loud are they-cruise by on a friday night to see how many parties are going on…

Who is in charge of the heat? Do you have a working thermostat in the apt?

Administrator answers:

Number one – how can you afford an apartment with no job?
The property manager will want to verify source of income.
Whatever your income, your rent should be no more than 1/4 of that.
Don’t forget you will have to pay for utilities, groceries, transportation.
Sit down with a person who can help you figure this out. Quite unlikely you will be able to do this unless you have a parent or someone with established credit cosign for you.

Administrator answers:

* August-September is the worst time to look since many college students flood the rental market. May-June is a better time to take over students’ lease or sublet.
* Internet is good for research, but drive around the neighborhood you actually want to live-in. “For Rent” signs sometimes have the best deals. Rent.com and Apartments.com often specialize only in large suburban or high rise properties.
* Call while in front of the property. You may be able to view the property immediately and you’ll have sense of the neighborhood instead of blindly calling ads.
* Depending on your budget, concentrate on close-in neighborhoods. You’ll have plenty of time to die in the outskirts and suburbs later in life.
* If you’re looking in a high-demand neighborhood, carry cash or checkbook with you and all the information you need for an application. You may need to immediately place a deposit and complete an application.
* Since you’re first-time renters, you will probably need to pay a higher security deposit and have someone cosign with you. Swallow your pride and have your cosigner join you while applying. You cosigner’s presence will let the landlord know that the cosigner is real and involved.
* You get what you see. Walk-through the unit BEFORE signing the lease, paying rent, and obtaining keys. Take plenty of pictures and always write-up a detailed condition report to the landlord upon move-in.

Good Luck!