15 April 2019
Everyday

Apartment hunting tips

One of the most exciting parts of college and post-grad life is living with friends. The search for places to live was pretty easy in college, since most of us were probably confined to certain student housing and areas of the city. After that, it gets a little more complicated in finding the right place. Since a lot of my friends are searching right now, I thought I’d pull together everything I learned to make it easier for them. Below you’ll find all my tips and a helpful timeline!

If you’d like to see more of my apartment, checkout my ‘apartment’ highlight on my Instagram profile and this post on Quick Apartment Updates. I’ll also be starting a new ‘mood board’ series to serve up design inspiration via Pinterest!

Things to consider

Before and during your search…

  • Neighborhood (walk-able to favorite places, near a gym/yoga studio, favorite restaurants, etc.)
  • Location (in the Twin Cities, the most popular areas right now seem to be Uptown, North Loop, Northeast, Grand Avenue, and Cathedral Hill)
  • Amenities
  • (do you want access to a pool and a gym?)
  • Natural light
  • Kitchen size and appliances
  • Parking (especially in case of snowstorm)
  • Noise constraints, especially if you like to entertain
  • Number of bathrooms
  • Laundry
  • Landlord availability to fix things, maintain property
  • Shoveling/mowing grass and other upkeep
  • Bus/transportation routes
  • Safety (second floor and above is best)
  • Budget

Sites to use to find properties

Best questions to ask future landlords

While you’re touring the property, here’s what to consider and ask about…

  • Hot water availability (especially important when living in a house, because no one likes a cold shower in the middle of a Minnesota winter)
  • Parking (off-street or garage availability, extra costs associated)
  • Utilities (which ones are included with rent and which will have to be paid each month)
  • Neighbors/neighborhood
  • Subleasing and other rent specifics
  • Safety

After seeing apartment

Additional research before you make the big decision…

  • Look at crime rating
  • Visit neighborhood at various times of day/night
  • Walk around neighborhood
  • Look at bus routes/transportation
  • Chat with previous tenants if possible

Timeline

1. Identify your ideal neighborhood.

2. Figure out when you want to move in. Start looking 3-4 months out. Most places aren’t available to see until then, and are typically leased out 1-2 months in advance.

3. Search on the sites listed above, and start making calls to landlords to view properties. Once you’ve started to look, it’s important to be straightforward when communicating with landlords. If you aren’t considering a place, let them know right away.

4. If you’ve found one you like, apply for it! Especially in small markets like Uptown, time is of the essence. We applied for our apartment right after touring it, then set up another tour just to be sure.

5. If the landlord approves you, and you want the place, sign the lease! Like I said, we toured once more just to be sure (and brought my mom for good measure, they ask the best questions).

Good luck! Let me know any questions or thoughts in the comments below.

Everyday
Share