Embarking Into the World: First Apartment & What to Expect?

[wildfeather111]

Hey there!

So I currently go to a college where we are required to live on campus until we are 22, which means that when my internship rolls around (next winter/spring) it will be the first time I've ever had to deal with rent/utilities, etc. I know that expenses really depend on which city you are going to be living in (not sure where I'll be yet), but what are some expenses I should start saving for? And any words of wisdom about first apartments/moving to a new city/wise investments/things to plan for/etc are all very welcome!

Thanks!

[wildross]

Watch out for the little things, water bill, trash bill, parking/garage, etc.

Sign up fees/deposits for all of the above or anything you've never paid for yourself. Cable TV and Internet

The little things you need in an apartment that cost $10-25 each

trash cans

lights

extension cords

cleaning supplies (vacuum, brooms, mops, soaps, etc)

kitchen stuff, including gadgets (can openers, bottle openers, scrubbers, strainers, drainers, knives)

Keep a mental track of everything you use in the next month that you don't have but will need/want. Decide which are really needs and which are wants. Don't be afraid to ask family for their extras. Maybe right stuff down. Ask Mom/Dad to start saving the extras, or storing ones you buy.

Depending on the dollars you have, decide if you really need new. Food tastes the same on paper plates/thrift store dishes as it does on fine china. YOu don't NEED a full set of knives, etc, etc.

If you cook a lot, do you have a set of spices that you use?

You're right, it's the little things that kill you.

[Jennifer]

I don't know about where you live but where I live utilities require a deposit. Most are somewhere between $100 and $250. Also: first, last and deposit are required to move into many apartments. First and last refer to rent for the first and last month that you will live in the apartment.

[ZenGwen]

Figure out what date in the month each of your bills comes out of your account, so you're never caught short! That was a big one for me.

[Shortkaik]

I always find it easiest if you can find an apartment where utilities are included in the rent price, it saves so much hassle. Then you don't have to worry about paying for hydro and stuff, and it's always the same amount each month, which makes planning easier.

Take pictures when you move in (and maybe let the office know) if you spot anything that's damaged or not in good condition - they might try to blame you for it when you move out.

Explore some thrift stores and yard sales for kitchen/household essentials as wildross suggested - you can get a full set of dishes quite often, and a lot of the things you can get there have way more interesting character than brand new modern stuff. But I wouldn't go as far to use paper plates and plastic utensils, I would consider that wasteful (and probably expensive in the long run).

And if you own a vehicle, or have friends who might visit you with a vehicle, make sure you look into parking arrangements. I've lived places where the parking spot is included, and places where it's an extra $60/month. Some places have free guest parking and some places only have street parking.

Lastly... renter's insurance! Just because you don't own the home doesn't mean you shouldn't get home insurance for your valuables! It can be as cheap as $15-20/month, and could save you a lot of grief.

Good luck!

[msuroo]

Watch out for the little things, water bill, trash bill, parking/garage, etc.

Sign up fees/deposits for all of the above or anything you've never paid for yourself. Cable TV and Internet

The little things you need in an apartment that cost $10-25 each

trash cans

lights

extension cords

cleaning supplies (vacuum, brooms, mops, soaps, etc)

kitchen stuff, including gadgets (can openers, bottle openers, scrubbers, strainers, drainers, knives)

Keep a mental track of everything you use in the next month that you don't have but will need/want. Decide which are really needs and which are wants. Don't be afraid to ask family for their extras. Maybe right stuff down. Ask Mom/Dad to start saving the extras, or storing ones you buy.

Depending on the dollars you have, decide if you really need new. Food tastes the same on paper plates/thrift store dishes as it does on fine china. YOu don't NEED a full set of knives, etc, etc.

If you cook a lot, do you have a set of spices that you use?

You're right, it's the little things that kill you.

This is a really solid post.

[WizardTrip]

Others have mentioned a lot of good stuff, but I'm gonna stress a couple of expenses that will heavily depend on where you live and who you rent from.

Move in expenses:

In my area, this amount can vary a lot! If you rent from an apartment management company, the expense to move it could be a few hundred dollars. Sometimes this is returned when you move out as long as your place is in order, sometimes not. If you rent from an individual, they may require you to pay for a full months rent up front, plus the first month's rent. The place I moved into is a condo I rent from the owner. I had to pay for a full month (returned to me when I move out), plus the first month, plus a non-refundable $400 move in fee....all of this before I could walk in the door. This was my number one expense when I initially moved it.

When you do start looking, check out padmapper.com . I love the site since it pulls listings from a lot of different places (craigslist, rent.com, etc).

[Shortkaik]

Move in expenses:

In my area, this amount can vary a lot! If you rent from an apartment management company, the expense to move it could be a few hundred dollars. Sometimes this is returned when you move out as long as your place is in order, sometimes not. If you rent from an individual, they may require you to pay for a full months rent up front, plus the first month's rent. The place I moved into is a condo I rent from the owner. I had to pay for a full month (returned to me when I move out), plus the first month, plus a non-refundable $400 move in fee....all of this before I could walk in the door. This was my number one expense when I initially moved it.

This is really important. I say, look up the tenant and renting laws in your area. In my area, landlords are not allowed to ask for a deposit (refundable or not). But, almost always you are required to pay first & last month's rent upfront, in case you try to skip out (so your last month will be paid for already when you decide to move out).

[snork]

I always find it easiest if you can find an apartment where utilities are included in the rent price, it saves so much hassle.

Listen to this - it saves so much time unless you are going to be living somewhere for a really long period of time. If I'm renting for a year or less I will always do this so I don't have to deal with it.

[wildross]

oh. and don't just fill out the check in sheet. take pictures of everything that is wrong. print them out, attach them to the sheet and retain a signed copy..ie get the staff to sign a copy of the pix. liars abound

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[AuroraNorth]

When I went apartment hunting, I hit my local Craigslist. I had a budget, an idea of where I wanted to live and what my transportation options were. I'm in the DC metro area, so a car was not a must. However, that meant I needed a nearby bus route and metro station.

My requirements were- 1-bedroom, quiet location, easy access to bus/metro.

I came up with a list of standard questions which I tailored to the apartment in question:

1. Where in DC is it located?

2. Are you looking for a short term renter or a long term one? I would like to get something with a yearlong lease.

3. What kind of Metro/bus access is around it?

4. What is the potential move-in date?

5. Are there laundry facilities in the building?

6. Are utilities included, and how much do they usually run if they aren't?

7. How reliable are your elevators/does the building have elevators?

8. What sort of deposits are required, and how much are they?

9. What kind of security and access to the building exist?

10. Is there central air conditioning?

That helped me narrow down what I was looking at and if it was impossible.

Do look at private home rentals- I'm currently in a 2-bedroom furnished basement apartment that runs me $810 a month- and that includes utilities, cable and wifi. My landlady decided to turn her basement into an apartment for her daughter and son-in-law, and after they moved out she started taking tenants. She's nice and not nosy- also, having her on the premises means if anything goes wrong, she deals with it fast.

[Mama T]

i'll second shortkaik - whatever you can get included in the rent would be a big help, especially heat & a/c. check for what's in the neighborhood too; is there a grocery store, laundromat (if you don't have machines in your building), bank, parking, public transit, convenience store, gym, etc., all within reasonable distance? pay attention to what you hear of your neighbors when you're checking a place out - can you hear the people next to/below/above you?

everyone else has given very solid advice... good luck!

[AuroraNorth]

Matilda's right- one of the selling points to my apartment was that there's a grocery store and pharmacy with good hours half a mile from my place. Knowing that I can quickly grab some eggs or whatever if I need after work and not have to slog through an extra trip is a big plus.

Also, think carefully what a reasonable distance for getting to public transit is. I turned down one place because I'd have to walk over a mile each way to get to the metro- there was no bus route nearby and DC weather can be horrid, especially in summer. The idea of having to slog home from the metro in August was enough to put me off. My current trek is .3 miles, and that's workable with groceries/packages even when it's hot.

[Librarian of Doom]

All of the above is great advice. When I moved into my first apartment, one of my roommates saved us a ton because her grandmother (who raised her) had put together a hope chest for her with dishes, towels, etc., and she brought that stuff to our apartment for us to use. Definitely check out thrift stores and garage sales, and also your local Freecycle group for the various little things you need. Also, if you are near a dollar store, you can get some of the little basic things for cheap (utensils, plates, cups, etc.). If you have room to start storing things, an alternative to saving money would be to start checking all these venues, plus the good deals that come up around holidays (especially Black Friday) and make yourself a little "setting up housekeeping" box (or boxes) of things that will be nice to have.

[wildross]

Matilda reminded me of something else. Drive through the area/community at different times of the day, not just when you go see it. Some communities "live outside" which can be a good thing or a bad thing. Others, everyone is inside all the time. Different noise levels too.

[azsf]

plus a non-refundable $400 move in fee

what in the...? there's no way that's legal. did they move your stuff in for you? cover transport and haulage? or hell, even help you carry it in? offer you a beer after it was done? Bond and first month in advance are standard to protect the owner, but $400 for you to move into the house YOU"RE RENTING is daylight robbery. feels bad man :/

[wildross]

Pretty common. Application/processing fee. Keeps people from holding multiple apartments then only taking one.

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[The Tin Man]

Agreed with wildross. In most cases you have a realtor fee of 1/2 to a full month's rent. I've never not had to pay this.

[azsf]

ah ok im with you now. there's something similar to this in australia, you have to pay a fee along with your application (usually 1 weeks rent). This is then counted towards your first fortnight rent payment if your application is successful. if you get rejected, you get the fee back. if your application is accepted, but you choose to not take it, you forfeit the fee. even this set up is pretty frustrating, especially when it can take a few weeks for the result of your application to come back...

but for them to charge this as a stand alone fee, and then charge full bond & first month rent in advance... that's gotta suck.

[The Tin Man]

Oh it sucks. The worst I had was paying first month, last month, security deposit, and realtor free up front. That's a lot of friggin' cash.

[faerywethyr]

What deposits and fees are required depends a LOT on what part of the USA you will be living in. For a contrast to all the DC folks posting in here...

I have rented apartments in Phoenix, Missouri, and Texas. My rents have varied from $500 to $950 a month on 1 to 3 bedroom apartments. Fees have been as follows:

Application fee ~$40 to $50

Deposit ~ $200 to $500(this can very greatly and usually depends on how nice the apt is)

Sometimes part or all of deposits are refundable on move out if you leave the place in good condition.

1st month rent

If you want a pet most places now require a separate deposit and extra rent each month.

Utilities:

as a first time renter you will need deposits for these as well

its pretty common for sewer and trash to be included with rent or billed through the apartment ~ $15 to $25 a month

Water is sometimes is billed through the apartment as well ~ $30 to $75 a month

Electric - this can vary soooo wildly on cost but deposits are usually $100 to $200 refundable

Some apartments require you to carry renters insurance. You can generally get it through your car insurance company for about $15 to $30 a month.

If you want internet, cable, or a home phone that will require deposits as well. Cable can get uber expensive I don't recommend it get Netflix or something. Internet is probably necessary. I have always gotten decent speeds for $40 to $60 a month.

You wont discover what you really want out of the place you live in until well you actually do it :->

Everyone else has pretty well covered things like transportation, parking, nearby amenities.

As a note though I have never had to pay for parking in my neck of the woods though its common in crowded cities.

One last note at first rent the cheapest place that meets your needs. Rent should only be about 25 to 30% or your gross income. Good Luck!

[PrincessHeather]

Lastly... renter's insurance! Just because you don't own the home doesn't mean you shouldn't get home insurance for your valuables! It can be as cheap as $15-20/month, and could save you a lot of grief.

Good luck!

THIS!!! We were robbed while we were out of town for 2 months for my husband's job... they took all his gaming stuff, our flat screen, sports memorabilia, and the insurance compensated us will more than enough to replace all of our missing stuff. It's wonderful peace of mind.

[TinkG6]

Understand that dollar stores and WalMart will be your very close friends.

I've been on my own for a while and they are still my good friends.

Good luck, it's scary but exciting!

[---]

If I can still chip in my 2 cents...when you find a place you like, read all of your lease before you sign off on it. It may seem like a no-brainer, but it's highly important. For example, the apartment that I'm going to be renting has a clause that says I can't put any holes in the walls or ceiling at all. No nails, no thumbtacks. Nothing. (I don't mind.) That's a pretty tame example, but your management company may have things in the lease that they don't tell you about, or things that they can't legally require you to do.

I was told about one management company that had a clause where the tenants could not break lease for any reason--not even military deployment. Unfortunately for them, that clause flies directly in the face of federal law, so it's just ink on paper. They can't enforce it.

And that leads me back to what someone else said here, too....know your rights. I can't stress that part enough.

[azsf]

if leases in the US are drawn up the same way they are in Australia, then id say that "no holes in the wall clause" is a catch-all statement put in by the realtor to cover most cases. the real estate agency (or state body even) will have a standard lease agreement, rather than write out something specific to each house. so ask your landlord directly about little things like that, they often don't really care