Life’s Lessons

Moving is a pain. Going through all your belongings and trying to decide what to keep, what to donate and why you bought it all in the first place. There is the packing, and calling in of favors to help you load a truck or car. And then there is the actual move itself. The question is where are you moving to?

If you’ve been finally kicked out of your parents’ house or have decided to move out of your own free will, you are probably heading to an apartment. And while living in an apartment can be fun and exciting, the same can’t be said for finding an apartment.

If you plan to move in the same city you may have the luxury of time to drive around and visit potential places to live in person. If you are short on time or plan to move to a new city, perhaps even one you’ve never been to, your best choice is to look for apartments online.

Image Courtesy of Wonderdawg777 on Flickr

The problem with looking for apartments online is you can’t always trust what you see on a web page. Descriptions, floor plans and photos might give you an idea of what the apartment looks like, but since apartment living is a communal experience, to really know what the place is like you have to experience it for yourself. But oftentimes that’s not possible and you may have to make your decisions strictly from an online posting.

Here are a couple of tips on how to look for the perfect place to live whether you’re looking to move to New York City sky rise studios, downtown Knoxville apartments, or suburban Denver condos.

1. Avoid Craig’s List. Aside from the fact that the site is perfect for scammers who want to pretend to rent you a spectacular apartment for a shockingly low rate just to get a deposit out of you, Craig’s List is free for anyone and anyone can use it. You want to live in a place run and owned by professionals. When moving to a new place, you want an apartment whose owners are willing to spend a little money to promote their property. This shows they stand behind their business and offers a comprehensive list of amenities in and around the apartment for work and play that you can use as a guarantee.
2. Use multiple sites to compare prices and features. Since there are many reputable apartment finding services online, there are many ways they make money. One method is to get a person to pay a higher rent and pocket the difference. Even if you find the best apartment online at a great price, compare it with other sites to see if the price is the same.

Spreading your wings and heading off to your new apartment can be a fun adventure. Make sure you get started off on the right foot.