You
have recently made one of the most important decisions of your
lifetime - getting married. Now you must decide what and where
your first home together will be. The majority of us today choose
to make an apartment community our first residence after marriage.
The following are a few tips which should prove helpful in selecting
an apartment.
Location
- In most cases you will want to find an apartment which is located
conveniently to one or both of your jobs. It is important to weigh
the benefits of cheaper rent with commuting time. One suggestion
is to "test drive" a potential commute during the week
versus a weekend.
Community - There are benefits to selecting a large apartment
community as well as a smaller one. A larger development will
typically offer more amenities such as pools, spas, weight rooms,
tennis courts, etc. A higher rental rate may need to be charged
for comprehensive staff for leasing, maintenance, etc. The advantages
to a smaller complex may include a homey environment, personal
service by the resident manager and potentially a lower rent.
Service
- Regardless of rental rates, service is extremely important.
The least expensive apartment is no bargain if your needs are
not met. Questions to ask an on-site manager include: What staff
members live on-site? How fast are maintenance requests handled?
How long have you been on the property? Is there a professional
Management Company involved? If any of the questions are not answered
to your satisfaction, then this may not be the apartment for you.
Rent
- Most communities qualify their prospective residents initially
through an income to rent ratio. The standard ratio used today
is that the rent should not exceed one fourth to one third of
your combined income. In other words, if your combined income
(you and your husbands) salary is $3,400 per month, you could
typically afford an $850 to $1,100 per month apartment. This is,
of course, a guideline only and you need to take other fixed expenses
into consideration when figuring your budget. Reliable Renters
are a valued commodity to the apartment housing industry today.
You deserve a clean, quiet, well maintained home in which to live.
It is important for you to select your first home together, recognizing
not only the rental rate and amenities, but the level of service
and care you will receive by the resident manager and staff.
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