8 Signs that You’ve Found the Right Apartment

Finding the right anything isn’t always easy; the right pair of shoes, the right job, the right partner, and, of course, the right apartment. What makes it tricky is that there’s no specific formula you can follow to land you at the doorstep of the apartment of your dreams. Instead, you’re forced to rely on your best judgment.

With a never-ending list of amenities and features found in apartments, it can be challenging to know when you’ve landed on one that makes sense for you. That’s why we’re here to help. We’ve put together a list of 8 signs that you’ve found the right apartment so that you don’t have to keep asking yourself the same questions over and over again.

Let’s get started.

1. It’s Within Your Budget

First and foremost, the right apartment should always be within your budget. As you start your apartment searches, you should always begin with a budget. Similarly, when you start weighing your options, you should also start by looking at your budget once again.

There’s no sense in having the perfect apartment with all the most modern features if you can’t afford it. It’s not realistic for your lifestyle.

Instead, cross off any of the options on your list that are over your budget. The right apartment for you isn’t going to be any of those anyway.

In the unfortunate circumstance that you’ve come across an apartment outside of the budget that you absolutely love, don’t be completely discouraged. You still have some options. For starters, you may want to see if you can negotiate rent prices.

2. It’s the Perfect Lease Length

While the length of the lease might seem like a silly condition to make or break the perfect apartment, it's not something that should go overlooked. For example, if you think you’ve found the best apartment for you but you only need a six-month lease and know you will be leaving the city after that time, entering a one-year lease agreement is a terrible financial decision on your end.

Some landlords are more lenient than others when it comes to breaking leases and some states have varying laws, though to avoid any conflict or excessive fees, the best option is to find an apartment that has the perfect lease length upfront.

There’s no harm in asking landlords if they are willing to consider alternative lease length options before signing a lease. After all, the worst they could say is no. In the best case scenario, they would recognize that you are a reliable tenant and want to make any adjustments necessary for you to be the one to rent their property.

3. You’re in Love with the Location

When it comes to finding the perfect location for your new apartment, you’ll first need to consider your ideal lifestyle. For example, if you’re a bit of a homebody who likes peace and quiet, you’ll likely be more interested in searching for apartments in more suburban areas.

Alternatively, if you’re someone who likes to be in the middle of all of the hustle and bustle, a booming downtown neighborhood might be highly intriguing for you. You might be willing to compromise on things like assigned parking or square footage for the added convenience of having restaurants and entertainment a walking distance away.

For most, the right apartment is going to be close to some of the essential places you’ll need to frequent, including places like:

• Work
• Grocery stores
• Favorite workout spots
• Dog parks
• Etc.

4. It’s Well-Maintained

Make sure you find a well-maintained apartment. Not only are these apartments more aesthetically pleasing, but they will be better for your health and safety as well.

Some of the things to look out for while on your apartment searches maybe things like checking to see that:

• Carpets have been cleaned
• Walls have been repainted
• Appliances match your ideal condition

If you’ve found a spot that seems well-maintained, you might have found the right apartment after all.

5. You’re Getting Your Must-Have Amenities

Before you started looking at apartments, you should have taken the time to make a list of amenities that are must-haves versus nice to have. Then, when touring prospective apartments, you can note which ones have all of the must-have amenities from your list.

Remember that all amenities are technically non-essential features of an apartment, but you can still have some non-negotiable for you. Some of the most popular must-have amenities for renters include:

• In-unit laundry
• Air conditioning
• Fitness center
• Dishwasher
• Secure parking
• Natural light
• Online rent payment
• Pet-friendly

6. It’s the Best Space for You (& Your Roommates)

Sometimes, the most incredible apartments just aren’t what you need right now in your life. It can be easy to get caught up in the excitement of finding the perfect apartment in the best part of town but don’t overlook something as basic as the space.

Make sure to consider aspects of the overall space in the apartment, including:

• Great layout and floor plan
• Perfect amount of bedrooms and bathrooms
• Roommates and or pets approve of it (+ pet friendly)

If you’re apartment hunting on behalf of roommates, always be sure to have their input as well. Do your best to show them everything and see what their take is on the space.

For those with roommates, the right apartment for you will be the right apartment for you all.

7. You Like Your Landlord

Usually, during some step of the rental process, you should interact with your prospective landlord. Whether through email or phone, you’ve likely shared a few limited contacts through the process.

Take notice of any interactions you have with your landlord, as this is yet another essential aspect of finding the right apartment. It’s essential to have a good relationship with your landlord going into the lease as they’ll be your main point of contact for maintenance repairs, apartment information, etc.

You want to make sure they are readily available when you need them and that the two of you can have clear communication. Don’t overlook the value of a solid landlord-tenant relationship when renting an apartment. It can truly make or break your experience.

8. It Feels Like Home

Last but not least, you will need to rely on a bit of intuition when it comes to finding the right apartment. You want to make sure to find an apartment that feels like home.

Finding the right apartment means touring or viewing photos online so you can picture yourself living there and start thinking about how to decorate and arrange the space.

At the end of the day, you want to make sure that you feel at home in your new apartment. Don’t ignore any of those weird feelings you get while touring an apartment just because it checks all the other boxes. Make sure you find something that feels just right for you since you’ll be the one living in it.

Final Thoughts

Ultimately, you’ll have to decide when you’ve found the right apartment. Hopefully, now you’ll have a better idea of what to look out for in future prospects you may see.

If you don’t think you’ve found your dream apartment, don’t be discouraged. Continue your searches and let us help you. Register with Apartment List today and start checking out the thousands of available apartments to rent in your area!