Finding Your First Home

Posted on: 21 December 2015

Finding the perfect apartment can be very stressful, especially if you are in a hurry to relocate. Making decisions in the heat of the moment is costly. Once you have found what you are looking for, you may not think of all of the many important questions you have to ask. It is important to remember that if it looks too good to be true, it may very well be. Before finding a perfect renting space that turns into a disaster, ask these three important questions. The answer may save you from unneeded stress and heartache.

Is It Legal?

Its always very tempting to move into a space that is low rent, regardless of where it is. Sometimes, however, the lower the rent is, the more risks you run into. Just because it is a good deal now, doesn't mean it will be in the long run. There are many ways to tell beforehand if your space isn't legal to rent out. For instance, if the space you are interested in is a basement or garage apartment, has really low rent, paid utilities or you don't get access to the mailbox, the space may very well be illegal to live in. It is important to know of the legalities of the place you are moving into because if the city were to find out you live there, you will be forced to move right away.

Is The Pet Policy Included In The Lease?

Just because your potential landlord says that your pets are fine to move in, you must ask if the policy is included in the lease you are going to be signing. If it is not outlined in the lease you are going to be signing, your landlord may decide later that you have to pay an extra deposit to keep them there.

When you are signing your lease, look for these things:

• Does the space allow pets?

• How much is the cost for housing your pets at your new space?

• Does the lease have a no-animal clause?

If your lease states that no animals are allowed in your space, but your landlord says different, ask them to change to policy before signing it.

Do You Get Your Security Deposit Back?

Asking to review your security deposit policy is very crucial before signing any new lease. This will safeguard you against any surprises when you decide to move. There are several reasons why a landlord will withhold your security deposit. Damages to the space or breaking the lease are the most popular reasons why you wouldn't expect to get a deposit back. However, every landlord has different policies. You should never assume that your new landlord will have the same policy as your old landlord. Be sure to get an itemized list of damages that may have been done to your living space before you moved in. Without this list, your landlord could hold you accountable for the damages and you would have no way to prove otherwise should you take them to court.

Making split decisions about where you are going to move next is very stressful, especially if you don't know what questions to ask. Before you move into a disaster, ask these three essential questions to ensure that the decision you are making is the right one.

Even if you're working with a property management company instead of a landlord, these details are important to nail down. For a property management company, contact a company such as MGR Property Management Inc.