The Chicago
Apartment Search
When you are
apartment hunting, prepare a rental search
plan. Be sure to know in advance what you
want in an apartment and what you can live
without. Decide in advance what areas of the
city you could consider living in and make a
list of apartment buildings within that
perimeter.
Be sure to
consider how far and how convenient it will
be for you to travel to your job or your
school or your family and friends. Also, how
far is the apartment from stores, banks,
hospitals, Church (if you attend) etc. If
you have a car, make sure that there is
adequate and convenient parking space 24/7.
If you don't drive make sure that there is
close by public transportation.
Narrow your apartment locating to the size
of rental unit you need. Studio apartment or
one bedroom apartment or 2 BR apartment or
more. Are you considering a furnished
apartment or do you possible need a short
term rental. If you are renting an apartment
with a cat, dog, or other pet, you need to
find out which apartments allow renting with
pets and which do not. And, if they do allow
pets, is there an additional security
deposit required and if so, how much it is.
Do you need an apartment complex with an
exercise room or tennis courts or a pool or
a recreation room, etc. or do you simply
need and desire a nice clean and
quiet pad.
Be realistic
about what you can afford. Most apartment
renting guides suggest that your rent should
not be more than 25% to 30% of your income.
This can vary depending on the income
bracket, but be sure to be "real world" when
budgeting additional apartment expenses such
as heating and air conditioning and other
utilities. If you fall short of affording
the apartment of your choice, you might
consider sharing an apartment with a
roommate or roommates. Keep in mind that
living with roommates can help you afford an
upscale apartment or even, in some cases,
luxury apartments, but it also has extreme
restrictions to your privacy.
If you are
familiar with the area and its
neighborhoods, that gives you a distinct
advantage for your apartment search. If,
however, you are relocating to a new city or
are not particularly knowledgeable about the
city, you may want to contact an Apartment
Locator or an Apartment Finder.
Once you narrow
your search for apartments down to apts
which suit your needs and desires you must
be well organized & well prepared for your
visits to the apartment complexes. When
inspecting the rental premises be on the
alert for unsafe conditions, excessive noise
from traffic or playgrounds or neighbors.
Visit the apartment building at night as
well as the daytime hours. This will give
you a more comprehensive understanding of
the space you'll be residing in.
When
you find the apartment complex that meets
your renting needs and desires, you must be
ready to put your "best foot forward" when
you meet the apartment's rental agent. This
person may be the apartment building manager
or a renting agent for the apts. You should
prepare for this apartment renting interview
in a professional and intelligent manner. Be
advised that you are going to be asked to
provide proof that you are a reliable
prospective tenant. You are most likely
going to need references from previous
landlords. You may also be required by the
apartments to show that you are gainfully
employed and can afford the rent. Many
landlords may require a credit report. If
you are a first time renter and/or you have
limited credit history you may be asked for
references from family, friends, employer,
professionals, etc. Likewise if you are
renting with bad credit you will certainly
want to come to the interview with a strong
selection of references.
You are not
necessarily restricted from apartment
renting with less than perfect credit, but
you may be required to put up an additional
security deposit and possibly have a credit
worthy person co-sign the apartment lease
with you. Don't unprepared for by requests
for any of these things. Be sure to fill out
a 100% truthful apartment rental application
and come to the interview with references,
proof of employment, credit information and
any other renting resources at the ready. If
you do have a credit history or renting
history that might be detrimental, going
through an apartment locator or apartment
finder may be the best solution. They will
present your history to the landlord for
you, (make sure they are 100% truthful about
it) and they can also be quite helpful and
save you a lot of time because they most
likely will know which landlords and
apartments are more lenient in these
circumstances. They can also advise you as
to exactly what kinds of references and
documents you might need to prove that you
can be a responsible tenant.
You Have Located
Your “Dream Apartment”
Once you have
located your “dream apartment”, or as close
to your perfect apartment as possible, now
it is necessary to pay extremely close
attention to the particulars of the rental
agreement. An Apartment Lease is a contract
between you and the landlord. Once agreed
upon and signed by the tenant and the
landlord, the rental lease creates
obligations and restrictions for both
parties. The most obvious covenants of the
apartment lease are the length of the
rental, (Six month lease, one year lease,
two year lease, etc.) The amount of the
security deposit, when the rent is due, who
is responsible for what utilities. Also in
that apartment lease, however, are
stipulations, (sometimes in small print)
that can cover a great variety of landlord
and tenant obligations and restrictions.
They can include, but are not limited to,
the following:
• Maintenance of the apartment
• Care of the premises
• Cleanliness
• Insurance
• Governmental regulations
• Eminent Domain
• Nuisance and noise clauses
• Stipulations as to the circumstances
whereby the landlord can enter the premises
• Use of Common Areas
• Keys and locks
• Loss or damage
• Parking
• Pets
• Plumbing
• What the landlord may do if the rent is in
arrears
• What the tenant can do to bring the rent
current before any kind of action might
be started
• Non performance or breach of the contract
by the renter
• Renter’s penalties in the event of early
termination
• Circumstances which might cause the tenant
or the landlord to break the lease
prior to the end of the term
• Heat and other utilities
• Removal of goods
• Surrender or Non-Surrender of the premises
• Waivers of various obligations
• Prohibited reprisals
• Garbage disposal
• Recyclables
• And the list goes on and on and on.
Prospective
tenants should read an Apartment lease
thoroughly. Prospective apartment renters
should understand everything that is
contained in that lease and make an informed
decision to be 100% accepting of all the
provisions for both the tenant and the
landlord, that you are positive that you can
live up to your end of the bargain and that
you are comfortable with the provisions on
the landlord’s end.
If you do not
understand every single clause of that
apartment lease then do not sign it until
you do understand it. If necessary and if
possible, request assistance in interpreting
the lease from a trusted source such as a
knowledgeable friend or family member or
employer or professional, or anyone else who
can understand it and explain it to you. If
necessary get legal advice. It can cost
additional funds if you do not qualify for
free legal assistance, but that additional
cost might save you a ton of money and save
you a ton of heartache and aggravation down
the road.
If you do not
agree with any of the provisions of that
apartment lease and/or you feel that you
can’t live up to the tenant’s obligations,
or if you are not in agreement with any of
the landlord’s rights under the agreement,
then do not sign the lease until/or unless
it can be changed to your satisfaction. If
the apartment rental agreement cannot be
amended to meet your needs and desires and
comfort level then do not sign the lease and
do not rent that apartment. The Apartment
Rental agreement that you sign as a
prospective tenant will not change once you
become the actual tenant of that apartment.
Good luck in
your apartment search and good luck in your
new apartment.
Copyright 1999 - 2008 STANZEEKAY Inc.
Equal Opportunity Housing