Tips on How to Pick the Right Apartment
By Bob Mulvihill
Mulvihill Farms, Inc.
Cumming, IA

8/19/06

When I show apartments to people looking to rent, I usually get only a couple of questions asked about the apartment.  It's usually questions about the rent, deposit, the lease, and sometimes the cost of the utilities. I'm often surprised with how few questions people ask considering they will be living there.  Here are some questions to ask and what to look for when choosing an apartment.

  1. Safety
    1. How safe is the neighborhood?  How many violent or property crimes are committed on average each year in that zip code?  This is pretty important but it often gets overlooked.
    2. Check out http://www.bestplaces.net/
      1. This web site isn't big on details but gives you an idea of how much crime is where the rental property is and allows you to compare it to other cities and zip codes. 
  2. Location
    1. How close is it to work/school? 
    2. If you don't have a car, how close is it to a grocery store or bus line?
    3. http://maps.google.com is a good tool for checking both of these.
  3. Condition of rental unit
    1. Smell
      1. If an apartment smells like pets or cigarette smoke and there is carpet, it is going to be hard to get that smell out even if the landlord says they'll take care of it.  If it bothers you, move on.  Air fresheners won't fix the problem.  A professional truck mounted carpet cleaner and washed walls will be the only thing that will fix it.  That is expensive so it's doubtful that will happen before you move in unless the landlord agrees to it as a condition.
    2. Cleanliness
      1. Look inside and on top of the refrigerator and look on the floor behind the toilet.  Usually if that is clean then you can assume the rest of the apartment has been cleaned.
    3. Water
      1. Turn on the shower and test the water pressure.  Then turn on the bathroom sink faucet and the kitchen faucet and note how much pressure all of them have.  If water that is running drops to a trickle, that is what the water flow will be like when a neighboring apartment uses water while you are taking a shower.  Also stand in the tub to see if the showerhead is tall enough.
      2. Note how fast the water drains from the tub and sinks.
      3. Flush the toilet, make sure it flushes without having to hold the handle down and make sure the water eventually stops running when the water tank on the toilet has filled.
      4. Test the temperature of the hot water to make sure it is hot enough.
    4. Condition of the appliances
      1. Turn on all the burners on the stove and turn on the oven to verify they all work.
      2. Check how cold the refrigerator is, the condition of the seal around the door and if the motor sounds normal when it's running. 
      3. Ask the landlord their policy if there are problems with the appliances.  There are a lot of landlords that provide appliances but won't pay to get them fixed or replaced.
    5. Paint
      1. You'll want an apartment that is recently painted or maybe has a few nicks in the paint, nothing more. 
      2. Paint is cheap, easy to do, and does wonders for the appearance of an apartment.  A landlord that ignores painting ignores lots of other things.
    6. Flooring
      1. Note the flooring in each room. 
      2. Hardwood floors are best because they are durable, easy to clean, better for allergies and look nice.
      3. Carpet in rental properties acts like a sponge.  Spills and odors are absorbed from previous tenants.  Give preference to apartments with either new carpet or carpet in good condition that hasn't had pets. 
      4. Bathrooms should have either linoleum or tile.  Carpet in a bathroom is to be avoided.
  4. Ask about cost of the utilities and then call the Gas/Electric Company and ask for the average billing for service for that rental unit. 
  5. Ask if your electric and or gas meter is separate from other apartments.
    1. Since the apartment is vacant when you visit it, there shouldn't be any electricity being used assuming lights are off and the refrigerator is unplugged.  Ask to see the actual electric meter on the outside of the house.  Look at the wheel in the meter.  If the wheel in the meter is turning, ask why because that rental unit may be providing electricity for other rental units. 
    2. Look for the presence of outside lights that are on during the day.  Somebody is paying to keep that light on and it's not the landlord otherwise it would be off.

    6. Bob Mulvihill
    President
    Mulvihill Farms, Inc.
    bob@mulvihillfarms.com