We hope you had a great July 4th weekend! Now it’s summertime, and we’re into the thick of the apartment-hunting season. Students are looking for new places, new graduates are moving to their new cities, and people everywhere are trying to avoid moving in cold weather.
When you’re searching in the summer, there are definitely items you should keep in mind to help make sure that you make a great decision. Here is our list of seven things to remember when you’re looking at apartments during the summer:
(1) Imagine the area when it isn’t summer. There won’t always be the same amount of foot traffic, for example; if you think it feels quiet now, it’s liable to feel more so in the winter. (This is especially true for parks.) Conversely, the area around a school won’t be as busy in the summer as it will be during the rest of the year. And it won’t just be kids – there will be adults and potentially cars and buses around.
(2) Pay attention to your commute. Proximity to public transit is always important, but beautiful summer weather can make a bad commute seem palatable. That said, that 15-minute walk to the subway will feel a lot less nice in the dead of winter. Bottom line: try to keep in mind what it will be like to live somewhere when the weather isn’t sunny and warm.
(3) Does the heat work? Make sure to ask the super (or, better, the last tenant) how well the heat works and whether it’s had any maintenance problems. You won’t easily be able to test it (especially if the building has central heat), so you’ll need to be extra-careful to ask. This also goes for any utility or amenity that is more relevant in cold weather than in warm. And don’t forget to ask whether the apartment is drafty!
Also, don’t forget to have a look at our list of nine questions you should ask when looking at an apartment.
(4) How much sun does your apartment get? Remember to check the window treatments (and confirm that there will be some!) to see how bright your apartment will be. If you need darkness to sleep you may want to invest in blackout shades. Also, if you get lots of sun your apartment will be hotter in the summer (and likely colder in the winter), and unless you have very solid, well-insulated windows you may end up with a correspondingly higher utility bill.
(5) Can you wait a month or two? Rents are at their highest right now. If there’s a way for you to stay in your current space for a couple of months, you might consider it. While there will be less availability later on in the year, rents are substantially lower – and at their lowest in November. There may also be more rental concessions in the off-season, though that isn’t guaranteed.
(6) Be extra-prepared. Even more so than normally, you’ll need to have your documentation in order and funds available for the deposit/fees. Competition can also drive rents up; landlords with multiple acceptable applicants may take the opportunity to ask for greater than the listed rent, or a larger security deposit. Don’t let your desire to have this space lead you to take a deal you can’t afford. (But don’t forget that even, during the summer, it’s possible to negotiate on some points!)
(7) Don’t overvalue amenities you won’t use often. We’ve written about this before but it bears repeating: some amenities aren’t worth what you’ll pay for them. Amenities like outdoor space (especially roof space) or a pool may be great in the summer, but you may not be able to use them for large parts of the year.
Good luck with your hunt — and don’t forget to check out RentHop!
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Looking for some creative ways to make your apartment seem bigger? We’ve got you.
How about some tips for working with movers? We have those as well.
