Need to keep track of all the rentals you check out? Use our Apartment Hunting Checklist to jot down key features of each apartment you visit. Keep track of location, rent and services (parking? pet-friendly? air-conditioning? doorman? health club? laundry in building? super on premises?) on this handy checklist.

Need help translating rental ad lingo? Know your RR from your EIK.

Budgeting for Furniture. Check out our Basic Furniture Checklist to see what you’ll need to furnish a one bedroom apartment at Ikea or Pottery Barn prices.

Our Starter Equipment Checklist has all the basics and more. If you are lucky to have relatives ready to gift you stuff to get you move out, hand them this list and you’ll be set.

The key to a successful roommate relationship is having each party know what to expect right from the start. The best way to accomplish this is by drafting a written roommate agreement that anticipates problems before they arise and establishes ways to deal with them.

The key thing to remember about anything to do with leases and rental agreements is: GET IT IN WRITING!

Start your search by telling everyone you know – that means at work, the gym, the corner coffee shop, extended family, grandma, the newsstand guy – what you are looking for.

You may not know how much rent you can afford, but your government does. The US Housing Department guideline says that your rent should be no more than 25-30% of your gross salary.

Mistake #1. Paying Too Much.
This is the most common beginner’s mistake. It is easy to forget that rent is only part of expenses you’ll have to deal with living on your own – there’s also …

Welcome to My First Apartment, a brand new website dedicated to helping you survive your flight from the nest and into the great, wide world of renting. As experts in the field of screwing up …