Dealing with Renter’s Remorse

September 25, 2014 | By Melissa AuthorMy First Apartment

So you’ve looked and looked for the perfect apartment (or you lucked out and inherited a room in a friend’s space, in which case everyone is jealous of you and you better appreciate it), and finally signed the lease! As stressful as it was to move and unpack, you finally did it. Congrats. Hopefully you…

5 Tips for Bonding with Random Roommates

September 15, 2014 | By Melissa AuthorMy First Apartment

There are many ways to get stuck living with strangers. Maybe it was by choice! Perhaps you found a group via a roommate speed-dating event, or perhaps a realtor recruited you all to live together in the limited-time property he was showing. More likely than not, you’re filling a room in a multi bedroom apartment…

NYC Rentals: 7 Reasons Why It’s Like No Other Apartment Search

June 10, 2014 | By Melissa AuthorMy First Apartment

While New York City is (in my opinion) the best city on earth, it easily becomes one of the worst cities when you’re looking for your own apartment. Whether you’ve lived here for years or are ready to relocate, the apartment search is stressful, and, like everything else in this town, expensive. Here are seven ways it’s different from…

How to Be a Subletter

June 7, 2014 | By Melissa AuthorMy First Apartment

Though I’ve sublet my room several times while I was away, I do not have much experience with subletting from someone else. I was trying to figure out where to go when my lease expires next month, and I realized that subletting for the summer made the most financial and logistical sense. As a person who has hosted subletters…

24 Rules for Living with Roommates

June 3, 2014 | By Melissa AuthorMy First Apartment

Whether your roommate is a relative, close friend, or someone found online, sharing space can get tricky! (Take this quiz to find out what type of roommate situation is best for your personality.) It’s important to establish a set of rules, but also to check-in regularly, to make sure the rules still make sense and…

How to Avoid Your First Apartment Rental Scams

May 28, 2014 | By Melissa AuthorMy First Apartment

As much as I want to believe in the good of all people in the world, especially the good of those people who want you to write a rather large check to them, you have to admit to yourself that there are enough people who are willing to take advantage of you, and run off…

5 Reasons Why Looking for Your First Apartment is Not like House Hunters

May 26, 2014 | By Melissa AuthorMy First Apartment

If you’re as addicted to HGTV’s House Hunters as I am, you probably actually look forward to moving, because it just looks like so much fun to find a new place! Unfortunately, this reality show is just like the rest of them: not reality. And on top of that, many people on the show aren’t looking…

Dorm Life Vs. Apartment Life

May 23, 2014 | By Melissa AuthorMy First Apartment

Transitioning from a college dorm to an apartment may seem easy, especially if you’ve been lucky enough to enjoy suite-style living, but there are plenty of hurdles (and costs!) along the way. First, and most importantly, you need learn to budget for the rent money. Dorms typically charge by the semester, so you’re pre-paid for…

Graduation Move-Out: From Dorm to First Apartment

April 30, 2014 | By Melissa AuthorMy First Apartment

School’s out for summer! Well, forever, actually. Once your dorm collects your keys and inspects the furniture for permanent damage, you’re out in the world! It’s scary, exciting, and shocking, even if you’ve been preparing for months. If you’ve decided not to move back home, chances are you’ve found your own apartment, perhaps with college…

How Safe is Your New Hood? 8 Ways to Check

April 8, 2014 | By Melissa AuthorMy First Apartment

When moving to a new neighborhood, whether a few blocks or thousands of miles from your comfortable bubble, it’s easy (and important!) to question how safe the new area is. Especially if you won’t be living in a building with 24-hour security or a doorman, you’ll want to make sure you feel protected in your new…