What Is a Guarantor?

November 18, 2019 | By Stella M AuthorMy First Apartment

Even if you’re mentally ready to move into your first apartment, you might not be financially ready. In some parts of the country, it’s common practice for landlords to require that your yearly income be 40 times the monthly rent, limiting your available options (or forcing you to split your rent with roommates). That’s why…

Five Essential Subletter Etiquette Rules

November 15, 2019 | By Stella M AuthorMy First Apartment

If you’re subletting from someone, you’ll be living in an apartment that’s at once yours and very much not yours. You might be a bit worried about how you can properly feel at home while respecting the original tenant’s space. With these five essential rules for subletter etiquette rules, you should have no trouble comfortably…

Six Tips for Reading Your Lease

November 13, 2019 | By Stella M AuthorMy First Apartment

As exciting as it might be to sign a lease on your first apartment, actually understanding everything that’s in your lease can be a total headache. A lease is a legally-binding agreement, usually written in legal language that can be overwhelming to read. You might be tempted to skip some of this “legalese” and just…

Should You Rent from a Landlord or a Management Company?

November 7, 2019 | By Stella M AuthorMy First Apartment

Moving into a new apartment can be an exciting change, but dealing with a new landlord and getting used to how they communicate and attend to repairs can be an experience that needs adjusting. Many people can recount horror stories of renting apartments from unresponsive or uncaring landlords and living longer than necessary in poor…

How to Choose the Right Apartment Complex for You

November 5, 2019 | By Stella M AuthorMy First Apartment

When you first begin the search for your first or next apartment, you might find a dizzying array of options available to you. Of course, you want to find the one that’s as close to perfect as possible, but each complex has its own benefits and drawbacks. Choosing the right apartment complex might seem easy…

Is Renting With Bad Credit Possible?

October 31, 2019 | By Stella M AuthorMy First Apartment

Let’s say you’re fresh out of college, eager to live alone, and on the hunt for your first apartment. With student loans on your shoulders — and if you’ve never had your own credit card or other line of credit — you might encounter some challenges. Namely, your credit score is likely below the minimum…

How Does Rent Control Work?

October 15, 2019 | By Stella M AuthorMy First Apartment

No matter how you cut it, your monthly housing payment comprises a major portion of your monthly bills. Worse yet, if you’re renting, your landlord may be able to raise your rent every time you sign your lease for another year. That’s part of why terms such as “rent stabilization” and “rent control” are like…

Four Square Footage Facts You Need To Know Before You Rent

September 30, 2019 | By Stella M AuthorMy First Apartment

If you’ve used an internet search engine to find a new apartment, you’ve certainly seen no shortage of the abbreviation “sq ft,” short for “square feet.” This measurement is intended to help prospective renters understand how much space their new apartment will have, but the number may be an abstract one for many renters. It’s…

How to Spot An Illegally Subdivided Apartment

September 27, 2019 | By Stella M AuthorMy First Apartment

The need for cheap rent can sometimes compel people to settle for cramped, poorly maintained, and possibly even dangerous apartments. Sometimes, that shoebox apartment sounds like a super inexpensive steal, but something so small may be signs that a full-sized apartment is being subdivided, possibly illegally. Housing authorities require homeowners to obtain permits that outline…

Five Steps For Finding The Perfect Short-Term Rental

September 5, 2019 | By Stella M AuthorMy First Apartment

Chances are, when you move into your new apartment, you’ll be signing a one-year lease with your landlord. The long-term housing stability that a one-year lease offers is ideal for most people – moving is a chore, and years can pass in your life without major income or location changes. Leases shorter than a year…