Pets and Apartments

March 27, 2013 | By Alex AuthorMy First Apartment

Wouldn’t it be nice to have a dog that wagged its tail and licked your face every time you came home? Or a cat that curled up in your lap whenever you sat down to watch television? Of course it would – it’d be really quite wonderful! But – and of course there’s always a…

Goodbye, Roommate! How to Know You Are Ready to Get Your Own Place

March 18, 2013 | By Alex AuthorMy First Apartment

In the past few weeks, we’ve spent a lot of time talking about selecting roommates. So now let’s shift to another scenario: you’ve had a roommate for a while, and now you’re ready to live on your own. How do you know if you’re ready to take this particular plunge? There are three areas you…

How to Find A Roommate That’s Right for You

March 12, 2013 | By Alex AuthorMy First Apartment

Last week we talked about where to find people who are in need of a roommate. But simply finding a few people who are interested in being your roommate doesn’t mean you’re done – the next step is choosing someone you really want to have around. After all, the idea is not just to find…

How to Search for a Roommate or Roommate Share

March 9, 2013 | By Alex AuthorMy First Apartment

Whether it’s love or hate, we all have an opinion on our roommate. You see your roommate pretty much everyday … and if your fellow apartment-dweller leaves crumbs on the floor, often you’re the one who happens to step on them with your bare feet. Or, if you come home after a rough day, maybe your…

Renting Furniture: Is It a Good Idea?

February 21, 2013 | By Alex AuthorMy First Apartment

In keeping with this February’s Design Month theme, I’d like to answer a question from one of our readers, Jared. He was wondering whether it would be worthwhile to rent-to-own his furniture, rather than buying it piece-by-piece. He made the point that for the expected monthly payment of rentals, he could afford much nicer…

Countdown to Your First Apartment: Final 3 Steps – Lease, Utilities and Walk-Through

January 18, 2013 | By Alex AuthorMy First Apartment

So you’ve just got the great news: you’ve been approved for your dream apartment! Which means you’re finally done, right? Well … almost. You’re very close, but there are still a few more steps. We’ve already covered what to do before you search for an apartment, as well as how to search for an apartment.…

Countdown to Your First Apartment: 4 Steps to Conducting Your Search

January 13, 2013 | By Alex AuthorMy First Apartment

If you’re looking to move into an apartment for the first time, you’re in luck: this is part two of our three-part series. Today’s topic is how to search for your place. Last week we talked about getting ready (i.e., budgeting, saving for moving costs, and credit scores) and next week we’ll have a discussion…

How to Sublet Your Apartment

November 24, 2012 | By Alex AuthorMy First Apartment

You’re in the middle of your lease but you need to move, and you don’t know what to do. Luckily, the solution is simple: you have to sublet your place. This means finding someone else to live in your apartment until your lease expires. It’s a relatively common maneuver – and here’s how to do it. The…

Lovely: A Great New Online Tool for Apartment Hunters

November 15, 2012 | By Alex AuthorMy First Apartment

Most people don’t like apartment hunting – it’s tiring, frustrating, and time-consuming. It’s also stressful. Of course, progress has been made – apartment hunting in the twenty-first century is far easier than it was in hoary days of last century. Imagine apartment hunting in 1981 without the internet and cell phones. You’d have to use a newspaper to…

Smart Tricks for Increasing Usable Space in Your Bedroom

October 21, 2012 | By Alex AuthorMy First Apartment

When you move into your first apartment, you might be surprised at how small a space you have, particularly if you’re moving to a dense city like New York or San Francisco. Here you are, on your own, and you can’t even fit all your clothes in your bedroom! What are you to do? Well,…