Recent Graduates Talk Tips: How To Grab First Apartment
It shouldn’t be hard to get your first apartment; these are some real life tips from real authentic people that will help you through this process.
Did you just graduate? You finally got your degree and ready to hop into the real world. But, you’re struggling to get your own place? No worries, you’re at the right place reading the write article. There’s been research done and questions asked from recent grads and top real estate pros to help you grab first apartment. Data has been gathered from Trulia, Indeed, and the U.S. Census to find the best places for people to live and work, one of which is the D.C. area.
Recent Grads: My Apartment Hunting Tips
1. Money Management: Find Your Budget
A recent graduate says it’s easy to sign a lease for an overpriced apartment. Figure out your expenses and how much you’re willing to maximally pay for your monthly rent, maybe consider getting a roommate. It can be easy to get sold on paying more for a place with more amenities and newly renovated appliances. You need to figure out your budget and stick to it.
2. Get More For Your Money
A lot of people, especially millennials like to be in the center of everything, meaning they’d rather live downtown or in the city rather than the suburbs. But think about it, would you rather be paying 2,000 a month living downtown in a 1 bedroom loft/apartment or live 15 minutes from the city paying 1,000 a month with a 2 bedroom apartment? Also, it depends on where your job is, if your job is in the city maybe it’s best to live in the city, all of these things you should consider!
3. Use the Power of Social Media and Be Open to Having a Roommate
A lot of post-graduates are tired of having a roommate since that’s what they’ve probably been doing all throughout college, but sometimes starting out its still financially best to have one. Especially if you want a nicer apartment or an apartment in the city which will be more expensive, then it’s better to grab a roommate to split the cost of rent and utilities. When finding a roommate or even an apartment use the power of social media. There are rental-search groups on Facebook or use an app I think is useful called Roomster, this app can be found on the app store and helps you find roommates as well as apartments or rooms to rent.
4. Maintain Good Credit
Maintaining good credit is a must when searching and applying to get an apartment. Majority of the time landlords, or rental properties don’t know you or see you until you actually start living there because nowadays you’re able to fill an application for an apartment online. These agencies or landlords solely rely on your credit, rental history, or paystubs which tells them whether or not you’re able to pay your monthly rent on time. A good way of staying up to date with your credit score and maintaining it is using the website or application called CreditKarma.