Moving into your first apartment and feeling stressed? We’re giving you insider tips to ensure that your move is free of surprises and stress!
Take ALL of your monthly fees into consideration before deciding on an apartment
Your rent isn’t going to be your only expense. You’ve also got to take into account energy, water, renters insurance, parking fees, internet, tv, food, and entertainment. Make sure your monthly income covers everything before you decide on your new place and that you have a little wiggle room in your budget after you cover the big stuff.
Ask about the fees to move in at your new apartment
You also need to take into account the subsidiary fees associated with the move in. These fees usually include first and second month’s rent, a security deposit, and application fees.
Don’t go overboard on buying before you move in
Even though you’re probably ready to deck out your new place, hold off until after you move in and stick with the basics. The more you buy, the more you have to pack up and take with you. It’ll be easier on your wallet as well to buy home accessories gradually as you have to front quite a bit of money when moving into a new place.
Figure out who’s going to help you move in
If you’re moving out for the first time and don’t have a lot of belongings, you may be safe just having friends and family help you. However, if you’ve accumulated a lot or don’t have people nearby that can help, you may need to find movers. While you’re shopping around ensure that you’re putting your belongings in the hands of verified movers by checking online reviews and ensuring that they are compliant with your DMV.
Find out where the loading area is
After you’ve got people to help you move, ask your apartment where the designated loading area is. The last thing that you want to do is block the traffic flow.
Reserve an elevator
This is an extremely important step for an apartment move. If you don’t reserve an elevator you’ll have to share the elevator with all of the tenants in the building adding time to your move and cost as most movers operate on an hourly rate.
In conclusion
The most important thing to ensure is that you have all of the facts up front. It’s a detailed process but once you’re moved into your new apartment and enjoying your new space it’ll all be worth it!