It’s your first time renting an apartment. You’re going to be living on your own, and you want it to be a good experience. But there are a few things you should watch out for if you want things to go smoothly. So, here are some mistakes that new renters should avoid while looking for Camden apartments Houston:
Avoid signing a long lease
If you’re new to apartment living, it might not be obvious that there are benefits to signing a short lease. Sure, it can seem like a big commitment when you only know your landlord and neighbors for a few months—but there are actually plenty of reasons why signing a shorter lease (like six months) could be beneficial in the long run.
- You won’t have much time to get used to your new place before moving again
- It’s hard to find the perfect apartment and even harder to find one that works for you for more than six months
- Renting tends to be cheaper if you sign up for short-term leases
Not getting renters insurance
You’re a responsible person, and you want to protect your property and possessions. That’s why it’s important to get renters insurance. But what if you don’t know how much coverage you need? Or how to find the right policy? Or even how to compare policies?
Renters’ insurance is available in two forms: actual cash value or replacement cost coverage. Actual cash value policies pay for items based on their depreciated value (basically, what they’d be worth at a pawn shop). In contrast, replacement cost policies pay out the full amount needed to replace an item (its current retail value). Replacements are typically purchased as part of additional coverage options not included with an actual cash value policy. So which one should you choose? Well, those are questions only your agent can answer.
Not paying close attention to the fine print in your lease
The first mistake you can make is not reading the fine print in your lease. Before you sign, make sure to read through the agreement carefully and understand exactly what it says. You should also ask questions if any terms are not clear to you.
Finally, remember that a landlord cannot raise the rent during a lease term without giving 30 days’ notice. When renting an apartment for the first time, it’s important to know what kind of situation fits best with your needs and lifestyle so that nothing slips by unnoticed.
Not taking a video and pictures of your place before moving in
You should take a video of the entire apartment before moving in. This way, you’ll have something to reference later on when you’re wondering where exactly that one closet was or if there were any outlets on the opposite side of the wall from what was shown in the photos.
Another good idea is to take pictures of every nook and cranny of your new place so that you can send them to friends and family who want to see what it looks like. With all those extra eyes looking over it with fresh eyes, chances are they’ll notice something that might not have been obvious before (like mold). The last thing you want is for someone to come over after moving in and try out their new mattress only to find out there was a hole under it big enough for them to fall through.
Not getting to know your landlord
You should get to know your landlord. This will help you in a couple of ways.
First, if something is wrong with the apartment and it needs to be fixed, you can directly contact them, and they will have an easier time fixing it if they know who their tenant is. If regular maintenance needs to be done or certain things repaired (like a leaky faucet or broken light fixture), having this information makes it easier for them to get things taken care of quickly.
Second, if there’s an emergency like a fire alarm going off or someone breaking into the building after hours, knowing who your landlord is can help ensure that everything gets resolved promptly and helps resolve any issues more quickly so everyone can get back to normal as soon as possible. Lastly, if you’re having problems with your landlord but don’t want to deal with them, calling the owner association may help solve them.
Conclusion
The next time you’re looking for an apartment, keep these tips in mind. Renting can be a scary experience, but by following our tips and avoiding common mistakes, we hope that it can be easier than you think.