4 Things To Consider Before You Sign A Lease

Posted on: 18 November 2015

If you are in the process of hunting for apartment homes for rent, then you will want to know what to look for in a lease before you decide to sign. When you find a place that you feel has all the right features you would like to see in an apartment, it can be tempting to sign the lease quickly so that you can move in right away. However, just because you love the place you have looked at does not mean that it is the best option for you. It all comes down to the lease and whether or not the terms and conditions are something that you can live with. Here are four things to consider before signing your lease:

  1. Know What Needs to be Paid: The first thing you will want to know is what needs to be paid besides just the rent itself. For example, you may have additional costs that come with rent, such as the water and trash bill. You may have to pay monthly for a parking spot and a pet rental fee, as well. You will also want to know what needs to be paid on the day that you actually sign the lease, such as the deposit amount. Typically, apartments will request that you pay to have a background check done, as well. Knowing what needs to be paid will ensure that you are not signing the lease to an apartment that you cannot afford once the additional costs are added. 
  2. Guest Parking: If you will be having guests over often, then it's important to look into the guest parking situation. Some apartments may not even have available spots for guests or will only have one spot available when you may want to have more than that for the convenience of your guests. Consider asking whether or not you can rent an additional parking spot that your guests can use or at least determine whether or not street parking would be convenient for them to use, as well. 
  3. Proration: If you are moving into the apartment complex in the middle of the month, be sure that the leasing office prorates your rent appropriately. Proration is when your first month's rent will only be paid for the number of the days that you are actually living there that month instead of paying the full month's rent. 
  4. Decor Limitations: In order to make your new apartment home actually feel like a home, you may want to decorate it right away to suit your own tastes and style. Ask about painting the walls and see if there are any limitations for patio decor, as well. Some apartments may ask that you don't hang too many things from your patio and they may charge you for painting the walls. 

By considering these four things before signing a lease, you can be sure that you truly end up with the best rental for you. 

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