Getting my own place

[DrRay11]

Well, as my job search narrows down, it looks like I am going to be living in Dayton, OH with Aflac; Chicago, IL with PricewaterhouseCoopers; or some more random place (Dayton Freight likes their candidates to be "open for relocation" but I'll probably just turn them down).

ANYWHO

This is the first time I'll be looking for my own place to live... I will be getting a two-bedroom apartment, I think. Any tips or things to look out for as I go look for somewhere to live? safety being the obvious issue, but I think I've got a good handle on that.

[WTFchris]

My tip is don't live in Ohio.

J/K

Without digging into your life you need to consider what your plans are. Is this a long term home, short term home, raising kids there, do you like to fix things up or prefer move in ready?

If you have or will have kids there, then schools are a big factor. If not I wouldn't get as concerned, but a bad school district will hurt re-sale. I would avoid really bad ones even without kids.

If you don't like to fix things up and remodel, then you can get a more move in ready house but also keep in mind that if you sell in the next few years you could lose money (because you paid for upgrades). Long term that might not be a big deal though.

Also, the biggest thing is to ignore minor fixes and pay attention to major ones. Ignore a bad paint color but worry about needing a new roof or having non copper (or the new plastic tubing) for piping. Those things are costly but a coat of paint isn't. I see so many people on shows complaining about a paint choice but cosmetic shit is no big deal. Same goes for the yard. Sure, they may have pretty flowers, but is that really a great upgrade? You can improve curb appeal on your own.

Also try to imagine your furniture in there. If you have a king bed, that impacts bedroom size. Myself, I care less about bedroom size (but closet space is a factor). I'd rather have the extra footage in the living room, kitchen, etc than in the bedrooms where all you do is sleep anyway. As long as your furniture fits there that is all that matters.

[WTFchris]

haha, I just typed all that and realized you said apartment. really all that applies is the room sizing stuff I said. Aside from that, the things that matter in apartments specifically is noise level. try to look at units in the 1st vs top floor and guage what you hear through walls and the ceiling.

amenities are a factor too. I care about a pool, but not if the clubhouse has a room I can rent (won't use it anyway). workout rooms are nice, but only if you use them. Don't get caught up in the bells and whistles if you don't plan on using them often. I like gated places too if you can get one. limits non-residents from getting in even though there are ways around it.

[Uncle Mxy]

Off the top of my head...

Tell the person showing you the space to give you a few minutes to poke around without talking too much with you. Make sure the heat and AC are functional. If they've shut off the utilities, make sure you put in a lease contingency that the utilities must work or you are out. Note where the outlets are, and bring a small plug-in light to spot-check. Test your cell coverage in different parts of the apartment. Make sure you can drink the water, and find out how fast it heats up. Flush the toilet, and take the top off the tank to see if anything looks stupid. Look in the cupboards, closets, and doors underneath the sinks to make sure nothing stupid is going on. See if the parking and paths in and out makes sense -- can you have multiple people come over? what does it look like in winter? Try talking with someone who actually lives there. Ask about noise, the washer and dryer situation, and average utility bills. Find out how you contact the landlord, especially after hours (which is the only fucking time I ever had problems).

After deciding to rent, take photos of everything before you move in. Read the lease before you sign it, and try to eliminate any arbitration clauses that deny you access to court or your security deposit.

And yeah, I'd avoid Dayton.

[Tahoe]

Talk to a couple neighbors to see if the Property Mgmt company is decent.

Make sure the kitchen has room for a HUGE refrigerator for a varietal plethora of beer.

[DrRay11]

Thanks for the feedback, guys, as I'm likely to start looking soon.

And yeah, I'd avoid Dayton.

Why this? I didn't really mean Dayton as in downtown Dayton, but rather someplace like Beavercreek.

[DennyMcLain]

Dayton has a good college bball team. Isn't that enough?

[DrRay11]

Really, though, I've got a lot of friends down here and relationship prospects, so there's reason for me to stick around here, at least for a while (Dayton).

[Glenn]

Maybe you should just move in with Zekyl and his brahs.

[DennyMcLain]

Maybe you should just move in with Zekyl and his brahs.

Don't the G Brothers live in O High Ho?