1. + Renting an Apartment April 4, 2011

2. + Terms Tenant Somebody who rents a house or apartment for a fixed period of time. Landlord A person who owns the property and rents it to tenants.

3. + Terms Lease An agreement that requires a tenant to stay for a particular amount of time and restricts the landlord’s ability to change terms. Eviction The removal of a tenant from rental properties by the landlord.

4. + A landlord has a legal right to enter your apartment when: Making repairs Showing property with reasonable notice Emergency (Fire, Serious water leak etc.) Abandonment

5. + Terms Credit Check A process where a person has his or her credit history checked before credit is extended (in the form of a loan). Security Deposit Money given to a landlord to provide some protection for damage to the rented premises or for some other failure of the tenant.

6. + Terms Utilities Services such as water, natural gas, or electricity Ask about Internet access! Fixed expenses A cost that occurs regularly, same amount of $ Variable expenses A cost that occurs regularly, but may vary in amount of $

7. + A landlord can judge potential renters by: Poor credit history Insufficient income Bad references Past behavior (i.e. destruction of property) Tenants would exceed valid occupancy policy

8. + A landlord CAN’T judge potential renters by: Race Religion Ethnic background or national origin Sex Age Tenant has children (except in senior housing) Mental or physical disability

9. + Step 1: Where to look Craigslist Rent.com Apartments.com Classified section in local newspaper

10. + Step 2: Consider your needs Is the apartment complex pet-friendly? Is parking included? Is it on-site? Is there a covered parking lot? Is there a security system in place? Are there washers & dryers in the building unit? Is the apartment centrally located? Do you have any deal-breakers?

11. + Step 3: Money Matters Think about your budget Get a free credit report Think about the down payment & security deposit

12. + Step 4: Get to know the neighborhood Look at the other renters; are they your age, young families, or retired? Check out the proximity of restaurants, public transportation, entertainment, etc. Ask the natives Ask yourself what neighborhood best suits you

13. + Step 5: Come prepared Checkbook Camera Tape measure Financial documents Roommates References Questions Things to bring with you:

14. + Step 6: Know your landlord The first and easiest step you can take to finding out whether a landlord is legit is to check with The Better Business Bureau. Search for the rental company’s name with the BBB, but remember that negative feedback is only recorded when complaints are filed You may also want to check out an online rating community like: ApartmentRatings.com for additional information.

15. + Step 7: Know your lease Terms of the lease: When is rent due? Is there a late fee? How much is the security deposit? Special policies: Are pets allowed? Can things be hung on the wall? Can the walls be painted? Read the fine print! Remember: A lease is a contract!

16. + Do You Know? Normally, apartments provide basic kitchen appliances like cooking burners, oven, and refrigerator; some come with dishwashers. Mostly all the apartments are equipped with AC/heat. You can rent furnished / unfurnished apartment. If you rented an unfurnished apartment you can buy furniture from yard sales or Goodwill stores.