It is the time for you to stop living with your parents and live on your own. Suddenly, you are left with a dilemma—finding a place to live. If you are not financially prepared to purchase a home, then renting is probably the option you are looking at. Apartment hunting can either be a stressful or a fun situation for people. It depends on the attitude you approach with towards the whole endeavor. It also helps if you have people you trust accompanying you during your apartment search. Most local grocery and pharmacy stores supply complimentary magazines of apartment listings in your vicinity. A recommendation from other renters is also an option. For those who are internet savvy, there are many websites that offer apartment listings in your area. The most popular sites would be www.apartments.com, www.rent.com, and www.apartmentguide.com. These sites have extensive listings of apartment complexes and apartment leasing agencies. They offer diagrams of apartment floor plans, descriptions of available amenities that apartments have to offer, leasing office hours, and price ranges as well. For those with families, there are also websites that provide information on the number of convicted felons and predators residing in certain apartment areas.

Once you select a few apartment complexes that interest you and fit your needs, then begin the apartment visits. Most leasing offices of apartment complexes are open weekdays from 9 A.M. until 5:30 P.M., others have earlier closing hours during the wintertime. Weekend hours vary from each office. Generally leasing office staff members will ask you which apartment floor plans you are interested in and give you a guided tour of that specific floor plan. They will also show other extra facilities the apartment complex has to offer, such as gyms, swimming pools, game rooms, or laundry rooms. Once the tour is completed, the leasing office staff member will offer you brochures detailing floor plan prices, square footage of each floor plan, leasing time options, amount of initial deposit amounts, other fees, and availability dates of apartments. Most apartment contracts are based on 6, 12, or 13 month periods. Some offer apartment renting on a month to month basis. At times the complex may be offering a discount to those who will lock into the renting contracting for a longer period, such as the 12 month period. Also, apartment floor plan options come in usually one bedroom or two bedrooms, selecting which one will depend on how many people will be residing with you. Price amounts for apartments are dependent on the quality of location and if the apartment complex is gated or not. Along with the purchasing, there can be availability of rental services at Penrose. Different floors are available to the people for staying in the apartment. The charges for renting should be affordable so that it delivers plenty of benefits to the person. Either it is single or complex, all apartments are beautiful.

After you have visited all the apartments that you were interested in, and you find one that you really want to do business with, then you go back to the leasing office of that particular apartment complex and complete an application. Generally, most leasing offices provide you with an application on your first visit. The application will ask you for specifics, such as your social security number, your current employment status, and renting or housing history. If you are already employed, the leasing office will usually check to make sure that the monthly rent amount does not exceed one-fourth of your monthly income. If you are not employed, they will require you to sign with a co-signer to insure that you will be able to afford to pay the monthly rent amount. It will take the leasing office a few days to process your application. This is because they will do a credit history check on you, as well as contact your previous renter (if applicable) and your current employer to confirm that your application information is accurate. Once the application has been processed, and you are approved, then the leasing office will contact you, and provide you with more documents to sign before giving you the key to your new apartment. These documents include but are not limited to: the agreement to stay for a certain time period and pay the monthly rent amount, pet deposit agreements (if applicable), and a checklist to record any damages already made to the apartment prior to moving in (that way you are not liable for them). When you are finished agreeing to and signing those documents, then the leasing office staff will provide you with your key. Now you are ready to move in.

The main thing to keep in mind while renting your apartment is that rent is usually due at the first day of each month, this bill also may include water usage and garbage removal service charges. Electric, gas, cable, and optional renter’s insurance bills generally come separate each month, and you will have to pay them individually. Otherwise, enjoy your first new apartment! It will be quite an adjustment from living at home, but it will prove to be a fun growing experience.