How to Find your Perfect Apartment

By Olumide T. Agunbiade

Many apartment hunters don’t know exactly what they’re looking for when they start an apartment search. Others think they have a good idea but then have difficulty identifying what they want versus what they need. But deciding upfront what you require in a new home, as opposed to what would be nice to have, is important because it can help streamline your apartment search and get you the perfect rental faster.

 Chances are, you’ll find an apartment that you like that doesn't have exactly everything you’re looking for, and so you’ll need to ask yourself whether that’s okay before you agree to pay. Keep in mind that to fit the bill, an apartment should have everything that you need, and hopefully at least some of what you want.

Why Identifying wants versus Needs is important.

Consider these common scenarios while apartment hunting.

1.      You find an apartment that fits your budget and has what you need plus some or all of what you want. If you are in this situation, there’s no reason for you to pass on this rental opportunity. The fact that the apartment has all you need should make you strongly consider the apartment and given that it has some of what you want, you should feel lucky to have found this opportunity.

2.      You find an apartment that has all of what you need but none of what you want. When you find an apartment that as all of what you need, it deserves serious consideration. Deciding if you want to eventually pay for the apartment can be tricky and frustrating because it means giving up any chance of you getting any items on your want list. If you are in this situation, you should consider how urgent it is that you find an apartment soon and what you think the chances are of finding a better one in the area you want and at a rent you can afford. Before you agree to the rent, find out ways of how you can make up for what the apartment lacks.

3.      You find an apartment that fits your budget and doesn’t have all that you need, although it has at least some of what you want. Don’t get distracted by attractive features. If an apartment lacks hat you’ve determined that you need, then the bottom line is you can’t rent it. For instance, if you decide that you want a three bedroom flat but find a two bedroom flat with BQ and many other attractive features, you should keep searching. This scenario underscores why it’s important to take a moment to separate wants from needs before you begin your search. There are many attractive apartments out there that may seem impressive to you, but if a rental doesn’t meet your needs, regardless of what the landlord or agent tries to sell to you, you should remind yourself that you won’t be ultimately happy there.

What You Should Do

Before you embark on your apartment search, take a moment to list your wants and needs. You can do this in one of two simple ways:

1.      Label two columns on a piece of paper or computer file and add your wants and needs to each column as you think of them, or

2.      Jot down everything you’re looking for in an apartment after brainstorming. Then, carefully sort them into wants and needs.

Remember, a need is something that’s truly a requirement for your next home; not just something you would prefer to have. A want, on the other hand, is something you would like but could do without. Needs are deal breakers; wants are optional. Keep in mind that not only might you have a want or need that another apartment hunter doesn't share, but a need for you could be a want for another person and vice-versa. For example, if you plan on living alone, you may prefer an apartment with two bathrooms but could live with one. For another person, the second bathroom is a need.

Finally keep in mind that as you proceed with your search, your needs may change. As you can see, identifying your wants and needs up front puts you in an ideal position to know if an apartment is right for you when you see it.