How to Choose an Apartment Building
Think about where you're going to park., Look for public transportation., Consider your commute if you have to spend a lot of time on the road., See what the view is., Find out what's in the neighborhood, the distance to the nearest park, especially...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Think about where you're going to park.
Look for reserved spaces near your building or in a parking lot adjacent to your building.
Consider the availability of street parking.
Parking on the street and walking past cute little shops to get to your building seems like a good idea on a nice day, but think about how you will feel late at night when it is raining or snowing heavily and no nearby spaces are available. -
Step 2: Look for public transportation.
Just as you have to consider how far you're willing to walk to your car, the distance to the nearest bus stop or subway matters, especially if you're going to be doing things like carrying groceries. , Driving a long distance to your job or being stuck in rush-hour traffic will leave you less time to enjoy your apartment.
You might also find that spending significantly more money on gas or cab fares make a closer apartment a better choice. , Apartments in buildings that offer a view of a park will be more expensive than those that can only offer views of the back of a strip mall, but the difference may be worth it if a terrible view discourages you from opening the blinds and letting in some sunshine. , Think about all the places you go most often and look for a building that's near as many of them as possible. , The slight inconvenience of having to stop and use your key to enter the building is often worth the peace of mind you get from knowing that you won't be easy prey for criminals, door-to-door salespeople and those who would hang take-out menus on your doorknob. , If your building houses the indoor pool, gym or party room, you may experience more noise than you can tolerate.
A building that's too close to the freeway or to commercial buildings that take early deliveries also experience a lot of noise.
Elevators can be noisy, as can exit doors to stairways.
If your apartment is near the entrance, you will have to listen to neighbors walking past your door at all hours. , An older building may result in higher premiums for your renter's insurance because it isn't up to the latest safety codes. , An apartment may be a great deal because the building is near the local college and full of partying, noisy students.
It may be the last resort for troublesome tenants who'd been evicted from better places.
Or your neighbors may be perfectly nice people who you don't have anything in common with.
These are all reasons to choose another building. -
Step 3: Consider your commute if you have to spend a lot of time on the road.
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Step 4: See what the view is.
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Step 5: Find out what's in the neighborhood
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Step 6: the distance to the nearest park
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Step 7: especially if you have a dog to walk
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Step 8: whether a grocery store is within walking distance
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Step 9: and how far you'll have to travel for a good cup of coffee or a hamburger.
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Step 10: Ask if the building is locked.
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Step 11: Gauge how noisy an apartment is likely to be.
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Step 12: Research the age of the building.
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Step 13: Meet your prospective neighbors.
Detailed Guide
Look for reserved spaces near your building or in a parking lot adjacent to your building.
Consider the availability of street parking.
Parking on the street and walking past cute little shops to get to your building seems like a good idea on a nice day, but think about how you will feel late at night when it is raining or snowing heavily and no nearby spaces are available.
Just as you have to consider how far you're willing to walk to your car, the distance to the nearest bus stop or subway matters, especially if you're going to be doing things like carrying groceries. , Driving a long distance to your job or being stuck in rush-hour traffic will leave you less time to enjoy your apartment.
You might also find that spending significantly more money on gas or cab fares make a closer apartment a better choice. , Apartments in buildings that offer a view of a park will be more expensive than those that can only offer views of the back of a strip mall, but the difference may be worth it if a terrible view discourages you from opening the blinds and letting in some sunshine. , Think about all the places you go most often and look for a building that's near as many of them as possible. , The slight inconvenience of having to stop and use your key to enter the building is often worth the peace of mind you get from knowing that you won't be easy prey for criminals, door-to-door salespeople and those who would hang take-out menus on your doorknob. , If your building houses the indoor pool, gym or party room, you may experience more noise than you can tolerate.
A building that's too close to the freeway or to commercial buildings that take early deliveries also experience a lot of noise.
Elevators can be noisy, as can exit doors to stairways.
If your apartment is near the entrance, you will have to listen to neighbors walking past your door at all hours. , An older building may result in higher premiums for your renter's insurance because it isn't up to the latest safety codes. , An apartment may be a great deal because the building is near the local college and full of partying, noisy students.
It may be the last resort for troublesome tenants who'd been evicted from better places.
Or your neighbors may be perfectly nice people who you don't have anything in common with.
These are all reasons to choose another building.
About the Author
Kathleen Alvarez
Specializes in breaking down complex cooking topics into simple steps.
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