Compare, compare, compare Not sure where to start with such comparisons? You can go to apartmenthomeliving.com and check out starting prices on any floor plan easily online. Then do the math test on it above. Too hard? Drive around, look for the blue banners with the communityʼs text code, then see starting prices of their floor plans…this will let you know if you are interested in stopping in to begin more investigating. Then, youʼll want to see each floor plan offered with the number of bedrooms youʼre after. Donʼt just look at one floor plan of the one bedroom size at one community; look at every floor plan the community offers in a one bedroom size. You may find you can get over 200 s.f. more for as little as $20 or $30 more per month, or that one particular floor plan has a decidedly better special on it. More math: work out your special So now youʼve gone to a few places and youʼve got everyoneʼs special. You can simply “weigh” it all in your mind, you can do the actual math to figure out what really is the best deal. If itʼs 2 weeks free, is that $300 off, or $350 off? What would that work out to a price if you spread it across your 12-month lease, $25 off a month? The $350 a month is really $29 off a month. Is the difference great enough between the two floor plans youʼre interested in worth $4 a month? May so, maybe not. Depends on if youʼre trying to figure out a way to eat, or just figure out a way to save for retirement. Look for new construction apartments Surprised? New construction communities often have the biggest specials because they MUST be full in a certain amount of time to start repaying their bank loan. And because they are offering a big special, the communities in close proximity need to offer similar specials to remain competitive. So youʼll still find more specials in these areas. Look for the construction signs, then sign up. Whatever you do, donʼt give up Finding an apartment can take time, and a lot of effort. But great resources like this catalogs, apartmenthomeliving.com, text messages from communities youʼre interested in, and some good ʻole research can be key that brings you, a great apartment, and enough money left over for a vacation next year all together. Start early, and donʼt give up.
Brad Smith. Photograph Kilian WrittenWritten by Theby Apartment Dude. Courtesy by of Zsuzsanna articlesbase.com