Apartment hunting is easily one of life’s least pleasurable activities, so it is no wonder that every year, people all across the country and around the world sign leases that aren’t in their best interest. Once we find a place that’s tolerable, many of us can’t wait to get our John Hancock on a lease just so that we don’t have to look any more. Before you put pen to paper, here are a few essential tips you should keep in mind.

Not only will the amount of gas you use be determined by the length of your commute to and from work, but so will your insurance rates, and in case you haven’t noticed, they are going up just as fast as gas prices. Granted, if you work in an industrial or business park that isn’t near anything, you probably don’t want to live next door, but don’t forget to take your commute time into account before you sign a lease.

There is more to a good apartment than the square footage and rent price you get. Amenities can make a simple apartment feel like a place you want to stay at for years. Many top apartment complexes offer pools, workout centers and so much more. Don’t settle for a place that has nothing to offer but a place to sleep unless you’re certain that you won’t ever use it.

Finally, being able to clearly communicate with your rental manager or landlord is a big deal. Getting things fixed on time and other such things are important, so if you are having problems getting your point across in an interview, imagine what it will be like at 3 in the morning when you are having an emergency.

When it comes to renting that finding the perfect apartment, very few of us want a studio apartment, or an apartment that is essentially one room total. However, with the rising price of rent, many of us don’t have a choice and simply hope for the largest space possible to live in. Here are a few helpful tips for those folks who are living in a one room apartment.

Futons are a great way to save space since they double as a couch or sofa and a bed to sleep on. You can get the same versatility out of a sofa bed, however, most people would agree that a futon is much more comfortable to sleep on than a sofa bed. With a little extra padding thrown on for good measure, you can have quite the comfortable night sleep on a high end futon.

Don’t be afraid to store some of your belongings at a third party site since storage at your unit will be quite limited. It can be a bit of a hassle trucking belongings back and forth to a storage area, but as long as you keep, say, all of your winter clothes at one place and your summer clothes at another, you won’t have to make too many trips.

Finally, when decorating a one room apartment, concentrate on comfort and relaxation. This space, albeit a small one, is your refuge from the world and needs to convey a sense of relaxation and even luxury. Don’t skimp on furnishings if you can.

It is a struggle we all face when it comes time to hunt for a new place to live: how can we move into the nicest place possible but still be able to afford rent every month? We all have our own particular preferences when it comes to finding the perfect apartment: some of us want extra space while others want a swimming pool or a workout room. No matter what makes a great apartment to you, we all want as much as we can get for our dollar, so here are a few budget stretching tips we can all use to get the most out of our next move.

One of the great things about apartment living is how popular it is. Since every apartment complex that has vacancies has to compete against every other complex, many offer incentives that can lure you and other prospective renters to them. What many people don’t know is that incentives like a month’s free rent can actually be stretched out and used over the life of your lease, lowering your rent each and every month. Not every complex will do this, so make sure you check before you sign on the dotted line.

If you make below a certain amount of money each year, there are apartment complexes that you can apply to live in that others can’t, and often times, these complexes are quite nice. Contact your city or local housing office to find out the complexes in your area that qualify.

Even if you live in the best part of town and in one of the most exclusive apartment complexes in your area, you likely think about security on a fairly regular basis. If you are like most of us and live in a normal area, you think about security on a daily basis. Regardless of where you live, we all wonder if our locks and behaviors are enough to ward off the specter of crime. Here are a few common sense things you can do to ensure your personal safety.

Many of us come home at night from work to a dark apartment. You can help brighten things up a little by making sure that any outdoor lighting leading up to your apartment is always lit and on. If a bulb burns out, report it immediately. If it isn’t fixed right away, keep complaining until it is.

Some apartment complexes will allow you to install a second set of locks on your door as long as you give your landlord or rental office a copy of the key if they need to get into your place for an emergency. Short of that, many will let you install a chain if there already isn’t one installed.

Finally, if your door doesn’t have a peephole in it, some cities have ordinances requiring them. All you have to do is request that one be installed and your complex must comply in a certain period of time. Check the laws in your area to see if you qualify.

So, you’ve finally moved in the final box into your brand new apartment and you’re ready to start unpacking and settling in. Before you open that first box, you should take a look around and decide on a few big decorating decisions so you don’t have to move everything around twice. Here are some essential questions you should ask yourself before you get going.

First, take a few minutes and decide where you want to put the television. This may seem like a no-brainer at first, but you likely have more options than you think. The most common choice is a corner slant so that the screen faces out into the entire living room. This can be a good choice if you have room to waste, but most of us don’t. Cornering anything in your apartment wastes huge amounts of space, so try to avoid it at all costs. Also, make sure you take into account window glare before you plunk the television down in one particular area.

Next, try to imagine the foot traffic in your apartment and how difficult it will be for everyone to get around. You don’t want people having to stumble around to get to where they need to go, so make sure you take walking paths into consideration before you unpack.

Finally, if you live in a building made of concrete and not wood, you may not be able to pound nails in every wall, so make sure you have alternate methods of hanging pictures or other art from the walls instead of nails.

For many of us, the idea of renting an apartment is seen as a transition between living at home and eventually owning a home of our own, but for a growing number of people, apartment living is proving to be a more favorable way of doing things. Let’s take a look at the advantages of apartment living as opposed to owning your own home.

If you’re anything like me, the idea of facing a home emergency where things need to be fixed, and fast, is absolutely terrifying. On the other hand, if you rent an apartment and a pipe breaks, all you have to do is pick up the phone and it will be fixed for you right away, free of charge. It is a luxury worth its weight in gold and any homeowner who has found themselves with a money pit will tell you that you’ve made the right decision.

People always tell you that owning your own home is quieter way of living, but it really depends on the apartment you rent and the location of the home you bought. A simple thing like a change in flight routes in your area can destroy the peace and quiet of your neighborhood while the apartment on the other side of town is as quiet as a church mouse. Many different factors come into play when you consider things like noise, so buying a house just for peace and quiet isn’t a very good idea.

When it comes to decorating, it is safe to say that two people seldom see eye to eye on what make a space beautiful. It is for that reason, and a million more, that most leases have a clause or two on what you can decorate and what you can’t, however, what if your lease is mum on decorating or if you are renting via a handshake agreement? Here are a few general tips to ensure that feelings, and security deposits, aren’t hurt.

When it comes to decorating an apartment, the smart crowd follows the golden rule: if you aren’t sure you can do it, ask your landlord. Some landlords don’t mind if you paint the walls in your new apartment since they will automatically paint them back when you leave, while others will ask you to paint the walls back yourself if you change their color while you live there, and still others simply forbid you from painting at all.

The same goes for putting small holes in the wall to hang things. Some landlords expressly forbid this practice and it is clearly spelled out in the lease, while others may not mention this at all in the lease and still others may approve it as long as you patch the holes before you leave.

An important note, if your landlord decides to change their mind about something in the lease, make sure you get it in writing from them so there isn’t an issue later on.

In today’s fast paced world, it isn’t uncommon for people to move two or even three times a year. Because of this, we hardly get to know our neighbors anymore, and things like housewarming parties within an apartment complex are now practically unheard of. There are, however, some perks to getting to know your neighbors, even if it is simply a handshake and a brief introduction. Let’s take a look at why this is a necessary step.

Above all else, apartment security is a real issue that many people worry about. While most complexes don’t have all out neighborhood watch-like programs in place, if your building knows each other, then there is a better chance that they can watch out for each other’s well being. This is especially true if you live in a complex with small children or elderly residents who might need a little extra help.

Getting to know your neighbors also helps with consideration and care among residents. Studies have shown that if people know the names and personalities of the people living next door to them, they will often be far more considerate when it comes to noise and annoying behavior. A great way to introduce yourself to the people on your floor or in your building is with a casual get together once you’ve moved in. You can invite the people who live around you and at least introduce yourselves so that there is a level of comfort amongst residents.

There is no denying the attraction most men have to gadgets, speakers and large televisions, but what happens when your desire for real life sound interferes with your neighbors attempts at sleeping? Here are a few basic decorating tips that will help keep you on speaking terms with those that live around you.

When you are setting up your surround sound system or your stereo, try to aim the speakers at the wall that isn’t shared with anything but the outside world. This will only slightly mitigate loud noises, but, as they say, a little goes a long way, sometimes.

If you are shopping for a new stereo or surround sound system, make sure you bring the dimensions of the room that you’ll be using with you to the store. That way, the sales clerk can make sure that you don’t end up with a system that has enough power for three full apartments in a small space. Of course, most people want the largest television and the loudest system, but common consideration must be taken into account.

Finally, be aware of the times when you are listening to music and television at a high volume. Not everyone works 9-5 shifts, so even if it is three o’clock in the afternoon, you still don’t want everything turned up to eleven. If it starts to get late, think about turning things down. You can even buy a pair of wireless headphones that work with most systems so you can still have the bone rattling noise you want, but with peace and quiet for everyone else.

If you have been out looking for an apartment recently, you’ve noticed how each and every apartment community you’ve looked at has its own personality and its own style. Picking out the right apartment community for you can be a tough choice, but there are a few key signifiers you can keep in mind to ensure that you end up in a place that is suited to your personality.

The first signifier you can look for is price. If you are looking for more of an adult apartment community that is going to be more family oriented and quieter, it will likely be more expensive than an apartment community that is aimed towards swinging singles and college kids. Since most adults who have recently left school don’t have a lot of money to spend on rent, you will want to head towards the more affordable complexes in your area if you are looking for a rowdy place to hang your hat.

Location is another key signifier when it comes to what kind of apartment complex you are looking for. Apartment complexes that are located near universities and college campuses are likely going to be louder and more active, while complexes located in the suburbs are likely going to be quieter and more family oriented.

Finally, if you really want to see what kind of place you are moving into, go knock on some doors to find out how quiet your possible new home is. It may be a bit awkward, but choosing the right apartment complex for you is a big deal, and it isn’t a decision you want to make lightly.