Finding a New Apartment in Binghamton

I can't even begin to tell you how ecstatic I am to have found a new apartment this weekend. I've got less than a week left at my hotel and after looking at over 20 places I was starting to wonder if I'd have to couch crash. To say that I was starting to get frustrated with my apartment search would be an understatement. I despise moving, so knew I didn't want to settle for a place and then have to pack up and move again in a year.  I wanted to find a place I could call home for a very long time and had a checklist of what I was looking for and left a little wiggle room in case what I wanted was unreasonable.The biggest piece of advice I can give is to talk to your friends, family and co-workers to see if they know someone renting.  I found my new place through the advice of a Hawk listener who had a friend trying to rent his place. I wish I'd have asked around first because it would have saved me a lot of headaches and time.

If you're in the same position I was in and are looking for a new apartment, but don't know where to start, here's some advice I learned while looking:

Brainstorm first. Think about what you want, what you can sacrifice and what you definitely can't have. Think about location, size and amenities. Write these things down.

Prioritize your needs. Categorize your apartment rental list in order of "must have," "would like to have," and "could do without."

Learn about the neighborhood. Do your homework. Visit the neighborhood of your prospective apartment rental at different times of day and on weekends. Watch for activity levels, traffic and other issues that might affect how you would feel living in the area.

Pre-screen over the phone. Don’t waste your time of the time of the landlord.  Pre-prepare a list of questions to ask when you call to find out whether this apartment meets your criteria. If you have pets, or don't want a ground floor apartment, this is a good time to find out whether the apartment rental is worth seeing.

Know your apartment rental budget. Most financial experts say that your apartment rental should take no more than 25% of your gross monthly income. Knowing your total monthly bills and expenses will give you a much clearer idea of what you can afford for your new apartment rental. Pick a figure and stick to it. It'll save headaches down the line.

Do a physical inspection of the apartment. Inspect both interior and exterior spaces, including parking, storage and laundry facilities. Keep in mind your needs for space, lighting, and storage. Make sure the doors, carpet, laundry hookups, plumbing, appliances and other amenities are in good working order.

Ask questions. If you have questions about any issues, make sure to clarify them before signing the lease. Make sure you know whom to call if there's a maintenance problem, and find out how present the landlord is. Knowing whether a landlord is available only when you need assistance, or if he or she is always dropping by unannounced will make a difference.

Be Polite.  If you’ve decided that you don’t want an apartment after showing interest, do the right thing and call or email the landlord and decline, but thank them for their time.  If you seem really interested, the landlord might turn down a prospective tenant to save the apartment for you.  Common courtesy is to let them know you’ve found a different place.

If you're curious, this is what my new home looks like: