Apartment living can be very different to living in a house, and many aspects of it do not become evident until you move in.
During a viewing, it’s easy to miss the obvious things and not ask the crucial questions. Show apartments are designed to look and feel larger than they are, often missing vital amenities or items of furniture such as wardrobes, a dining table, etc.
Here we've produced a guide to show you what to consider when you're looking to rent an apartment.
A quick checklist
Here’s a quick checklist for you to refer to when viewing potential places to live:
- Is there enough storage space for my needs? Quite often show apartment bedrooms have a small bed dressed to look like a double, with no wardrobes or small wardrobes and no other furniture on display.
- Are the bedrooms and living areas big enough for my needs? Show Living rooms tend to have a small sofa and no eating area or room for other furniture.
- What are the parking options? Usually one space, and no visitor spaces.
- If it’s located in the centre of a city, the people casually strolling along with a takeaway coffee can turn into the beer bottle-smashing drunks after midnight.
- Is the kitchen amenable enough for me? Is there enough space to prepare a meal.
- A shower room excludes families and sometimes developers will squeeze every last inch out of a shower room with a small shower and sink barely big enough to wash your hands in.
- Is the sound insulation strong enough to deal with heavy traffic and night-time partygoers?
- Do I get a good gut feeling when I’m standing here? Vitally important.
Rockett’s ‘anti-glossary of terms’
To accompany your personal tenant’s checklist, here is our very own ‘anti-glossary of terms’ to help you avoid being lured in by the most misleading sales phrases:
Compact: The rooms are an ideal size for the family pet, e.g. a guinea-pig or hamster, but nothing bigger.
Cosy: There's only space here for one person in one room at any given time.
Deceptively spacious: Deceptively unspacious.
Perfectly sized: Do you remember when David Blaine lived in that glass box in London? Erm...
Bijou: Human beings cannot fit in here.
A peaceful yet buzzing area: A real Jekyll and Hyde of a spot. It may be reasonably quiet in the week but come the weekend, expect the sound of drunken screams and smashing beer bottles on your doorstep.
Now you've got your checklist and a definitive list of sales terms to avoid (or at least question), you'll be able to find your ideal home without being lured in by clever interior designers.
At Rockett Home Rentals, we only offer properties that are out of this world. If you're searching for a quality home that suits all of your needs down to a tee, we have a host of properties on offer - and our listings are as accurate and honest as they come.
I’m ready to find my dream home.