Tips for choosing an apartment

Friends,

We are having some trouble with our existing apartment and just wanted to start a thread to share my learnings on picking the right apartment. I am sure other members will add on top of mine.

Tip #1. Don't get into an apartment that has open space on the sides. Initially, it looks appealing to have an apartment that has a phenomenal view of the meadow, but electricity charges will be sky high. An apartment that has open space on its sides will get cold or hot quicker than other apartments. I am currently paying $100/month more in electricity charges because my apartment overlooks a vacant plot on two sides. More than electricity charges, the constant need to have either your AC or heater (+humidifier)on is frustrating.

Tip #2. If you are having kids, better to stick to ground floor apartments. For the building materials used in US, the sounds created by running around of kids will disturb the tenants below your apartment and they are most likely going to complain to the apartment authorities. A friend of mine was asked by the apartment management to vacate.

Will add more with time. Ilites, please add your learnings as well. Thanks.

Bharthi

Hi frens,
I wont advice u to take a ground floor apt as its not safe. I had a bad experience with ground floor. Some one broke in my house from the window
n took all my electronics stuff including my laptop, digital camera n handy camera. Luckly we were having rental insurance so not to worry.
Secondly i ll say everyone to get rental insurance. Its must.
I ve added my experiance, pls share yours.
Thanks

But Perfect,what Bharthi says is correct regarding kids and ground floor.My son who is 4 runs around a lot.Luckily,we are in the ground floor( or 1st floor as it is known here). Earlier,when we came to the U.S,(when my son was 2 ),we were in a company provided guest accomodation in the 1st floor(or 2nd floor as it is known in the U.S.).He used to run around a lot then too and it was really difficult to keep telling him to sit in one place all the time. Even normal footsteps would create sounds on the floor.Although no one complained,we did see a family which moved into the ground floor,move out within a week.

Now we are in the ground floor and we can hear all types of noises made in the floor above us.A couple stay above and they sometimes run around like kids and it feels like the roof is going to fall on our heads anytime.But we have no choice.