5 Apartment-Hunting Tips from Relocation Experts

This article originally appeared on the Springs "You're Home Blog."

Relocation professionals – men and women who help a company’s relocating employees find suitable housing, among other things – have valuable insight into apartment trends, renters’ needs, “must-have” amenities, appropriate levels of on-site services, and a host of other topics related to apartment living. We’ve asked a number of these experts to share tips that could help you apartment hunters out there find “the perfect home” – and avoid those that don’t fit the bill:

Make Sure It Feels Like “Home”

Don’t “look for an apartment.” You may be living in this spot longer than you anticipate, so you don’t want to compromise. Sure, you can do without a lot of comfort-focused amenities and services, but if your budget allows, embrace them – you won’t regret it! Private entries and garages, balconies or patios and up-to-date fixtures are some of the features that make apartments truly feel like homes.

Find A Place That Accepts Pets

You might not have a pet today, but you might, at some point in the near future, decide a furry friend would make a great companion (did you know dog owners have increased life expectancies?). Leave that option open to you by selecting a community that welcomes pets.

Insist On a Community Where Management Is On-Site

Don’t underestimate the value of service. Relocation experts will tell you that remote management (management that’s not on-site) sometimes take a kind of “out of sight, out of mind” attitude about its residents: they aren’t present to see the issues and needs of the community, and their responses to issues or questions are naturally delayed.

Look for An “Above & Beyond” Approach

When you’re looking for the right apartment, be aware of the reception you get from the leasing team. Not only do you want to live in a community with great “extras” like free car care areas, resort-style pools and beautiful properties, but you definitely want management that wants to do whatever it takes to serve its residents. If you get an uninterested reception from staff when touring a particular apartment community, you can bet you’ll have an even-less-interested response any time you’d need their assistance as a resident.

Convenience is Key

If yours is a busy lifestyle with shopping, entertainment, school, culture and/or sports are large part of it, make sure the apartment community you select is conveniently located to these destinations. If you choose an apartment community that’s far from the activities that are part of your life, you’ll regret the distance each time you drive to and from.

If you’re a relocation professional looking for a community you can be proud to show clients, we encourage you to visit one of our Springs communities. And if you’re a resident who’d like to share your apartment hunting story, please share in the comments below!