How to Rent an Apartment in the Suburbs

Renting an apartment in the suburbs has many advantages. You'll be away from the noise and the hustle and bustle of the city and you may even find that you can get more space for the money. Parks and green space make the suburbs ideal if you have children or pets and are looking for a more family-friendly neighborhood. Before you start searching through the rental ads, there are a few things you should consider about renting in the suburbs.

Things You'll Need

• Checklist
• Camera

Instructions

1. Drive through a few neighborhoods that you are considering. Do the areas seem safe? Are buildings in good repair? How far is the commute to your job? Drive through the neighborhoods at rush hour if you can in order to get a good idea of traffic levels. Try the bus or subway at rush hour if you will be using those transportation options.

2. Decide if you would prefer to rent an apartment in a large apartment building or an apartment in a house or small apartment building. Living in the suburbs gives you much more flexibility regarding the type of apartment you can rent.

3. Call a local real estate agent who handles the suburban areas that you are considering. A local agent can steer you toward a rental that meets all of your specifications and may be able to alert you to a rental before it is even advertised.

4. Develop a checklist for each apartment. Is outdoor space an important consideration for your move? Would you like the apartment to be within walking distance to stores?

5. Visit local schools if you are moving in order to allow your children to enroll in better schools. Develop a separate checklist specifically for each suburban school. Ask how many children are in each class and find out if bus transportation is provided.

6. Take photographs of each apartment you visit. Taking photographs can help you avoid confusion if you are considering a number of apartments. Photograph the exterior of the building, plus any special features in the neighborhood, such as parks, schools and shopping areas.

7. Talk to the neighbors. If you are having trouble deciding between two or more apartments, ask other residents how they like living in the area. Ask them what they like best about suburban living and about any problems or concerns they have with the building or area.

8. Carefully consider each apartment that you've seen and decide on the unit that best fits your needs. Use your checklist, photographs and rental costs to determine which apartment best suits you.

Tips & Warnings

• Take into consideration extra costs that you will incur from living in the suburbs when you choose an apartment. The farther you live from your job, the higher your transportation costs will be. Ask each landlord if you will be expected to complete basic maintenance tasks, such as snow removal. If you move to an apartment located in a house or small apartment building, you may be expected to take care of small maintenance issues yourself.

Resources

• Realty and Mortgage Company Tips
• Apartment Finder
• Rentals.com