It's 2011, and perhaps it's time to ring the new year with a new apartment. You've come to the right place! 2FindYourApartment is your source for finding your next pad.
Just in case you need more advice - here are a few things to beware of to prevent you from making the wrong apartment choice.
1. There is no phone number for the maintenance person.
Seriously? What if you get locked out of your apartment? What if your toilet overflows in the middle of the night? Most apartments have someone that tenants can call – even after hours – if something major goes wrong. Inquire about how many maintenance people work on the property, how to get in touch with them, and when they are available.
2. While you are touring the property, an angry tenant chases down the landlord with a problem.
It could be the sign of an obsessive compulsive tenant, but it's also a clear indication of a bad landlord. You want the landlord to be attentive and responsive to your needs while you live there, so make sure that the people currently living there seem to be taken care of. Make sure you ask how tenants’ problems are addressed, and what the typical problems consist of.
3. There's a burglary bulletin board in the office, or even worse a police officer meeting with the manager.
Be aware of the area's crime rates. You want to feel safe in your apartment. You want to make sure and check out the area you are living in, not only the apartment complex itself.
4. Your landlord won’t show you an actual unit until you’ve signed the contract.
That's a clear warning sign of trouble. You wouldn’t buy a car you had never laid eyes on, so should you really agree to live in an apartment you’ve never seen? Make sure you see the apartment you would be living in before you sign anything.
5. The pool is filled with screaming children.
This is where you plan on bronzing every day after work or school, scoping out potential hotties, and cooking out with friends on the weekends. Aww cute! Little kids splashing about. This isn’t the tropical paradise you had envisioned. Make sure that the surroundings are conducive to the type of lifestyle you lead.
6. There is no parking. And it’s Monday morning.
Either the complex serves as a neighborhood parking lot, or there isn’t sufficient parking for the residents. Both of these would be a problem, and could make or break it for you.
7. Next to the Management designated parking space is one that reads “Orkin Man.”
A permanent parking space for the bug guy could indicate a persistent pest control problem.
8. On your tour, you pass by residents holding signs that read “Don’t move here!”
One of the best sources you have on your apartment search is current residents. Talk to them before signing anything.
9. The apartment isn’t listed on 2findyourapartment.com
We are Western New York's premier source for apartments! Any more questions?
Monday, January 3, 2011
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Using You Tube as a tool to help enhance your real estate business
Have you ever considered using You Tube to enhance your real estate business? Find out more from Randy Eagar in this hour long webinar December 9th - Go to: https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/307742634 for more information
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
2FINDYOURHOME has partnered with the American Red Cross to give the Perfect Gift this holiday season. Loved ones often tell us the best holiday gifts are those that come from the heart. Yet, we spend hours flipping through circulars, scouring web sites and calling retailers to determine which ones offer the biggest bang for our buck.
However, no one can put a price on saving a life. Donating blood helps save up to three lives and the only cost is an hour of time. To a hospital patient in need, time is everything – time to laugh, time to live and time to love.
A blood donation this holiday season is the perfect gift…the gift that saves the day. Give life. Your heart, your wallet and countless hospital patients across the country thank you!
The Red Cross is proud to present “The Perfect Gift,” a video highlighting the importance of blood donation. We hope it will inspire you this holiday season and beyond. To view “The Perfect Gift,” log on to redcrossblood.org. This page will have a share button to encourage viral spreading of this across the Division.
Everyone who gives blood before December 31st is eligible to win (4) 100 level Sabres tickets. The first 2-thousand donors receive a t-shirt.
Have a Happy and healthy holiday season! Thank you for making 2FindYourHome, both in print and online, your premier source for real estate information.
Sincerely,
John B. Leonardi
Saturday, November 27, 2010
Moving When The Snow Flies
Don’t let the ice and snow of winter sabotage your next move! Stay warm, safe, and smiling during your winter move simply by following these helpful tips:
Bundle up!
It’s always great to have a few warm pieces of clothing on hand during your winter move. Have sweatshirts, socks, sweaters, blankets, coats, and boots remain in your home until you are ready to leave permanently.
Don’t slip
Shovel and salt walkways, steps, driveways, and anywhere movers will be walking.
Stay warm
Be sure your heat will be on for moving day at your current and new home. If the heat is not yet on in your new home, bring along some space heaters to hook up before you begin moving your belongings inside.
Drink (and eat) up
Keep a kettle of warm water for tea or a pot of hot coffee on hand to warm your movers up with. If you want to go above and beyond for your movers, have some soups (Ramen noodles will suffice) and a loaf of crusty bakery bread ready for them to eat during a lunchtime break. They will thank you for the warm gesture during the chilly move!
Good luck!
Bundle up!
It’s always great to have a few warm pieces of clothing on hand during your winter move. Have sweatshirts, socks, sweaters, blankets, coats, and boots remain in your home until you are ready to leave permanently.
Don’t slip
Shovel and salt walkways, steps, driveways, and anywhere movers will be walking.
Stay warm
Be sure your heat will be on for moving day at your current and new home. If the heat is not yet on in your new home, bring along some space heaters to hook up before you begin moving your belongings inside.
Drink (and eat) up
Keep a kettle of warm water for tea or a pot of hot coffee on hand to warm your movers up with. If you want to go above and beyond for your movers, have some soups (Ramen noodles will suffice) and a loaf of crusty bakery bread ready for them to eat during a lunchtime break. They will thank you for the warm gesture during the chilly move!
Good luck!
Monday, November 22, 2010
Want to host that holiday dinner? You can!
One thing that apartment-dwellers need to know: just because you live in tight quarters, doesn't mean you have to head over to your Aunt Millie's house again for that holiday meal. You can be the host or hostess!
1. Think positive! The most important thing to remember when taking on this big meal, is to be calm and think pleasant and positive thoughts. If hosting immediately sends you shivering, take a walk and get some perspective. Remember, it's one meal.
2. Plan in advance. Don't invite more people than your apartment can hold. If 7-12 people is your limit, then stick to it. Make sure to have plenty of snacks and drinks on hand as the meal preps often take longer than expected.
3. Think "pot luck". Invite all your guests to bring something, that way the entire meal is not riding on your shoulders. If your sister makes the best stuffing in the world, then use that and invite her to your holiday dinner.
4. Be flexible. If you need to move things around in your apartment to accomodate all the food and/or guests, go for it. Comfort is key. You don't want them running for the exits the minute the meal is over.
5. Enjoy and embrace the holiday! Remember that it's a time to be with family and friends and enjoy. What you may be worrying over now won't be worth it in the long run.
Have a great Thanksgiving Holiday from everyone at 2 Find Your Apartment.com!
1. Think positive! The most important thing to remember when taking on this big meal, is to be calm and think pleasant and positive thoughts. If hosting immediately sends you shivering, take a walk and get some perspective. Remember, it's one meal.
2. Plan in advance. Don't invite more people than your apartment can hold. If 7-12 people is your limit, then stick to it. Make sure to have plenty of snacks and drinks on hand as the meal preps often take longer than expected.
3. Think "pot luck". Invite all your guests to bring something, that way the entire meal is not riding on your shoulders. If your sister makes the best stuffing in the world, then use that and invite her to your holiday dinner.
4. Be flexible. If you need to move things around in your apartment to accomodate all the food and/or guests, go for it. Comfort is key. You don't want them running for the exits the minute the meal is over.
5. Enjoy and embrace the holiday! Remember that it's a time to be with family and friends and enjoy. What you may be worrying over now won't be worth it in the long run.
Have a great Thanksgiving Holiday from everyone at 2 Find Your Apartment.com!
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
What to do to avoid a landlord fight...before it begins
Want to avoid arguments with your landlord? We have some advice on how to avoid trouble before it starts.
1. Be prepared. No this isn't the boy scouts..but if you bring stuff along with you when you meet your prospective landlords, you'll have a leg up on the competition. Stuff like a completed rental app., references from employers and past landlords, friends & colleagues, and a copy of your credit report.
2. Read through the fine print. It's very important to review all the tenancy conditions before you agree to rent. If you spot any restrictions on guests, pets, or modifications to the apartment be sure to ask questions.
3. Write everything down. Keep copies of any correspondence and follow up an oral agreement with a letter, setting out your understanding. For example, if you ask your landlord to make repairs, put your request in writing and keep a copy for yourself. If he agrees orally, send a letter confirming this fact.
4. Keep the lines of communication open. If you notice your landlord is slow to respond to problems, open your mouth and say something. ort of a nasty legal battle.
5. Safety first! Find out whether your building and neighborhood are safe, and what you can expect the landlord's responsibilities are it if they aren't.
6. Protect your privacy rights. Before the landlord just barges into your place because he/she has a key, be completely aware of your privacy rights and when a landord can enter a rental unit.
7. Know your rights as a tenant. We mean the right to adequate weatherproofing; heat, water and electricity; and clean, sanitary and structurally safe premises.
8. Purchase renters' insurance to cover your valuables. This may seem like a tough thing to do, especially if you're a college student and you barely have money to eat, but it's worth it. A renters' insurance policy covers loss due to theft or damage caused by other people or natural disasters. In Western New York, that means a snow storm.
9. Do you know what could get you a refund on your security deposit? Know this in advance.
10. Know when to fight an eviction notice--and when to give up and move. Unless you have the law and provable facts on your side, fighting an eviction notice is usually a winless battle. If you lose an eviction lawsuit, you may end up in serious debt and face a negative credit rating.
Good luck, and know that a little advance preparation will go a long way to avoiding headaches in the long run.
1. Be prepared. No this isn't the boy scouts..but if you bring stuff along with you when you meet your prospective landlords, you'll have a leg up on the competition. Stuff like a completed rental app., references from employers and past landlords, friends & colleagues, and a copy of your credit report.
2. Read through the fine print. It's very important to review all the tenancy conditions before you agree to rent. If you spot any restrictions on guests, pets, or modifications to the apartment be sure to ask questions.
3. Write everything down. Keep copies of any correspondence and follow up an oral agreement with a letter, setting out your understanding. For example, if you ask your landlord to make repairs, put your request in writing and keep a copy for yourself. If he agrees orally, send a letter confirming this fact.
4. Keep the lines of communication open. If you notice your landlord is slow to respond to problems, open your mouth and say something. ort of a nasty legal battle.
5. Safety first! Find out whether your building and neighborhood are safe, and what you can expect the landlord's responsibilities are it if they aren't.
6. Protect your privacy rights. Before the landlord just barges into your place because he/she has a key, be completely aware of your privacy rights and when a landord can enter a rental unit.
7. Know your rights as a tenant. We mean the right to adequate weatherproofing; heat, water and electricity; and clean, sanitary and structurally safe premises.
8. Purchase renters' insurance to cover your valuables. This may seem like a tough thing to do, especially if you're a college student and you barely have money to eat, but it's worth it. A renters' insurance policy covers loss due to theft or damage caused by other people or natural disasters. In Western New York, that means a snow storm.
9. Do you know what could get you a refund on your security deposit? Know this in advance.
10. Know when to fight an eviction notice--and when to give up and move. Unless you have the law and provable facts on your side, fighting an eviction notice is usually a winless battle. If you lose an eviction lawsuit, you may end up in serious debt and face a negative credit rating.
Good luck, and know that a little advance preparation will go a long way to avoiding headaches in the long run.
Friday, November 12, 2010
Time for your first apartment?
Perhaps you're reading this as a young adult, perhaps a college student. Ah, to be young again. You may be wondering if you have what it takes to make it on your own. Let me be the first to tell you it will feel fantastic to get out from under mom and dad's roof and live on your own. Here's what you have to do to make sure you don't fall on your face.
Estimate Your Expenses
Write down everything you spend for the next month at least (that goes for anything you put on a credit card). This will give you an idea of where your money goes now.
Next, take a walk through a supermarket and make believe you're shopping for a week (maybe take a shopping list with you) and see what it will cost. Multiply by 4.3 for a month's food cost. (Do you eat a lot of meals out? Maybe you'd want to reconsider that.)
Look at 2 Find Your Apartment, so you can see what rent you will have to pay.
Call utility companies to get an idea of the average costs for electric and gas service for a residence of the size you plan to rent. Ask if deposits are required. Find out which utilities you pay and which may be included in the rent. Many apartment complexes in my area included garbage disposal and water. If they are not included, you need to find how much they cost. If you want cable television, telephone service or internet service, you must put those costs into your budget, too.
Do you have a car? Add in car payments and insurance and license fees, as well as gasoline (if you didn't include these in the first step). Otherwise, be sure you get a place near public transportation, and add the cost of bus travel in.
When It Comes To Furniture: Beg, Collect, Borrow & Save
When I moved into my first apartment - everything was "hand me down". Even my boss gave me furniture. I'll never forget it - it was chocolate brown and 20 years old, but I digress. Free furniture is easy to come by, once you have a place. Just put the word out, and stuff will flow your way from friends, family, and strangers.
If you live in an apartment complex, you'll find abandoned furniture. You can also put a note up on the notice board saying you're interested in very cheap or free furniture. People just can't be bothered to move it!
Start saving now to purchase items that you can't get for free. Then, when you are 30 days from moving out, start purchasing small items. Thrift stores and garage/yard sales are your best bet. Remember, you only need functionality to begin with, you can purchase better quality after you are settled and earning more money.
What Will You Eat, or Eat With?
In your planning, don't forget to factor in the start up costs of a kitchen. Not only silverware, plates, glasses and pots and pans, but those other items such as spices, flour, sugar, ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise, etc. These items can be quite expensive when you have to buy them all at once.
To wrap-up, try this step-by-step approach when you're getting ready for your first apartment:
1. Call to see how much you will spend on average per month for the type residence you desire (apartment, house, duplex, etc.)
2. Determine how much you will require per month to drive from this residence to the places you frequent. Include work, church, friends, family, grocery store, etc.
3. Ask the person who determines your current family budget how much is spent on groceries, lights, natural gas, and other utility bills. Realize that this number for you will not be 1/4 your family's budget even if there are four in your house. These bills have minimums that you are billed each month regardless of usage. Find out what these minimums are to avoid surprises in the future.
4. Don't forget car payments, car insurance, renter's insurance, and other such necessary expenses.
5. Have your family financial planner (most likely your mom) look at the list you have made, and contribute to the list. She (or he) will probably help you discover that you have forgotten almost as many things as you have remembered.
6. Add at least 10% to your final total for times when the plumber is called, the car brakes down, etc., and put this in a savings account so you don't spend it.
7. If you can afford to buy your furniture now and pay for storage, DON'T. Put all of that hard earned money in a savings account and let it earn money for you. Include the money you would pay for storage, and your total will grow much faster.
8. Start by paying your family rent for your room, and when you get a good taste of what it is like to pay your own bills, you probably won't move out! Your family deserves to have you contribute to the family budget
Good luck!
Estimate Your Expenses
Write down everything you spend for the next month at least (that goes for anything you put on a credit card). This will give you an idea of where your money goes now.
Next, take a walk through a supermarket and make believe you're shopping for a week (maybe take a shopping list with you) and see what it will cost. Multiply by 4.3 for a month's food cost. (Do you eat a lot of meals out? Maybe you'd want to reconsider that.)
Look at 2 Find Your Apartment, so you can see what rent you will have to pay.
Call utility companies to get an idea of the average costs for electric and gas service for a residence of the size you plan to rent. Ask if deposits are required. Find out which utilities you pay and which may be included in the rent. Many apartment complexes in my area included garbage disposal and water. If they are not included, you need to find how much they cost. If you want cable television, telephone service or internet service, you must put those costs into your budget, too.
Do you have a car? Add in car payments and insurance and license fees, as well as gasoline (if you didn't include these in the first step). Otherwise, be sure you get a place near public transportation, and add the cost of bus travel in.
When It Comes To Furniture: Beg, Collect, Borrow & Save
When I moved into my first apartment - everything was "hand me down". Even my boss gave me furniture. I'll never forget it - it was chocolate brown and 20 years old, but I digress. Free furniture is easy to come by, once you have a place. Just put the word out, and stuff will flow your way from friends, family, and strangers.
If you live in an apartment complex, you'll find abandoned furniture. You can also put a note up on the notice board saying you're interested in very cheap or free furniture. People just can't be bothered to move it!
Start saving now to purchase items that you can't get for free. Then, when you are 30 days from moving out, start purchasing small items. Thrift stores and garage/yard sales are your best bet. Remember, you only need functionality to begin with, you can purchase better quality after you are settled and earning more money.
What Will You Eat, or Eat With?
In your planning, don't forget to factor in the start up costs of a kitchen. Not only silverware, plates, glasses and pots and pans, but those other items such as spices, flour, sugar, ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise, etc. These items can be quite expensive when you have to buy them all at once.
To wrap-up, try this step-by-step approach when you're getting ready for your first apartment:
1. Call to see how much you will spend on average per month for the type residence you desire (apartment, house, duplex, etc.)
2. Determine how much you will require per month to drive from this residence to the places you frequent. Include work, church, friends, family, grocery store, etc.
3. Ask the person who determines your current family budget how much is spent on groceries, lights, natural gas, and other utility bills. Realize that this number for you will not be 1/4 your family's budget even if there are four in your house. These bills have minimums that you are billed each month regardless of usage. Find out what these minimums are to avoid surprises in the future.
4. Don't forget car payments, car insurance, renter's insurance, and other such necessary expenses.
5. Have your family financial planner (most likely your mom) look at the list you have made, and contribute to the list. She (or he) will probably help you discover that you have forgotten almost as many things as you have remembered.
6. Add at least 10% to your final total for times when the plumber is called, the car brakes down, etc., and put this in a savings account so you don't spend it.
7. If you can afford to buy your furniture now and pay for storage, DON'T. Put all of that hard earned money in a savings account and let it earn money for you. Include the money you would pay for storage, and your total will grow much faster.
8. Start by paying your family rent for your room, and when you get a good taste of what it is like to pay your own bills, you probably won't move out! Your family deserves to have you contribute to the family budget
Good luck!
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