Discovering the right studio, one- to three-bedroom apartment home in the perfect location can be overwhelming. The features and amenities apartment hunters are concerned with include price point, living near everyday conveniences, being allowed to keep pets, in-home laundry and tech-ready homes with ultra-high speed internet.
Here are five apartment hunting tips for the most common challenges during the apartment search process.
The Apartment Hunt
Traveling from apartment community to apartment community can be time-consuming. When you’ve looked at several apartments, they can all start to blend together and trying to keep track of all of the details is impossible.
Enter the virtual tour. This extremely useful tool allows you to virtually step inside model homes and community amenity spaces without leaving the comforts of home. Not only are you saving time, but you can keep a “favorites list” of the links, without visiting them all in-person and taking pages of notes. Create a spreadsheet to keep track of all of the details and links to the virtual tours. If you want to see some in-person, mark those ones in another color along with the contact information of the leasing office.
At Irvine Company, you can find your new home with virtual apartment tours, as well as self-guided tours. With self-guided tours, the leasing office provides a map and keys or fobs that allow you to visit potential new apartments. Take the time that you need to discover your new home then return the materials when you’re done. Another option offered by Irvine Company are video tours, which offer video walkthroughs of the apartments that match your requirements. Explore gourmet kitchens and light-filled living spaces as if you were there in-person.
The 12-Month Lease Commitment
Many renters worry that signing on the dotted line typically means 12 months of being committed to the same place, even if they have a change of heart. If you realize after the first month, you’ve made the wrong choice, or your life circumstances change, in typical 12-month leases there’s not much you can do without breaking your lease and incurring costly fees.
However, at Irvine Company, once you’ve found your perfect home, their on-site teams and assistance programs with flexible lease terms, welcome you home.
Solutions for the Moving Cost Squeeze
Everyone knows moving can be expensive. From hiring the rental truck, to setting up the utilities, to paying the security deposit, many renters have a hard time coming up with the lump sum needed to move in. If you were able to get some cash back from your last security deposit, don’t spend it! Put it in savings so you have it on reserve.
Proximity to Everyday Conveniences & Public Transit Options
Depending on where you live, taking public transportation to work can be a huge money saver. When searching for an apartment, consider proximity to public transportation, or better yet, proximity to where you work or go to school. Saving money on gas, car insurance and maintenance leaves more in your budget to devote to monthly rent and other expenses. At Irvine Company, residents enjoy nearby access to dining essentials with local grocery stores, retail partnerships and delivery options, as well as local offices and public transit.
Ask for Help
Sometimes it’s difficult to ask for help, but don’t be afraid to reach out to friends and family for moving support. If you feel bad about asking, offer a favor in return!
Often, when we move into a new apartment home, getting in touch with the landlord for day-to-day questions isn’t always easy. However, at Irvine Company, their on-site support offers an exceptional standard of care for simplicity, ease and convenience, and is available via phone, text and email. You can even book maintenance support through the resident app, making it easy to get the help you need.
Welcome Home, For Over 150 Years
As forever owners, Irvine Company invests in the highest quality architectural design, luxurious fixtures and finishes, and state-of-the-art amenities. Today, with over 140 pristine apartment communities throughout California, architects, designers, landscape architects, engineers and builders carefully collaborate to create a distinct character for each community. In fact, Irvine Company doesn’t just develop apartment communities, but they have pioneered master planning to ensure apartment residences are within reach of shopping, dining and natural open spaces.
Ultimately, residents come home to a community they love, whether they’re walking along an olive tree-lined promenade at The Villas at Playa Vista in Los Angeles, enjoying a picnic on the Great Lawn at The Park at Irvine Spectrum Center in Orange County, or enjoying the trails and parks at Santa Clara Square in Northern California; it’s these details that create memorable experiences.
Enjoy remarkable amenities, stylish finishes, premiere resident services, and much more. Search online to find apartments and townhomes by location, size, floor plan, and pricing.
