HGTV will ruin you for real estate. Everyone is so picky and, if you watch enough of it, you’ll realize that buyers have a hard time seeing past cosmetic details to visualize what they’re really getting. As Liz Lemon lamented on 30 Rock, “Why can’t people look past paint color?!” Since most of us are not in a position to rent our dream apartment, we need to realize what we can change, what we can live with, and what just won’t work.
If you’re looking at a place that’s currently occupied, you need to see past what’s there. Remember, all that stuff is going to be gone. What you need to see is the bones of the place (like the size and layout). You’ll probably want to ask what work will be done before you move in. For instance, will carpets be changed or cleaned, will the place be painted, et cetera. Keep an eye out for damaged things that should be fixed and remember that you’re not looking at the current inhabitant’s stuff. Imagine a clean slate instead.
There typically isn’t much you can change in a rental. In some cases, landlords may paint for you or allow you to paint, but you want to make sure that’s ok before you invest the time and money (and possibly lose your deposit). Typically, all you can really change is your own stuff. You can hang curtains and pictures, but what you see is what you get. Wall-to-wall beige may seem like the drabbest of canvasses, but you might find it helps you showcase your own things nicely.
As for what you can’t change, probably the most important things to consider are location and cost. Once you sign that lease, you’re locked into that, for better or worse. Does the neighborhood feel safe to you? If not, keep looking. Keep in mind that your apartment will never get closer to your job and your rent will never go down. When you think about your commute, remember you’re going to have to do that every weekday. And, when it comes to your rent, too high now is not going to seem magically more manageable later on, no matter what.
Other things to consider: storage and light. You can’t make more of these in a space although you can use what you have more effectively. We’ll have to find time to write about that another day, but ask yourself how you can make the most of the space as you walk through and consider your stuff and how it will fit. A small space isn’t necessarily a deal breaker, though. Do you need a huge bedroom? Probably not if all you’ll do is sleep there.
In the end, it’s important to think about renting an apartment as a series of compromises. There isn’t a perfect place. You just need something you can live with.
