Moving is always a stressful experience. In addition to the disruption of packing up everything you own; you have to choose a new place to live based on a short visit there. However, looking online for apartments can make the process easier. You can eliminate a lot of places just by glancing at photos or reviews. If you know you want a smart apartment, that can narrow it down even further. Making a list of your criteria and ranking its important is the first step to choosing the right smart apartment online.
Know Your Deal Breakers
You should think about what features you aren’t willing to compromise on. For most people rent is one of those things. If you are wondering what percentage of income should go to rent, you might consider following the 30% rule. This is a reasonable proportion of income to pay for housing each month. Other things that you may not want to compromise on include distance to work, size and the type of neighborhood. For example, are you looking for a place that is primarily quiet and residential or do you want to have a lot of restaurants and bars nearby?
What Features Are You Looking For?
“Smart” is a broad category when it comes to an impact on a home, so you may want to think about exactly what you want in an apartment. Is it important to you that entrance to the front door of the building and your apartment be connected to your smartphone? Are you looking for heating and lighting controls that are attuned to motion and temperature? On the other hand, you may be more concerned with smart appliances or even just how adaptable a space can be to your own tech preferences. This is an area in which things are changing quickly and new innovations are constantly coming on the market, so if you have a choice between a place that is wired the way you want it but leaves little room for growth and a place that is designed by someone who has really put some thought into the needs of future technology, you may want to go with the latter choice.
Apartment Hunting Online
Once you have worked out what your deal breakers and must-haves are, it’s time to look for your place online. It’s easy to do a quick search for your preferred location and price range. Once you’ve narrowed that down, look for reviews of your apartment complex, but keep in mind that reviews can’t tell you everything. Tenants who have caused conflict with the landlord may leave unfairly negative reviews, so if everything else about a unit seems desirable, it may be worth taking a look. You can also go beyond official reviews, searching for the name of the place on social media sites and seeing whether people have mentioned good or bad experiences. Looking for an apartment online also allows you to check out photos of the unit as well as what’s nearby, from bus stops to grocery stores and more.
