Finding a new place to live in Lubbock can feel like a full-time job. Spot the perfect one, rent seems reasonable, and suddenly you're mentally rearranging furniture before you're even approved for it.
Slow down, crazy.
Before you sign your name and fork over a hefty deposit, there are a few things you should take a peek at. Some problems are WAY easier to spot before you're legally committed to sticking around...
Actually LOOK At The Apartment
Do NOT just tour a "model" unit. Ask to see YOUR apartment.
Check out the walls, ceilings, cabinets, floors, and appliances. Turn all the faucets, flush all the toilets. Make sure the water pressure isn't low or insanely high.
Look for signs of any leaking or water damage.
Take photos of EVERYTHING. Don't be shy. Even if you feel kind of weird about it, snag a picture of anything and everything. These will come in handy when it's time to move out.
Ask About Your Average Monthly Total Cost
The advertised rent seems to have a way of never being exactly what you pay...
Ask about all of the mandatory fees like trash, pest control, parking, water, etc to get an idea of what you will actually be writing a check for each month.
Ask, "What will the total for my monthly bill typically be?"
And then, get those answers in writing if you can...
Ask How Utilities Work
Don't assume they will be handled the same at every apartment.
Ask what you're responsible for, whether they're individually metered, and if there is a flat fee, an allocation system, or some other kind of billing method.
A cheap apartment becomes WAY LESS cheap when those bills start adding up.
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Check The Parking Sitch
Do you need a sticker? Will your friends be towed without a parking pass?
Read all of the rules before your mom gets towed for bringing you dinner. You do not want to learn that lesson the hard way. Trust me.
Ask About Maintenance
Find out how to file a maintenance request and what to do in the event of an emergency.
What should you do if the AC goes out?
Who do you call if a pipe bursts?
These are great questions to ask before the inevitable happens at 3 am...
Read The Boring Rules
Yep. Read the rules. All of them. Even the lame stuff that puts you to sleep.
READ ALL OF THE RULES.
Just do it. Quit being a baby.
Take Pictures Before You Move In
Take a billion photos of the space before you move in. This might be the most important tip on the entire list.
Before your furniture arrives, photograph everything you can. Floors. Walls. Doors. Appliances. Coutertops. Bathrooms. Everything and anything, especially if it is already damaged.
Keep those photos saved in a file you can easily find when it's time to move out.
A year from now, you may not remember that mystery scratch on the ceiling, but your future self will appreciate photographic evidence. Trust me.
Finally, Don't Ever Let Anyone Rush You Into Moving
If your apartment manager is telling you that you need to sign something immediately or you'll lose the place, it might be tempting to panic and sign.
Don't forget, you are signing a legally binding contract.
It's the real deal.
Read it, question it, and fully understand it before you sign your life away.
The perfect Lubbock apartment isn't perfect if you discover a billion hidden fees and a parking spot the size of a shoe box when it's already too late to back out...
Be careful when choosing your next apartment, Lubbock!
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