THE POWER OF LISTS
By Annie Hawkins of Sovereign Associates, Inc
Making lists regarding your apartment search may seem nerdy and boring, but they can help you home in on getting the apartment that will work best for you. Make a note of every apartment you see during your search, including the apartment number and building address.
You may even want to take a quick video of the apartments you see, to help you remember their details.
This will be helpful when you call a broker, so they can know what you have already seen, how you felt about those apartments and whether you are considering renting one of them. In your conversation with a Sovereign Associates broker they will ask you
—What will make you happy or unhappy about an apartment?
—When do you need to move?
—Do you have any pets?
—What is the budget you want to keep?
—Please tell me about your income and credit.
Sometimes this last question has been considered a bit intrusive, but keep in mind that most landlords are looking for good credit histories from all applicants who will be signing the lease, and a household income of at least 40 times the monthly rent.
Also let your broker know if you will be using a guarantor, so you’re not surprised that most landlords are looking for guarantors with good credit histories and incomes or liquid assets of at least 80 times the monthly rent you are considering.
You may want to have a conversation with your broker about corporate guarantors if an individual guarantor isn’t available to you, and a conversation about your pet so you know if there are any building restrictions.
Going back to lists, it’s also good to keep a record of the names, phone numbers and email addresses of the brokers you have had conversations with, and where you can also make notes about your experience with a broker and how you feel about working with them.
In an apartment search it may be challenging to rely on just your memory, so making notes on your phone or even writing them on a legal pad will benefit you in the long run. This will help you get a clear idea of what your Sovereign Associates broker has to offer in helping you find a great apartment. Once you’ve found that apartment, we can also provide a nice list of numbers you’ll need, like movers, locksmiths, cable companies and cleaning services.
