I love watching House Hunters on HGTV as many people do. I’m always amazed by the people that have non-descriptive jobs have a million dollar budget, like what’s up with that?? And of course the ever hilarious *big sigh* “It doesn’t have granite countertops or stainless steel appliances, so I don’t know if I can even cook in here” when it’s a perfectly fine kitchen!
Anyway, now that I know I want to make Dallas my permanent home, it’s time for me to find a permanent place to live! I love apartment hunting. I did it briefly in college, but I’m excited to be doing it again. Except now that I have a big girl job, I’m going to be footing the bill myself, Boooo.
I have learned so many things in my search that I never knew before. In this post I’ll be sharing my crazy ride of finding a place, some information I have learned, and I’m including a (free!) printable to take apartment hunting with you so that you can get all the information you need!
Go follow me on Instagram (@freckledandfabulousblog) and you can check out my highlights for some of my apartment hunting adventures! Also enjoy the photos and videos taken while I was out hunting.
I started my search much like anyone would in 2018. Online. I personally enjoyed using Apartments.com both on my computer and through their app on my phone. I was able to filter based on price and location, as well as amenities that were important to me. Being able to ‘heart’ properties to form a short list was a great feature as well.
Most apartment complexes require that your monthly income is at least 3 times that of the base rent.
I had my short list ready to go, and headed out for my first day of true apartment hunting in June. I was looking in the Frisco area that is close to work. And I have to say, there are some BEAUTIFUL complexes there, y’all. My personal favorite was The Carmichael, it caught my eye as I was visiting other complexes on my list. It seemed perfect. It is close to work with amazing amenities. An incredibly functional layout and adorable finishes. Best of all The Carmichael was the most affordable of all that I visited that day. But then I had to get real with my budget, and heartbreak ensued.
I mean, just look at how adorable this place is!
Don’t forget that the price you are quoted for an apartment is likely just the base rent. You need to factor in other elements such as electricity, water, and wifi into your total monthly cost.
Budget, no one really likes that word. Least of all me when I learned my perfect apartment was not in mine. Back to the drawing board and a new short list in a slightly different area. And my mom got involved because that’s what moms do, right? I won’t bore you with too many details, but the ultimate conclusion after visiting a few was none of these places really measured up.
Like wedding dress shopping, set a budget for your apartment ahead of time (unlike me) and don’t tour anything that isn’t in your comfortable range. You’ll end up broken hearted (like me).
Then one weekend in the middle of my searching I was able to meet up with the girl that had been my fellow manager in training while I was in my internship. I mentioned my apartment search and how it was going and she responded, “It would be so fun if we lived together!” After confirming that yes, she was serious, I went back to the drawing board again to find a reasonable two bedroom place.
Having a roommate really lets your budget go a lot farther than it could on your own. Not only are you splitting rent, but also those utilities mentioned above!
With our crazy work schedules, my friend and I couldn’t meet up to talk apartments for a couple of weeks. And because I am the way I am, I went and toured a few places by myself so I could bring some information to the table. I managed to find the CUTEST place with an amazing layout, halfway between our jobs, and due to a wacky day in the market the rent came in way under budget. But by the time I told her about it, and we toured with her mom the very next day, IT WAS GONE! Sad all over again. We spent the rest of the afternoon visiting places and as she dropped me off at my car at the original complex, I went in again and let them know, “If ANYTHING changes, please call me”. Went home feeling a bit defeated but otherwise fine.
If you like an apartment, and the rent is right, snatch it up or someone else might!
Friends, wouldn’t you know, the very next day at work, I got a call from the complex saying that the other party fell through on the apartment and it was available again! God is good, y’all! So I call my friend who was also at work, fill her in on what happened, and proceeded to fill out the apartment application on my phone! Lol.
The bedroom in the model of my new place! Seriously need to chat with the stager!
Stay persistent, leave your phone number and let the leasing agent know to call you if something becomes available.
At the time I am writing this, we are all set on our apartment, the lease is signed and all! We will be moving in towards the end of September. I am excited for this new chapter and the fun new-ness that comes with it! You can expect some home decor on a budget posts in the future for sure! And how would y’all feel about a budgeting post? I feel like I finally have a handle on what I am doing with my money and would love to share if it would be helpful!
A common theme I saw in my search was the requirement of renter’s insurance. $100,000 in liability seems to be the standard for a minimum policy. You can normally get this through your car insurance provider but I think I’m going to go with lemonade.com (the renter’s insurance that is advertised on Snapchat? lol).
In the meantime and between time, check out this “Apartment Hunting Questions to Ask” packet I put together for you guys! It totally kept me on track in making sure I got all of the information I needed while I was sitting with the leasing agent. I hope you find it helpful!
Thank you so much for reading! I hope you liked this style of post! Until next time,
XOXO,
