10 Mistakes First Time Renters Make - Kansas City Apartment Advice

It doesn’t matter if you’ve never rented an apartment in Kansas City or you’re going into your 50th lease, there are some common pitfalls that renters tend to find themselves falling into. To help make sure you avoid these pitfalls and ensure your search goes smoothly, watch out for these things while you look. If you do, you can help protect yourself and your family during the rental process and after you’ve made your new Kansas City rental your home.

1. Not Having A Handle On Your Finances
Before you agree to a lease and a rental rate, make sure you have a budget in place. It’s important to know where you stand financially, what your credit score is and so on. A household budget is vital to help you stay within the bounds of your spending ability and is irreplaceable for those getting ready to enter into a lease agreement. It doesn’t do you any good to be able to pay your rent, but not buy food or make car payments.

2. Not Separating “Needs” From “Wants”
Prioritize your actual needs and separate them from the wants. Before you sign a lease on a Kansas City apartment or home rental, compare these with your budget. You may WANT a rental that has lake access, but you may NEED to have a proximity to downtown. As you look for a rental, make sure your true needs are met first. If your wants are included in a price you can afford, that’s a bonus.

3. Refusing To Look Everywhere
You might go into the rental process thinking all you have to do is look at one place, but if you do so, you’re likely selling yourself or at least your new home short. Check into multiple listings, tell friends you’re looking and so on. The more you look, the more likely you are to be happy with the lease you do decide upon.

4. Fibbing About Pets
It doesn’t matter if your best friend has scales, fur or feathers, don’t lie about it. Let your potential landlord know, be above board and pay the pet fees. If you don’t, you could find yourself in violation of your lease agreement and without a place to call home. Most rentals allow pets that are well behaved, so don’t worry about it.

5. Not Reading Lease Details
It’s tempting to gloss over the terms and conditions of a lease, but don’t do it. Make sure you fully understand the lease and any and all regulations the landlord presents you. If you don’t understand something, ask before you sign. If you don’t agree with something, ask to have it changed. If changes are made, do be certain to get them in writing.

6. Not Having Utilities Turned On Early Enough
Make sure you have everything lined up well before your move. If you don’t, you might find your rental is not quite ready for you when you go to move in. Scheduling the turn on of water and electricity at least a month in advance is not out of the question. Don’t forget to budget for any deposits the utility companies may require.

7. Failure To Inspect A Rental Before Move In
Be certain to fully inspect a rental before you and your belongings move in. It is important that you and your potential landlord sign off on any pre-existing damages in advance of your occupying the unit. If you don’t, you might find yourself responsible for them when you move out. This will also help you make sure any serious problems are taken care of before you move in.

8. Get The Basics In Order
If you’re getting a place for the first time, you will need to have the basics of living in order. This means things to cook with, shower with, clean with and so on. Be certain to have your rental stocked correctly by creating smart shopping lists. You can save money by shopping yard sales, at consignment shops and so on if it’s necessary, but don’t try to set up a household without the right materials.

9. Failure To Get Rental Insurance
You might think you can live without this added expense, but if the unthinkable happens, you will not be happy. Rental insurance only costs a few pennies a day and can protect you and your belongings in the event of an emergency. Shop around and you’ll find this expense is very minor.

10. Skipping The Move Out Cleaning
Don’t do this! If you value your security deposit, you will return your rental in the condition you found it, minus normal wear and tear. If there are damages beyond normal wear and tear, expect them to be deducted from your security deposit. If you leave your Kansas City apartment or home rental clean, this bill won’t be added to the deductions.