Apartment Tips

We're kinda joking

Yes, we've all been there when it comes to rude apartment neighbors who seem to have no regard for everyone else around them. Late nights of loud music, walking on hardwood floors with shoes on, loud lovemaking, awful cooking smells, arguing in the parking lot, you name it. The list goes on and on. Things often get so bad that you don't even want to come home from work anymore, but that's no way to live.

Small spaces call for some big ideas

Just because you live in a small apartment doesn't mean you can't make the most of it. In fact, we think it's better to utilize a small space well than to have a large apartment that's poorly executed and poorly appointed.What we mean is that if you just want a big place and you don't think about how your place should look, you're not utilizing the space well.

Home buying is a big transition from renting. Here's how to get started.

First-time home ownership is an exciting prospect, and most renters aspire to one day have a place to call their own. Gone are the worries about difficult landlords, noise issues from adjacent neighbors, the added hassle of doing laundry, and potentially having your rent go up from year-to-year. The mere thought of owning your own place, decorating it exactly the way you want, and earning equity on your investment is enough to make you want to start the process immediately.

You're not the only one who has struggled

Sometimes financial struggles can get you to the point where you can't make rent. It's hard when you're living from check to check and just getting by. You work full-time, you have kids, and you have bills piling up, and to make things worse, you may be under even more financial stress due to the fact that a big emergency expense comes up. What are your options? There are more ways to get through this difficult situation than you know.

Here's what to do if it happens

As much as tenants are concerned about following the letter of the law regarding your lease agreement. But what about the other side of the equation? What if your landlord violates the terms he/she agreed to in that same lease? It's not just a one-way street, and you should be just as aware of the landlord's responsibility as your own. We take a closer look at what the landlord is responsible for and what you can do when the lease is violated from the other end.

One option you may not have known about

Most apartment renters aren't in the right financial situation to buy a home, but that doesn't mean they can't dream. Other renters either prefer to move around every now and then depending on their situation, while some are simply planning to buy at some point down the line when things improve for them with regard to finances. Have you ever considered a rent-to-own condominium arrangement?