What to expect renting in the Triangle area

I have two words for you....Realistic Expectations...There's nothing more that I'd like than to be able to help every single client that inquires about our services to find the apartment home of their dreams. But more often than not, clients come to us with completely unrealistic expectations about what it's like to rent an apartment in the greater Raleigh/Durham area. To help get everyone on the same page, we've come up with the top 5 misconceptions that people have about renting in the Triangle, NC area...

1. Rental Prices & Prioritizing Preferences

Everyone has a budget for the rent that they can afford. But often times, their budgets are not in line with the rest of their criteria. One of the great benefits of using a relocation service like Triangle Apartment Connection is that you can get a professional opinion to see if what you're looking for is really out there. Can you get a 1,000 square foot 1 bedroom apartment with a garden tub under $600 a month? Can you get a brand new 3 bedroom apartment for only $800 a month? These are criteria that our relocation specialists can go over with you and guide you on what you can and can't find for the price point you're interested in.Here are the average rents for the Triangle area based on the current rates of the communities in our database...

1 bedrooms: $675
2 bedrooms: $850
3 bedrooms: $1,000

An important point to keep in mind is that average prices will get you average apartment. If you want above average features, like modern appliances, upgraded cabinetry and countertops, garden style bathtubs, crown molding and more, than you'll pay a bit more. If you're willing to live in an older community without all the bells and whistles, then you can find something more affordable. Every community has it's pros and cons. It's really just a matter of prioritizing what you're looking for and matching those preferences with the communities available.

2. Negotiating

Apartment prices and specials are just one of those things that can't be negotiated. Communities are governed by state and federal Fair Housing guidelines and in order to comply with them, they must offer the exact same thing to every single person that walks through their doors. In an effort to make sure they're in compliance, communities will have published rates and specials that can't be negotiated. While it's alright to ask a community if they happen to have any other specials available (there may be a preferred employer incentive or urgency incentive available for you), it's not alright to ask them to knock off another 20 bucks off the rent or to throw in a washer and dryer. It just puts everyone in an awkward position and it just isn't a great way to start out a rental relationship.

3. The Single Family Home to Apartment Transition

With the housing crisis comes many renters who are used to the conveniences of living single family homes. Often times, they have either not rented in quite some time or not at all, so their expectations moving into an apartment are out of line with what is realistic or they just don't have any expectations at all and need some guidance.First off, this is multi-family living, so there is absolutely no guarantee you won't hear your neighbors. Every community will have rules and regulations in place to keep excessive noise to a minimum, but don't expect to get your neighbors evicted because they walk like a herd of elephants. If you ever have a noise concern, talk to your property manager about it. He or she will tell you whether or not the noise you are hearing is normal for apartment living or something they can look into.

On the flipside, you may need to adjust your lifestyle to accomodate your neighbors. Living in an apartment means you must extend the same courtesy that you would expect to be able to enjoy your home peacefully. Your community may have specific rules, but some standard courtesies to keep in mind are to not do laundry, vacuum, turn on surround sound or bass after 9 p.m., be sure to keep your pets attended to and leashed at all times and pick up after him/her, do not leave trash outside of your apartment, keep your patio/balcony tidy and do not take up multiple "front row" parking spaces in your building. Moving from a house to an apartment is an adjustment. If you ever have any concerns, be sure to talk them over with you property manager. They are happy to help make the transition as easy as possible for you.

4. Credit HistoryUnfortunately, more and more people are coming to us with credit scores that are dwindling by the minute. In these tough economic times, it seems like it's a rarity to find someone with excellent credit. Apartment communities are certainly monitoring the situation and adjusting their criteria accordingly. So just because you have bad credit, it doesn't necessarily mean you won't be able to get an apartment. As long as you qualify otherwise, communities are likely to work with you if you have a not so stellar credit rating. One exception to this rule is a prior debt to a landlord, particularly if it is unpaid. If you have a lease break fee, eviction or damage charges on your credit report, be prepared to run into some problems getting qualified for an apartment. If the debt has been paid, you may have more options, but they are still few and far between. My best advice is to be up front and honest with your leasing consultant in the very beginning of the application process. They can guide you through their company's requirements so you don't end up wasting a ton of money on application fees only to be declined.

5. Time Frame

It's certainly respectable that people want to get a jump start on looking for apartments well in advance of their move in date. But it's really a tough thing to do because pricing and availability changes so frequently. Typically, a community won't set a rental rate until they know what they have available, and they won't know what they have available until current residents give notice. Notices are typically required 60 days before a lease expires, so that's a good rule of thumb as to when to start looking for an apartment. There's no sense in wasting time looking for something any earlier, especially if you have budget constraints. Prices today will certainly not be the same as prices 6 months from now. You could fall in love with an apartment now that is in your price range, only to find when you're closer to your move in date that it has increased by $100. Or vice versa-you could overlook a great apartment now because it's outside of your price range, but in reality, closer to the time you're looking to move, it's dropped to make it more affordable. To make sure you have the most accurate information and the most options to meet your needs, it's best to begin your apartment search no sooner than 60 days before your move in date.

If you ever have a question about the apartment process, please let us know. That's what we're here for! We have countless years of experience in the local market and would love to share our expertise with you and help you make the best decisions for you situation!