What are some important things to get the first day you move in? Do you guys remember your first time? How much money should be saved?

well i think its very important that you clean the place b4 you move your things in. i know that's something I always did even though it 'should be' freshly cleaned and painted.
so bring your 'new mops/brooms,swiffer,cleaning products' & 'air freshner' & 'incense,candles' to have it smelling well too afterwards,as it wont smell like 'cleaning products' & also you need as mentioned above 'cleaning equipment'
towels,bedding,linens,etc..dishes silverware cookware eating utensils,extension cords,bug spray just in case,candles/flashlight,lightbulbs,furniture, basic appliances. basic tools' all of your basic living needs. Then add your things to make it you and feel like home.

when renting,you most likely 2 have first & last months rent plus a security deposit,and possible fees for background checks & applications..possible key deposits.some money of these deposits you may get back when you move.

Tamera1 said:

INSATIABLE said:

Picking on me...eh "LOL" "LOL"

Get hardcore cleaning supplies. Not just stuff to make things shiny and nice-smelling, but stuff with killing capacity, like bleach. Thoroughly wipe down as many surfaces as you've got energy for -- doorknobs, light switches and especially EVERYTHING in the kitchen... even moreso than the bathroom.

Also, if your flat has carpet, the owners may or may not have it cleaned for you. But even if they do, you might want to consider having it thoroughly cleaned yourself if you can afford it. I was terribly sensitive to cat dander when I rented my first apartment, and despite my landlord having had the carpet cleaned, that place literally sent me to the emergency room for acute allergic athsma attacks at least twice in the first week. (The previous tenants had a cat.) She had to have the carpet cleaned two additional times before I could breathe in the place.

Make sure you know who is paying which utilities and how much needs to be budgeted monthly for them. As furnishings go, worry first about bedding, food basics and toiletries. At the most basic, you gotta keep warm, sleep, eat and wash yourself. All else is icing on the cake.

Have fun. It's exciting getting your first place!
[Edited 6/7/08 23:37pm]

yes! clean like a mofo!
i just signed my first lease a few weeks ago, i move in july 1st...
and the place is beautiful but filthy...

so the best thing to do is to see if you can get the key even a week earlier than the move-in date and do some major cleaning because sometimes the landlord says one thing, and does another...so it might not be clean to your standards..

..do any painting you need to get done (if you're allowed to) and move all large items in first if you can swing more than one move... it takes the stress out of the move-in day.

i already have some experience with living on my own but i've never had to deal with landlords and leases while living in residence @ the school....

and i'm paying 450/month CND for utilities included except for cable/phone/internet.. at school it was roughly 650/month for everything - still not worth it. so i'm saving quite a bit of money living on my own... my friends live in the other half of the house too so i'll never actually be lonely

i do have to live with 3 other people whom i don't know as of yet - but as it stands i'm the only person to have a lease in that house, so i'm alone until they can find others it'll be like m'own house

yeah, back on topic - clean clean clean
vinegar is your cheap and valuable friend.
the dollar stores love you.

and if you'll be sharing the abode, make sure you lay down some law and let them know what YOU won't tolerate, hope they do the same, come to some understanding and co-exist away!


hope that helped?

sammij said:

Thanks, I think I'm too old to be living with my mom. Canada is different then here. I'm going to be living by myself so...maybe I'll get an animal. I'l try to clean everything. Should I buy an extra lock?

Lammastide said:

I'm allergic to cats too and I hate carpets that come with apartments. Is it true you have to have three times the rent? Thanks...bleach is a great idea. One of my fears is someone following me into my apartment or building. I'm small too...

Tamera1 said:

Do they ask you a bunch of questions? Should I use a money order?

Cleaning is very important, but also, make sure that everything works before you move in. I remember the day before I moved into my apartment, I came in to see what I needed to do before getting settled. I walked into the kitchen to check the appliances and I asked the girl from the rental office if everything worked okay...she says, "Well, the stove may not work" WTF do you mean the stove may not work?!?! Luckily, it did, but I thought that was kinda stupid that she would say it so nonchalantly, like it wasn't a big deal if it didn't work.

Also, check out your neighbors and see what they're like. I have fat slob neighbors, so it sucks. They stomp around the apartment above me (I live on the first floor because I wanted to be considerate of others, since I have a 5 year old boy who likes to jump around). They don't care about being considerate, so they stomp and jump around at all hours of the night.


Good luck to you

Smooches;)

MsMisha319 said:

thanks

unlucky7 said:

i'd ask the landlord if either he can install a new one for you or if you're allowed to install one yourself

i did that for my one room in the house, just because i feel tenants are entitled to that

sammij said:

I can spell better than that. Thanks, yeah...I know some landlords might be pervs or just nosy and might want to sneak into someone's apartment.

I'm getting ready to move for the first time myself. It's so exciting! I bought a townhouse. I guess its more like i'm buying a spacious apartment instead of renting a small apartment. I have 3 weeks left to pack up my stuff here at my mom's house.

Your landlord will give you a checklist, so that you can note anything that is damaged, not working, etc. when you move in. It is very important that you go over the place with a finetooth comb. Check every outlet, turn on every light switch, run both the heat and air conditioning, turn on every faucet and the shower, make sure you have hot water, run the dishwasher, make sure the stove, oven and refrigerator work, look over the carpeting (and/or floors) very carefully, look at all the walls, trim, door frames, inside the cupboards and closets, and inspect the windows. Take pictures of anything that isn't as it should be. Date stamp them, if possible.

If the landlord doesn't give you a checklist, demand one. Fill it out, make a copy (keep it in a safe place with your lease), and make sure you return it to your landlord. It is vital that you do this. It is your only record of how things were when you moved in - and will keep a landlord from coming at you with damages when you move out.

dont go and buy a bunch of tacky new crap to decorate your new apartment, less is more.

if you can, try and have your rent payment saved or paid ahead by 2 months.

and like they said CLEAN. make sure they steam the carpets if there is carpeting, or if you have to do it that they dont charge you when you leave to clean them.

make them paint walls that need it. you know, filthy areas where people run there fingers across the wall a million times or where they had the head of there bed or above the stove and counter areas. if its not a complex offer to paint it for them if they supply the paint supplies.

unlucky7, is your apartment in the Bronx?

unlucky7 said:

hello,
Well,In my experience,the landords will talk with you when you're planning to move in. not really alot of questions,just basic questions. basic requirements.. they just want to get a round about ideal of what you're like..as in..just knowing that you'll be a good tenant in general. they should fill you in on the details about how everything runs,like if you're moving into an apartment complex they'll fill you in about the place and what days rent is due,trash days,maintenance(always ask questions about this, and what you can fix yourself or if they are required to fix.no youre rights always ask questions. if you sign a lease make sure to get a copy, all the technical things will be in that. ...either way at any place you decide to rent they will want to know a bit about you and will ask what they need to know and tell you what you need to know. and if they do not,what ever type of place you choose, Always ask them anything that you're unsure about or want to know. Always ask questions. renters have rights,too. as far as background checks. it's pretty basic. they will just check basics like that you have ok credit,that you're not a criminal.(look up your rights about this one.) they check your last places of residence. they may be a fee for the applications such as background check,but all in all the questions are a basic requirement. most landlands,just want to know that you will pay your rent on time, that your a good citizen,that you're clean. as long as you have descent credit ,have a job and/or a legit income,school included could help out in some cases to your advantage. a good point made by another is the maintenance. know what they are required to fix and know hwta you're able to fix or change. most landlords perferre checks or money orders than cash,in my experience.

i think everyone that has replied has pointed out alot of good things to know.
hope we helped. use common sense and always ask question and keep copys of things signed and paid for.
best wishes.

sammij said:

sammij is tellin the truth bout landlord sayin one thing and doing another.

Thanks Tamera1 great advice.

missfee said:

How exciting!!! Congrats!!! I remember what it was like when I bought this condo and was moving out of my parents' house. It' s a very happy and liberating feeling.

unlucky7 said:

I see from your profile that you're in the Bronx. From what I hear, getting an apartment in NYC can be quite a hassle.

Boston is the same way -- when I moved there, the landlord wanted a money order (or cashier's check) for the money due at lease signing. They wouldn't take my personal check because it wasn't drawn on a local bank.

Once I'd actually moved to Boston and opened up accounts at a local bank, personal checks were fine for paying the rent. However, pretty much every apartment lease I've ever seen has a clause allowing the landlord to demand future rent payments by money order or cashier's check if you ever give them a personal check that bounces.

Some landlords may accept cash rent payments. This, I suspect, is often because they're shady and cheat on their taxes by accepting cash under the table. But good ones usually require payment by check or money order to create a paper trail and to prevent the security issues that arise from having tens of thousands of dollars of cash on hand. And from your standpoint as a tenant, it's a good idea to pay by check (or credit card, if your landlord takes them) so there's a paper trail in case there's a later claim that you didn't pay your rent.

unlucky7 said:

For "tough" rental markets like NYC, often the answer is yes. When I rented a place in Boston, I actually had to pay slightly more than four times the monthly rent at least signing:

• First month's rent
  
• Last month's rent
  
• Security deposit equal to one month's rent
  
• Broker's fee equal to one month's rent
  
• Application fee of somewhere between $25 and $50 for credit report, criminal check, etc.
  

Fortunately, I've found that things are more relaxed in most other cities. At my current place in Seattle, they just wanted the application fee, a prorated portion of the first month's rent, a $350 security deposit, and a $150 non-refundable fee for a professional cleaning when I move out. And overall, they made me jump through far fewer hoops -- after pulling my credit report, they approved me on the spot and gave me the keys.

unlucky7 said:

You're Welcome.
&

matt said:

Thanks matt, lots of useful info. Thank you so much.