Should you rent a duplex apartment? Compare the pros and cons.

In a follow-up to two of my most popular articles for prospective tenants, I've published "Pros and Cons of Renting a Duplex Apartment."

Like its predecessors, "Pros and Cons of Top Floor Apartments" and "Pros and Cons of First Floor Apartments," my duplex pro-and-con write-up offers you an insider's view on the advantages and disadvantages of living in one particular type of apartment.

Want a sneak preview of what I have to say about these two-residence rental homes? Here you go:

Pro: Big Brother is Across Town

Lots of apartment complexes house a property manager on site or at the very least there is a leasing office on the premises. Not so when you rent a duplex. Read the cons of this arrangement below, but first think about why this might be a good thing.

If you value your privacy and don't like the idea of management keeping tabs on your comings and goings, or those of your visitors, you'll be glad there is no arm of the landlord there to observe you on a daily basis. Maybe you keep late hours, or maybe your boyfriend/girlfriend frequently stays over. Whatever the case may be, it's none of your landlord's business.

Con: The Maintenance Man is Across Town, Too

Of course you might find yourself wishing there was a property manager, leasing office or maintenance staff on the premises when your air conditioning stops working, when ants take over your bathroom, when you lock yourself out of your apartment, or when you've forgotten to pay rent and it's currently 4:57 p.m. on the first of the month.

Privacy concerns aside, it really can be more convenient to live where you have easier access to your property manager. ...

Want to read more? Go here!


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How to view an apartment -- one room at a time

We're going back to the basics for this blog post, and it's aimed squarely at newbie apartment hunters or those of you who haven't looked for a new apartment in a long time.

Here are some tips on what to look for when you're looking for an apartment. Check out the article's room-by-room apartment-viewing tips written especially for first-time apartment hunters.

"How to View an Apartment: A Guide for New Apartment Hunters" also links to a printable apartment-hunting checklist for your convenience. I think you'll find it useful if you're searching for a new apartment -- Good luck, and happy hunting!



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Three essential tools of successful apartment hunting

Here, in Three Things to Bring to Your Apartment Viewing Appointment, are the three essential tools of successful apartment hunting and how to use them to compare and contrast the features of the different apartments you'll view when looking for your new rental home.

Happy apartment hunting and good luck finding your perfect home sweet apartment home!

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Apartment amenities: What features are on your apartment shopping list?

Maybe it's a community pool you can't do without; maybe it's a balcony. Can you live without air conditioning? Without a dishwasher?

Savvy apartment hunters make a shopping list of "wants" and "needs" when they start their apartment search. If you want to make sure you haven't forgotten to include something on your own list, or if you're just curious about which amenities are the most sought-after by other apartment hunters, check out the Top 10 Best Apartment Unit Amenities for 2010 and the Top 10 Best Apartment Community Amenities for 2010.

These articles count down today's most important apartment features and apartment community amenities, from covered parking to on-site laundry to green space allotted for dog-walking. They also take a look at what developers of new apartment buildings are including in their site plans in order to attract tomorrow's tenants.

Enjoy!




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