What should I look for while touring an Athens apartment?

During your UGA off-campus housing search, you may decide that you want to schedule a few tours to see the apartments in person. If not, touring apartments is something I highly recommend doing. Although apartment listings–like the ones you can find on ApartmentsforAthens–can have a lot of useful details, you can learn so much more information about an apartment by visiting it in person. After all, this is potentially somewhere you could be living as a UGA student, so you'll want to make sure it's truly a good match for you. While touring apartments can be a fun and exciting activity, you should also use this time to check the apartment for certain features and ask the landlord questions.

Apartment Features to Check for in Athens Apartments

Touring is important because while an apartment can seem perfect on the surface, there can be a lot of underlying issues that can arise after you've already signed your leasing contract and moved in. To avoid this, it's important to walk through the apartment room-by-room and thoroughly ensure everything is functioning properly. You should be paying close attention to the walls, floors, and ceilings while checking for any leaks, mold, mildew, or pests. I would also recommend walking back and forth in certain areas to check for creaky floorboards as well. You should be opening and closing all cabinets, drawers, and closets too. In addition, you should also check all the faucets by testing their temperature, pressure, and listening for any weird noises that could be coming from the pipes. In the bathroom, you should flush the toilet and test the shower–also listening out for any weird noises. For your safety, it's crucial that you ensure all doors and windows can close and lock properly as well. Checking outlets and lights are also important. If you can, I'd recommend bringing something to plug into an outlet so you can see if it works properly. Lastly, you should also listen for any loud noises–whether that be from outside or from neighbors in the building. This can indicate that the apartment has thin walls and too much noise in your living environment can make your student life significantly more difficult.

Questions You Should Ask the Landlord

Asking questions is extremely important when choosing an apartment. If the landlord is available during your tour, you should utilize this time to ask for any clarifications you may have in addition to some general questions about the apartment. One of the most important things you should ask about is the terms of the lease. You'll want to know details like restrictions, policies on subletting/reletting, and what happens if you choose to break the lease early. Although many apartments list their rental rates online, it's also important to ask in person as well. You also may want to ask if utilities are included in the rent and if not, how much they typically cost a month. I'd also recommend asking about any additional fees that may come up from applying for the apartment, signing the lease, and moving in. Furthermore, you should also ask about their maintenance process–like how long it usually takes and if they're on-call. If the apartment doesn't come with an in-unit washer and dryer, I'd also recommend asking about on-site laundry facilities or where tenants typically go to do laundry. Lastly, you should get clarification on when rent is due every month if the landlord has not already made that clear.