Apartment hunting can be intimidating. There are so many factors you have to consider—from the location to the interior features to the monthly rent. Fortunately, Contemporary Management Concepts, LLLP simplifies this process. Since 1979, our Gainesville-based property management company has offered highly coveted conventional and college student apartments for rent in Gainesville, Jacksonville, Orlando, Tampa, and Lakeland, Florida.
With countless options to choose from, we can help you find your dream home—just in time for the spring season. Contact us today for more information!
This season can be a busy time for students searching for an apartment before the start of the spring semester. As such, we recommend starting your apartment search 2-3 months in advance. Early searching, touring, and researching can help you secure your dream living space before it is too late. This timeline also gives you and your roommates enough time to pack, hire a reliable moving money, and set up the utilities in your new address.
Once you find an apartment and floor plan you love, submit your application and necessary documents as soon as possible. You will also need to account for the time the community takes to perform a background or credit check.
The best trait you can have while touring apartments is being well-organized. Whether in a journal or on an Excel spreadsheet, keep track of the names of all the apartments you are interested in. Mark down if you toured the property (and on what date), the amenities they offer, and when their earliest move-in date is. You can also use this spreadsheet for note-keeping as you ask questions during your tour.
Before embarking on your apartment hunt, create a thorough list of your must-haves and can-do-withouts. Perhaps you really want a dishwasher, in-unit laundry facilities, or a balcony, but you don’t really need a community swimming pool or stainless steel kitchen appliances. If you are a pet-owner, ensure that the community you are looking at is pet-friendly. Ask the property manager if the complex has any breed restrictions or pet limits that might affect your application’s approval.
This list will be incredibly handy when you need to narrow down your rental properties. Use it as a reference or a tie-breaker when you’re trying to decide between your last two apartments!
Most apartment community tours take about an hour to an hour and a half to complete. Because of this, apartment hunters should section off time in their schedule for these tours.
Call ahead to properties you are interested in to ask about their hours of operation. You may find that they are closed on the weekends, or only offer tours before 5 PM. Depending on the property, you may need to take off time from work to fully tour the floor plans and resident amenities.