Question for anyone who lives in an apartment

[Geoff]

I'm aiming for people who live by themselves, but anyone will do. =P

I'm curious, what all do you pay for? In general, what's the rent itself and what does that pay for? If this isn't something you're open to sharing, I'm fine with a PM.

I ask this because if I get the job I am aiming for, I'll most likely be moving out within a month or two. And my needs...are very small. I'm talking like, I only need a bedroom for my bed and PC/360 along with the small desk they are currently residing. That leaves any possible "living room" completely empty.

Other than that, I know I'd need internet. =/

 

[CorruptDictator]

It really varies a lot on where you live. Usually water is included as far as utilities goes, but you will have to pay for electric and cable (sometimes apartment complexes will have special rates for cable for the complex). I live in a small town and only pay $525 for a two bedroom. A similar place in the twin cities would cost in the $750+ range, someplace like Chicago even more.

Internet costs will depend on the local carrier, but for anything decent expect around $50 a month and up.

 

[Spago]

It depends a LOT on geographic location. In my area I have a small, 2 bedroom apartment for $440/mo. Its nothing special, its not modern, but it was clean, the building is well maintained, and (for the most part) the neighbors were great. In the summer (even with air conditioning) my electricity is usually $55-70. In the winter it rises to $150-160 because I have electric baseboard heating, and refuse to freeze, so I keep it around 70-72 degrees. Water is quarterly and runs about $80 (for 3 months) for just me.

My suggestion is look at some areas that are options for you. Drive around and look for places with vacancies and/or front offices and stop in and talk to them. Most building managers will be able to give you an idea of what utilities will run in their buildings. I generally find that you add 10% on to that and you arrive at the real number.

All said at the end of a month in the dead of winter I'm usually paying around $850 for anything related to living expense.

 

[CorruptDictator]

My electric can be anywhere from $35 to $140. Even utility costs can vary a lot on where you live. For instance, I am originally from Chicago, but here in Minnesota electric is more expensive, while gas is cheaper (this matters to me since I am hopefully about to buy a house).

 

[Spago]

Electric is definitely more expensive in North-West Wisconsin as well. My parents heat a 3,000sq/ft house with gas for around $220/mo vs. my tiny apartment for $150 lol

 

[African Grey]

You're going to get crazy different answers depending on where people live. I live in a small college town in the northern-midwest part of Missouri. And even by the standards here my rent is considered cheep. I've got a decent two bedroom and I sublet the other bedroom to whoever I can (people usually only stay for a semester or two in any place here). It's a square shaped apartment with a stairwell entrance in the center, kitchen and living room on one half, bathroom and two bedrooms on the other, and full bath.

I pay $400 a month for rent, all utilities covered except electric and internet. Heating is electric but we get enough heat from the downstairs neighbors to stay warm without it. Electricity is fairly cheep here too. When it's just me using it I hardly pay more than $20 a month, though my current roommate doesn't know how to conserve for crap and leaves his computer, tv, xbox, and nearly everything else on almost nonstop, which raises it to nearly $40. Just turning things off when you're not using them can save you big in the long run.

That said, I split all these prices with my roommate and only pay half of them myself, so usually I don't pay more than $230 a month.

 

[areben]

In NY you can look at a starting price of 1250-1500 a month for a one bed/bath apartment. Most will cover water, but nothing else.
Also, when you get an apartment in NY, you end up paying the as@#*$)*# who "showed" the apartment a month of rent ON TOP of 1st/last months rent to the landlord. I mean... COM'MON PEOPLE.

 

[Net]

I was paying $850/mo in just rent for a 3 bed, 2 bath apartment here in Illinois. It included water, but everything else we needed to obtain. Not sure why you are asking, but if you are looking to move stay out of Illinois, way to expensive to live here.

 

[Nightshde]

All depends on location, I've lived in tons of different places and prices can be ridiculously different. In GA our electric would be $100-200 a month where as here in MA and RI I pay $30-50 and it could be less but our water heater is electric. Water seems to be about the same in most places but a lot of apartments usually include water. Rent all depends on location, the closer you are to a major city the more expensive it will be. Right now me and my gf pay $850 for about a 1800sqft apartment that only includes water but if we were to move closer to providence the price would go up and the size would go way down but could have the possibility of including more utilities.

If it's just you and you don't need a huge separation of rooms I suggest finding a studio apartment that has an area u can curtain off for a small bedroom. Studios are relatively cheap and if my gf wasn't living with me I would probably have one.

 

[CorruptDictator]

Oh yeah, almost forgot about that fact since I have been living in my current apartment for so long. Some places will make you put down just your first months rent plus an additional month as your security deposit. It has become common practice (especially in larger cities) to require an additional months rent (so three months total up front). This is supposed to be first month, last month and deposit. The reasoning behind this practice is people skipping out on the last month of rent and leaving.

Also, be prepared to have to show proof of employment or even have to give permission to submit to a background check. Some renters may also turn you down simply because you have to references for other places you have rented from previously (not common, but I have heard of it happening).

I would even go so far as to take dated pictures of your entire apartment as a record of the condition of the place on your move in date.

 

[Nacasius]

Everyone's got it dead on.
In the GTA (Greater Toronto Area) you have at least 7 different zones in the downtown area alone for prices.
You just need to try a site like apartments.com or similar and see what they say for any area your looking for, but do it now for when you don't need it so you can get baseline prices.
Then when you need it you will know a standard deal verses a good or crap deal.
When you inquire about a place, always ask, "whats included? and "whats not?"
If possible ask for the contact info of the last person to own the place so you can get there opinions and general cost of living info.

The best place i ever lived was a basement rental of a Jamaican family. Everything but cable was included, and that included the free jerk chicken BBQ on the weekend.
The only down side of living in a basement or 2nd level rental, is if the owner needs the unit for personal reasons he can ask you to leave. (in canada anyway)

An apartment building is more people, more noise, but a more secure contract of stay, for the most part. (Yyou have to have violated a code to be removed, so KNOW YOUR CODES, both local and state.)

I don't know if condo's are your thing, but some people rent their condos like super nice apartments.
Consider these the same as a basement apartments, not a perma home, use it as you need it, then get your own.

 

[CorruptDictator]

The only down side of living in a basement or 2nd level rental, is if the owner needs the unit for personal reasons he can ask you to leave.

In the US, as long as the space is a legal rental, you would have a lease for such an apartment and the renter could not kick you out unless you broke the lease agreement or the lease has ended and they are opting to not continue renting the space.

 

[CorruptDictator]

Regarding your deposit, unless you take perfect care of the apartment AND your landlord(s) is a good person, you will probably not get it all back. They love to find any reason to keep as much of it as possible. In my previous apartment I left it with nothing broken and cleaner than when I moved in EXCEPT that I make an agreement with the renter that they could keep part of the deposit to clean the carpets (I could not schedule anyone to do it, all booked). A few weeks later I get the remainder of my deposit back and the bitch charged me to clean the apartment way beyond any cost to do the carpets.

 

[Spago]

I am pretty lucky with my landlord. He's a private owner and this is one of two buildings he owns as a retirement project. I've had two friends move out of the building now and one got his whole deposit back. The other was charged for carpet cleaning (At the buildings contracted price), but got the vast majority of his deposit back as well. Needless to say... I'm probably staying here until I buy a house. I have simple needs and see no reason to move lol. Only thing I wish I had was a dishwasher and maybe in-apartment washer/dryer, but meh.

 

[CorruptDictator]

I have had great landlords for the past six years now, but they just sold the building last month so I have no idea what I will go through when I move out next month (once again assuming this house thing all goes through).

 

[Reechard]

Lava and I rent a 3800sq/ft house for $900/mo, but it doesn't include any utilities or anything. Around here you can get an efficiency apartment (basically what you're asking for, it's a medium-big room that is your living/kitchen/sleeping, and a small bathroom) for like $350/mo and only have to pay for cable on top of that, or cable and electric with all electric appliances. For such a small place the heat/water bills are ridiculously low, though. You would probably be looking at $450-500/mo total for the place.

 

[Nacasius]

In the US, as long as the space is a legal rental, you would have a lease for such an apartment and the renter could not kick you out unless you broke the lease agreement or the lease has ended and they are opting to not continue renting the space.

Is that because of the Squatters Right Law? ie, you can't someone out in the middle of winter. (which is odd given canada, DOES winter very very well)

 

[CorruptDictator]

Is that because of the Squatters Right Law? ie, you can't someone out in the middle of winter. (which is odd given canada, DOES winter very very well)

No... that has to do with the fact that you have a LEASE. A legally binding contract. If you try to kick someone out who has a lease they can sue you.

 

[tigar]

id say be happy your not living in new zealand

1 room apartment 250 a week and thats just rent for an empty room

wanna get a decent place of 1 bedroom living room and kitchen and bathroom? your going to be looking towards 300-400 already a week and again that is without water or electricity or anything

 

[Nacasius]

Ah i see.
If you can get someone to give a lease for a basement apartment all the power to yah.
Does make thing simpler, most will want a rental agreement biased to the owner though from my experience.
Fight for all you can get.