Looking for and moving into your first apartment in Tulsa is an electrifying, sometimes crazy, and always hectic experience. Making preparations is one of the best things you can to do keep everything from becoming mind-boggling. If you are moving into an apartment for the first time, here are five things you should do before you move the first box.
1) Ask questions before signing the lease.
A lease is a legal, binding document between you and your landlord. At times, the language can get confusing and the terms might not be understandable. Or, maybe, you notice something in the contract that concerns you after you read through it. Perhaps you see something in the initial walk-through that you would like to know more about. Whatever your question is, do not hesitate to ask it. A good landlord would rather have you walk away with the answers and not signing a lease than see you sign it and have problems in the future because you were not clear about something in the beginning and never asked for an explanation.
Landlordology has a worthy of review list of questions to ask your landlord before you sign your lease - 20 Revealing Questions that Every Renter Should Ask (from a Landlord's Perspective).
2) Do a once-over of the apartment with the landlord, if possible, before moving your belongings in.
On move-in day in Tulsa, before you get caught up in the nuttiness of moving in everything you own, ask the landlord to do a walk-through of the apartment to inspect for damages or any other pre-existing issues that might have been overlooked when they were readying it for your arrival. This is a sound idea for two reasons. The first is so that you both can understand what is going on without the jumble of furniture and boxes. The second reason is that once you move your possessions in, your landlord can say that they have no way to know for sure the problem was there before you arrived. If a finger can be pointed at you for the damage instead of the previous occupant, the cost of repairs will possibly come out of your deposit when you get ready to move out. Depending on what that cost is and the terms of your lease, you might not get any money back.
3) Ask for help.
Part of being an adult is being independent, but part of it is also recognizing when you cannot do something on your own and need to ask for help. When it comes to moving, you will always need help - with carrying boxes and assembling furniture on move-in day at the very least. If you have family or a friend you trust in the area you are moving to and you cannot do a inspection before you move in, ask them to do it for you. Be sure they know what information to seek out beforehand.
4) CLEAN before unpacking.
Usually, renters are tasked to make sure an apartment is cleaned up and in fair condition before they move out, and most landlords will give the apartment a more thorough cleaning in between renters. However, every now and then, an apartment sits vacant for some time or things get overlooked. Also, there is the mess that happens when you move in. Cleaning up before you unpack will help you catch what might have been overlooked. It will also familiarize you with the layout you have and give you a better sense of how you can arrange things than you might have gotten during the walk-through.
5) Be considerate of your neighbors while moving items in.
When you are in the middle of moving in, it is easier to look for easy ways to get your stuff into your apartment. Unfortunately, the most convenient [methods|ways]166] to do so can make it more difficult for your neighbors to come and go as they need to and give them the wrong initial impression of you as their neighbor. It is their community you are joining when you move in, after all. You will have an easier time acclimatizing to the community in Tulsa if you are considerate of them from the beginning.
If you are ready to find your first apartment in Tulsa, A-1 Freeman can help you every step of the way. We can handle every move, no matter how big or small. Click below to get started with your Free Estimate.
