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Apartment Woes
Mai-Kero
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
So I'm looking into a new apartment, and this'll be the first time I have a roommate. That's not so much what I'm worried about thought.
I think I kind of lucked into a good place for my first apartment, because honestly I didn't really do that much checking. It was the first one I looked at, and my only pre-existing knowledge was that a friend lived in the building next-door owned by the same company and liked it.
I'm going to visit a new place today. It sounded amazing, because it was pretty huge, and not that expensive. I was thinking the lowish price came from it being in Akron, Ohio, which is kind of a crappy area (thought not as bad as pretty much any other place in Ohio). I found some reviews online though, and they were disturbing. One said the property manager shuts off the heat between 9-5, and doesn't even turn it on at all until late November, which I thought was kind of illegal. Additionally, several say that using a microwave and the AC at the same time will trip the breaker, causing you to have to walk all the way down to the basement before you have power again. I'm very worried about the power issue, because we'll be running 1-3 computer constantly, as well as a game system or two and a couple TVs. I'm wondering what I can really do to check and see if that's correct. The reviews seemed fairly plausible, especially because someone posted a comment on a couple of them calling the original reviewers names and telling them to shut up. I'm assuming that was the property manager.
Additionally, hardwood floors, so you can hear people walking if you live below someone, but I kind of wanted a top floor apartment anyway, so yeah.
TLDR:
What can I do to make sure electrical wiring is up to par in a new apartment + check heating? I'm assuming I can just turn the heater on when I arrive to scope it out to see if it works, same with AC and the shower. I've got no idea what to do to test the electric, though.
I think I kind of lucked into a good place for my first apartment, because honestly I didn't really do that much checking. It was the first one I looked at, and my only pre-existing knowledge was that a friend lived in the building next-door owned by the same company and liked it.
I'm going to visit a new place today. It sounded amazing, because it was pretty huge, and not that expensive. I was thinking the lowish price came from it being in Akron, Ohio, which is kind of a crappy area (thought not as bad as pretty much any other place in Ohio). I found some reviews online though, and they were disturbing. One said the property manager shuts off the heat between 9-5, and doesn't even turn it on at all until late November, which I thought was kind of illegal. Additionally, several say that using a microwave and the AC at the same time will trip the breaker, causing you to have to walk all the way down to the basement before you have power again. I'm very worried about the power issue, because we'll be running 1-3 computer constantly, as well as a game system or two and a couple TVs. I'm wondering what I can really do to check and see if that's correct. The reviews seemed fairly plausible, especially because someone posted a comment on a couple of them calling the original reviewers names and telling them to shut up. I'm assuming that was the property manager.
Additionally, hardwood floors, so you can hear people walking if you live below someone, but I kind of wanted a top floor apartment anyway, so yeah.
TLDR:
What can I do to make sure electrical wiring is up to par in a new apartment + check heating? I'm assuming I can just turn the heater on when I arrive to scope it out to see if it works, same with AC and the shower. I've got no idea what to do to test the electric, though.
Mai-Kero on
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3DS FC: 4699-5714-8940 Playing Pokemon, add me! Ho, SATAN!
I've seen everything from people bitching about literally the wrong complex to just utter falsehood.
Just use your own common sense. If the place looks like it was built in the 1960's, then don't go there.
Generally speaking, huge space + low rent = some serious disadvantages be it crime, noise, or poor appliances.
Ask for at least two walkthroughs and ask to see different units. Often times they will polish up one unit to make it seem nice and the others are not as good.
There are plenty of other shitty apartments here in Ohio, so if that one doesn't work out I'm sure you'll find another.
While Akron is a moderately high-crime area, I figure as a 6'4'' dude who can run like a motherfucker I'll be relatively safe from muggings. I plan on getting some awesome renter's insurance, which I should be able to split with my roommate.
I didn't think of the asking for two walkthroughs, that seems like a good idea. I'll inquire about the heat, and then turn on whatever appliances are there to test it out, as well as let the shower run the entire time to make sure it stays hot, and it drains properly. And if not, this is only a walkthrough, my roommate refuses to sign a lease until we visit at least a couple more, so this is pretty much a research expedition.
Good luck apartment hunting. Don't settle for the first one. Make a pros/cons list and then find the best one for you.
Holy shit, that is cheap.
Yeah, one of my friends has informed me of openings in a nice place in Rootstown. I've visted his place before, and it awesome. A bit far away from my work for my liking, but it'll be within 5-10 minutes of my school next year, so, I'm already weighing a few possibilities.
Satans..... hints.....
Like five. And one positive review. All the negative reviews were primarily about the maintenance guy they fired recently when they switched managers. At least that's what the agent told me when I visited. The propertly looks like ten times better than what the reviews described it as, and I'm not talking about the room. They said they hadn't actually been in to touch up the room yet, as the previous occupant had just vacated it, and it showed. The floors (all hardwood) were a bit dirty and the paint needed touching up in some places, but the agent told me they'd be finished before I moved in, and I'd get to go over the property again before then. The electrical and plumbing issues seem to stem from the age of the place, which is noticeable, but the breakers are in the closet of the apartment, not the basement, and it seems to have an adequate power supply, so that shouldn't be an issue. I think that's why it's so cheap: Old people, in pseudo-unpopular area. I did see a ton of middle-class-looking people walking their dogs and such outside, and a fairly affluent looking school down the street, and some kind of country club across the street. So, nice area, just not terribly populated. The people in the building are either A) Students,
I think both me and the roommate were sold on it when we got the tour, but we're still going to visit some other places, just based on principle. I think for the most part, the reviews were so old they were inaccurate based on that. It also helped to see people actually working on the building and the one nextdoor, so I know maintenance is going on.
Overall a pretty positive image.
Satans..... hints.....