You’ve zeroed in on the ideal Lilac City apartment and are ready to sign the lease. Hold on. We suggest a few preliminary steps. First, shop for budget-friendly renters insurance in Spokane, and make the following moves before adding your signature to the dotted line.
Never fall in love too fast. Go online or make a few phone calls and see what similar space is going for in the same area. You’re on firm ground if you come up with similar rental rates.
But what if you’re being asked to pay a lot more? Is there a good reason for it? What does your apartment have that neighboring buildings or homes don’t have? It might be perfectly legit to pay more if you can identify what justifies the added expense.
If not, you might try negotiating the rent down a few bucks. If the apartment is out of the local price range, there might not be a line of potential renters begging to lease the unit.
Are you prepared to walk away if you don’t get a better rate? If so, you’ll be negotiating from a better bargaining position.
How close is your prospective new apartment to your workplace? Do you have kids that need a ride to and from school? Is there shopping within walking distance? How far away is the supermarket? How about public transit if your car should break down?
Check out how close you are to banking, the post office, dry cleaners, entertainment, or whatever is meaningful to your way of life. How far away are your friends?
If you fall in love with an apartment that spells major inconvenience to your way of life, maybe you should consider another Spokane neighborhood.
How confident do you feel about knocking on the doors of strangers or striking up a conversation with someone on the sidewalk in front of your desired apartment community? If you’re able to engage in a quick chat with tenants of the same building or possible neighbors, you can learn a lot.
For starters, the discussion will tell you how friendly your new neighbors will be. And you’ll get valuable insight when you ask them what they think about where they live. Chances are, you might like the Spokane building or neighborhood about as well as they do.
If your first reaction to this rental tip is that it would be foolish to walk around in that neighborhood after the sun goes down, it might be time to reconsider where you’re about to live.
Walking around the neighborhood and the building at night is a great way to experience what your future life might be like. How noisy is it? Do you hear loud music blaring at all hours? Do you constantly see the flashing lights and hear the wail of sirens? Can you see yourself feeling secure and confident in your new home at 4 a.m.?
If you’ve checked off the above tenant checklist, then you’re ready to sign the lease. Congratulations! Now, start packing.
Now that the ink on your apartment list is dry, it’s time to go shopping for affordable renters insurance. A standard policy will only set you back $10-$12 a month—a few dollars well spent.
Renters insurance covers your personal property in the event of fire, smoke, or water destruction, theft, vandalism, or other damaging events. It will also pay for injuries to others on your property and protect your finances if you’re sued for actions related to your space.
Renters insurance offers financial peace of mind. Talk with an independent renters insurance agent as soon as you start making plans to move into your new digs. An independent agent can get you the best deals on coverage because they represent the plans of multiple insurers—not just one.
You have decisions to make before you sign your Spokane apartment lease. We can help you with one of the most important decisions to protect you, your loved ones, and your personal property.
Call Vern Fonk Insurance at (800) 455-8276 and ask about your options for renters insurance. We’ll give you a quick online quote, or you can use our office locator to find a Vern Fonk location and agent near you.
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