Renting an apartment is not as easy as some people think. Though the obligations are less than when you buy one there still are many things to consider before you choose the one that suits you best.  That is why you need to have serious approach towards renting and you do not have to act emotionally. Although in the advertisement you see your dreamed place, the home you have been looking for you have to carefully check everything before you rent it. You have to think how to uncover any hidden problems before you sign the lease. Below you can find the most important questions to ask before you take the final decision.

1.    How much is the rent?
Very often real estate agencies state in the ads lower rent prices than the home owner wants in order to catch the client. The feeling to find out that the apartment you really like and want to rent is more expensive than it has been stated in the ad is very unpleasant. So to avoid such bad surprises make sure you clearly understand exactly how much you will have to pay. Ask also any other financial issues such as do you have to pay a security deposit and how much it will be; when will be the rent due and what the policy on late rent is. Ask also if you will get the security deposit back, what exactly it covers  and what you have to do to have it returned. Getting to know all these will help you clear yourself if all the financial parameters of the lessee are acceptable for you.

2.    How much are the utility costs?
First of all you should understand if any utility costs are included in the rent. In some apartments everything is included in the price, but in others you have to pay all the bills. If the utility costs are not included ask the owner how much a typical electric or gas or water bill is for the apartment.  It would be even better if you manage to obtain this information from the electric company or from previous tenants. It is really important to clearly understand this to know if you can afford it.

3.    What will be the terms of the Lease?
Find out how long the lease term would be, what the procedure would be for ending it early and what the penalty would be. Also find out what the procedure would be to extend the lease. Make sure you clearly understand all points in the lease before you sign it.

4.    What is the neighborhood?
Try to gather as much information for the neighborhood as possible. Is it safe? Where will you park your vehicle? If you have guests where will they park? Where is the closest super market? Where is the closest hospital? Are the neighbors friendly? Getting to know all this will help you to get acquainted with the surrounding environment.

5.    Any specific requirements.
Ask your potential landlord if he or she has any specific requirements. For example, some owners do not allow pets or smoking in their premises, etc.  Ask the owner as much questions about the property as possible. This way you will more or less get an impression of his personality so you will be bale to predict his future behavior as a landlord.

By asking the right question you can find the perfect home for you and save yourself future troubles. So do not hesitate to ask as many questions as you want before you sign a lease.