Things to Remember When Moving In

When I first moved to a rental. I remember several things I wished I had know about when moving in. So I thought I would mention a few of those things:

1) Security Deposit / First Month's Rent -

I remember being told that before I could move in I needed the deposit (in my case, and most cases, what ever the monthly rent is). On top of that, I needed the first month's rent. It's a lot to ask up front but if you keep the unit nice and clean you end up getting the majority of the deposit back when you move out. If you keep the units you live in nice, then a deposit is only a one-time cost even if you move several times.

2) Electricity-

In the first unit I rented I had to drive 35 minutes one way to give the power company

documents. Now it's usually a phone call, email, or online payment to get the power changed

into your name. Things you should consider that most people don't:

a) Homes have much more electric cost than apartments/duplexes/etc.

b) When you're considering the place you're going to live. The only way to know is to ask...  so ask. That will give you a ball-park estimate. 

c) Also effecting your power bill is how the unit is cooled or heated. Central Heating and Air

is by far the most convenient as you won't have a gas/oil bill as well.

d) Power bills can be anywhere between $20 for small apartments or $150 for large homes -

depending on the season.

3) Water/Sewage-

If you're living in a town, you'll probably have a water and/or sewage bill. If the unit is further

away from town, you're water cost is part of the electric bill and the septic doesn't have a cost.

In town, a deposit can be pretty high, in Warsaw, VA for example, the deposit is $250 but the

bill itself is pretty low.

I hope this helps as you look for, and make decisions about where you make your home! Good luck!