Are You Responsible For The Appliances in Your New Apartment?
So you're moving into a new apartment? The list of things you
should check on before signing that lease seems never-ending.
You have to worry about location, environment, convenience,
cost, aesthetic appeal, etc. But wait... there's more! One more
thing to check out is what you, the tenant, are responsible for
bringing to the apartment.
Realize that just because the model apartment you toured with
your landlord displayed the lovely washer/dryer 2000 unit
doesn't mean you'll have one in your apartment. The lease might
be for a two bedroom apartment with washer/dryer connections...
but this doesn't mean it has to come with the washer/dryer!
Perhaps you're lucky, and you already have appliances to take to
your new apartment. If so... great! Otherwise, you need to look
at your options:
Option number one: Rummaging through garage sales.
If you have the patience for garage sales, you could end up with
some great deals. My grandmother, for example, found her big
screen t.v. (which hasn't had any problems for the past 15
years) a refrigerator she installed in the home she rents out
(in perfect condition for the past 10 years) and a microwave
(still cookin' after 5 years) all at separate garage sales.
Garage sale shopping is an art, and if you have the patience and
look in the right places, you can save TONS of money.
Don't underestimate garage/estate sales. Some people wrinkle
their noses at garage sales. "Eeeeewwww! Someone's used that
stuff beforrrreee!!!" Well, yes... but think of all the money
you'll save!
Still doesn't draw you in?
Option number two: Rent new appliances.
Depending on how long you're staying in this new location, you
may prefer renting your appliances. Some people rent appliances
when they're only going to be in a certain area for a couple of
years. This makes it easier when it's time to move again. The
only real disadvantage to renting is that you are restricted to
renting what the store has to offer.
You may choose to rent-to-own instead. You have to be careful
with these rent-to-own places. Some of them will suck you in,
and you'll end up paying more than double to these companies in
the long run than if you would've just purchased the appliance
all at once. Sometimes, you don't have an option (ie. bad credit
and a lack of cash), and this is the only choice. Just do your
research before you sign a contract, and read the contract
before you sign it.
Option number three: Buy new appliances.
Let's say, for the sake of the article, that you've moved to an
unfamiliar area and you don't know where to start looking for
new appliances. In this case, you'll like HomeAppliances.com.
This site is easy to navigate, and incredibly helpful. Similarly
to the apartment search engines, the buyer simply fills out a
form specifying exactly what they're looking for in home
appliances. You fill in the type of appliance, the price range,
and the area you want to purchase the appliance from. The search
engine then displays as many appliances as fit your criteria,
and from there, you can find out more about the capabilities of
each appliance to best suit your needs. HomeAppliances.com can
even send you emails about sales on the appliances which fit
your criteria. Pretty neat.
So, weigh the pros and cons to each option and see which one
will work the best for you. Once you've settled in to your new
place, you won't want a pile of dirty dishes staring at you in
the sink and a mountain of smelly clothes thrown in to your
closet, so try not to wait to the last minute before appliance
hunting.