Are You Responsible For The Appliances In Your New Apartment

By Author: dan the roommate man
Total Articles: 15
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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.


About the Author Since 1989 dan the roommate man has helped 1000's of people find rooms,apartments or roommates. Need help? Contact him at 800-487-8050 or www.rooommateexpress.com