Talking to renters – what makes a perfect apartment

Ever wondered what your peers think would make the perfect apartment renting experience? Well, we wanted to know, so we asked them. Here’s the feedback they gave us. Tell us what you want from your ideal apartment in the comments section.

Still key to the game? Location! Many of the renters we ask say the ideal rental offers proximity to the lifestyle they are looking for .

It would be within walking distance of plenty of food/retail, but also as secluded and private as possible. Ideally it would be no larger than a duplex, and not a high density building.

 

That old saying – location, location, location? I think now it’s more about neighborhood, neighborhood, neighborhood. I want to be close to my job, my friends, and my gym, but if I can walk to a good coffee shop or wine bar and the unit is nice, that’s a tradeoff, and I’ll definitely consider it.

 

Location – I want my commute to be short. I spend a lot of time at work and shortening my commute to less than 20 minutes helped me put time back in my life for myself.

Niche amenities and loyalty perks: It’s all about knowing your clientele when it comes to offering the right amenities, though most apartment developers have focused in on the fitness center as having the most significant value-added potential. The renters we talked to focused on niche amenities as having the most influence on their purchasing decisions:

Dog sitting services, free cab rides, free utilities, a rec room with a ping pong table, a pool… that kind of stuff.

 

Allow dogs, laundry facilities, a yard.

 

An in unit washer dryer is all it takes to win the key to my heart.

 

A rebate after a certain number of months that I stayed. Basically a forced savings account if I was a long term tenant.

 

I love a good gym, but the amenity that really impresses me is great customer service. If I felt like the management staff was actually concerned about my well-being and happiness, I’d be more likely to stay.

 

The greatest incentive to rent an apartment over buying would be for a landlord to forgo rent increases or raise rent less often for stable tenants who pay on time and take care of the property.

What input on your perfect apartment would you add to the list?

 

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