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Live Well Through Your Apartment Community’s Amenities
If you’re looking for a new apartment, you want to be on the lookout for the amenities provided. Take some time to shop around and see whether there’s a place in your price range that will promise a little extra in the amenities department.
The basics
Some amenities are now regarded as standard. These include a common room that can be rented for parties; fitness centers large enough for more than one person to work out at the same time; and, in warmer parts of the country, a communal swimming pool. Another common perk is a business office with Internet access and a fax machine, so you don’t have to keep either at your own apartment. Larger communities may have on-site storage areas for residents, parking garages or tennis courts.
Amenities inside the apartment vary by region, but often include dishwashers and ceiling fans. Some places include washers and dryers; others will only provide you with connections. Others may offer communal laundry facilities. It is also not uncommon for a management company to pay for certain utilities, including Internet access.
Meet the neighbors
If you’re looking to meet new people, some communities will organize pool parties, book clubs and getting-to-know-you events for residents. Another common tactic is to offer free breakfast on the weekends, hors d’oeuvres in the evenings, or coffee and continental breakfast in the mornings in the communal room to lure residents out of their apartments. If you’re a gregarious person by nature, these get-togethers can help you find new friends in a new place. If not, it can be awkward chatting with people with whom you have nothing in common save a lease.
The high life
Some of the fiercest competition can be between the more expensive communities. Luxury amenities include dry-cleaning pickup and delivery; a concierge service that can find event tickets and restaurant reservations for you; a car-care center; free shuttles to the nearest airport; and pet parks or indoor exercise areas. The ritziest communities offer in-home massage services, on-site libraries and wine cellars, and private cabanas at the pool.
With any amenity, even the most luxurious, ask yourself how much you expect to use such a service before you sign the lease.
The green life
One of the newest amenity categories are “green” or ecologically friendly amenities, such as communal vegetable gardens or building designs that reduce electricity and heating costs.
But no matter what the amenities are, you want to make sure that the community will continue to provide them once you’ve moved in. If you can get a chance, talk to some of the current residents about the amenities you’re most likely to use.
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Readers Poll
Why are you moving?
- For financial reasons (37%, 15 Votes)
- To start a new job (29%, 12 Votes)
- For a change of scene (27%, 11 Votes)
- To join or follow a loved one (5%, 2 Votes)
- To live closer to family (2%, 1 Votes)
Total Voters: 41
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