Searching for a new apartment can be stressful, so it's important that you give yourself enough time to find the one that both fits your needs and feels like home. Depending on the reason for your move, time may be even more pertinent. If you're relocating for school or work, then you may need to find a new living arrangement sooner rather than later. Making sure you have enough time to find a suitable new apartment is key to any successful search. After all, no one wants to be forced to settle into something they don't necessarily want simply because they ran out of time.
Research
Several months before your lease is up, start doing a bit of research on Tampa apartments. There are many things to take into consideration when picking out a new apartment. Will the neighborhood be safe and close to work or school? What style floor plan will best fit your needs? Are you comfortable living in a studio or would you prefer a larger floor plan with more space to grow? Another good question to ask yourself is what type of lease you should get. Do you plan to live in your new Tampa apartment for an extended period of time or will your stay be short-term? Don't let all of these questions make you forget one of the most important things to consider, your budget. Before shopping around, it's important to identify your budget and how much you can comfortably spend per month on rent and utilities. Check out these tips from Forbes for ways to make the apartment hunting process even easier.
Narrow Down Your Options
About 40 to 60 days before your lease is up you should start narrowing down your options. Now that you know what you're looking for and what you can afford, you can start shortening your list of possible Tampa apartment options. This is also the perfect time to begin looking into amenities that apartments within your search offer. If you will be living alone in your new Tampa apartment, you may prefer a gated community for extra security. Since Tampa is known for its beautiful bay, you may wish to look into apartments with water views. Once you have it narrowed down to a handful of choices, start setting up tours to go visit your favorite communities. Remember to ask lots of questions while on tour so you can make an informed choice.
Finalizing Moving Details
Once you have finally picked your perfect Tampa apartment, it's time to submit your application. This process typically involves a one-time application fee, credit check, background check and, references. This can take anywhere from a few minutes to a few days to complete. Once your application has come back approved you can rest easy and start to focus on the actual move. When you are about two weeks out from your move-in date, it's time to start packing and making final moving arrangements. If you have a lot of big furniture maybe you want to consider hiring a moving company to help. Moving is also a great time to get rid of or donate any unwanted or unused items you may have.