Tips For Finding The Perfect Apartment

•  Apartment Types: Paying for a unit in a complex will typically be more expensive than paying for an apartment in someone’s house. This is due to the extra amenities included in a complex, such as pool and club house. Will you use a community pool? Are you interested in a club house to hold parties or meetings?
• Size: A large, one-bedroom apartment could cost more than double the rent of a studio apartment in the same neighborhood. Think about how much time you will be spending in the apartment. If you plan to stay home a lot, a studio apartment will start to seem very cramped. In most cases, a studio apartment will have limited cooking facilities. Do you plan to cook meals, or are you more likely to go out to eat? If you just need a place to rest your head at night the studio apartment will probably work for you. If you plan to be home a fair amount, or have people over, a larger space might be best.
• Location: Apartments in Frigate Bay and close to the universities are likely to be more expensive than apartments in town or in the countryside. The trade-off is you will be closer to entertainment if you are in Frigate Bay. Also, Frigate Bay is typically cooler than other places on island. If the heat bothers you, Frigate Bay always has a nice breeze. If you decide to live near the universities you may be able to do without buying a vehicle while you are here, which is another expense to consider. Although the rent is cheaper in the countryside, you will find fewer amenities and in some places a greater incidence of crime.
• Number of Bedrooms: You should expect to pay about one-third more rent for each additional bedroom. If you are planning on renting an apartment alone, one bedroom is probably sufficient. If you are good with having a roommate, splitting the rent in half can lower your overall cost.
• Number of Bathrooms: You could be limiting your selection of apartments if you want a bathroom for every bedroom. Consider how important this is to you. Can you set up a schedule for bathroom time?
• Balconies, Decks, Patios, and Porches: These features are considered luxury amenities. They can add US$300.00 or more to your monthly rental fee. A balcony in St. Kitts has gorgeous views, nice breezes, and can give you extra space for entertaining. How much do you think you will use it? If you’re not the type to entertain, and you’ll be at work or school 10 hours/day, maybe the added cost of this feature is something to consider.
• Kitchen Amenities: New appliances, marble countertops, dishwashers, and the size of the kitchen can add cost to an apartment. Again, you need to think about how important these things are to you. If you love cooking, these features may actually save you some money because you won’t be going out to eat. Another point to consider, St. Kitts salt air causes appliances to deteriorate rapidly. A place with older appliances could result in the frustration of poor performance of those appliances, and cost you more in lost food.
• Laundry Facilities: Most places in St. Kitts will include a washer. Very few will include a dryer. You need to consider how important this is to you. If you don’t like to worry about clothes being out on a line getting rained on, or your time is limited, a place with a dryer might be a better choice for you.
• Pets: Before choosing an apartment be sure to find out what the landlords rules are regarding pets. Even if you don’t have a pet at the present time, if you’re an animal lover a pet might easily become a part of your life while you are here. It would be a shame to lock yourself into a lease only to find out you can’t keep Fluffy or Fido.
• Parking: Is there adequate parking for your vehicle? Do you need to park on the street or are there assigned parking spaces. Do you feel your vehicle is safe parked on the street in the area you are looking at? In a complex you may pay more for an assigned parking space.