Features You Should Be Looking For In Your Next Rental

You've been counting the days until your lease is up. That checklist you used to find your apartment? It covered the basics, but since then a ton of issues have cropped up that you wish you'd thought of 11 months ago. Your lease is almost up and the check list you used to find the place you can't wait to get out of, just won't cut it this time.  Over the last 11 months, you've been taking mental notes of all the things you wish you'd thought of the first time around.Sure, you might be a 10 minute walk to work or a stone's throw to the best bar in town, but you're constantly getting "missed delivery" notices, there is no grass for your dog to play in (or pee on), and the cell services is way, way too spotty.  These are things you're absolutely going to need in your next place.  So keep reading to see if there are any more features you should be looking for in your next rental and click this link to read the full article.

1. A designated place for packages

Apartment dwellers are major contributors to the $300 billion-plus online shopping industry. A typical apartment community can receive as many as 100 packages during an ordinary week and up to double that during the holiday season, according to the NMHC research.But few apartment buildings allow delivery of packages right to a resident’s door. So if you’re at work or running errands when a delivery arrives, those precious parcels could lie around in a lobby or entryway until you return home. That’s why 72% of renters say it’s important to have a secure and convenient package storage/holding area. And most are even willing to pay for a package locker, with 87% of respondents agreeing that a charge of no more than $20 per month is fair.

2. Good connectivity

For some of us, it's hard to imagine living without reliable Wi-Fi, not to mention an above-average cellphone signal. But it happens—and often, you don't realize it until it's too late and you've signed on the dotted line.Prevent getting locked into a lease with limited connectivity by bringing your mobile devices with you on an apartment tour and testing signal strength.Also, investigate different Internet service providers and the speeds they offer, says Geoffrey Jones, owner of Investorwize, a company that buys and remodels homes nationwide. But your neighbors also affect your Wi-Fi experience: Too many networks in one place can result in a weak or erratic signal. And while that’s not necessarily a reason to ditch dreams of life in a swanky new pad, it may require you shell out extra cash.“You may need—or want—your own wireless extender to boost the transmission of the Internet signal so that it can be accessible from all areas of the home,” Jones says.In addition, look for USB ports next to electrical outlets. Many new and newly remodeled units include this handy upgrade.