Moving into Apartment (Mostly NBR)

[bunnnnnnie!]

 Right now I live with my parents.  I used to live on my own, life happened, moved back with family.  Now I think I’m ready to get back onto my own two feet.  I’d love some input from BBers on the apartment I’m considering.

 

Sorry the formatting on this is way off… I copy and pasted it from Word and apparently the boards here aren’t a fan of it?

I’m trying to put a lot of thought into the apartment.　 Here’s what I have so far:

 

I did a budget, and including all expenses (rent, utilities, internet, gas, food, board), I should have a cushion of about $300-$350 every month.　 That would be for car repairs, vet bills, anything that would come up as a surprise.

 

Pros

 Nice kitchen, nice bathroom, big gas stove, it’s convenient (town has a lot and a lot’s open 24 hours), I’d have more options for internet/tv, I’d be standing on my own two feet, utilities would be cheaper since it’s an apartment vs a house, the bunnies would have more room to play, nice neighborhood/good neighbor.

Cons

 Commute (gas prices and the weather), it’s on a kind of busy road, no washer/dryer, the AC unit is older, the bedroom is kind of small, my monthly budget would be tighter than it is now.:

Questions for landlord

 Can I go through the alley to leave or do I have to back out into the busier street?　 Can the bunnies/guinea pig be added to the lease (dealbreaker)?　 Can I hang curtains/picture frames?:

What do you think?　 Anything I’m missing?

[RabbitPam]

I’ve spent most of my adult life in apartments, with and without a bunny, with pauses at my folks’ house too. Right now, it’s stuff back in storage and living in their home again. They love Sammy, so it’s working out very well for all of us.

Anyway, I would suggest getting VPI Pet Insurance (or another co. just don’t know one) which will add about $12/month per bunny onto your budget. That will keep you from having a sudden, large expense if you have a medical issue come up. (I wish I could do that for car repairs!)
I spent years without laundry facilities in the apt. but it is much better if it’s in your building than having to go out to a laundromat. For me now, that’s a deal breaker.
Summer around here is a good time to rent because it’s off season so prices are lower. So if that’s the case for you, maybe do a little more comparison shopping and find more options? Also, be aware of yearly lease vs. monthly aka Tenant At Will. The latter means you aren’t stuck there if you need to move again due to a different job location, or if you don’t like living there.
I have never had a landlord charge me a pet fee with bunnies. And most did write it into the lease that it was allowed. The points to mention is that they are caged (don’t discuss that they come out to run and play) and are silent and litter box trained so clean. Landlords object to pets that bother neighbors with noise, or destroy property. They usually know nothing about bunnies, so see them more like caged hampsters or guinea pigs, rather than dogs or cats. This is to your advantage.
It’s always good to get out on your own and become independent. Just start with working within your budget, and getting your basic needs met. If this one is iffy, give yourself time to continue to look. Apartment availability changes every month, mostly on the 1st, 15th and 30th, so watch for those ads.

[LBJ10]

Whatever you agree to with the landlord, always always get it in writing. You never know what could happen.

[bunnnnnnie!]

I signed the lease yesterday night. They wrote into the No Pets section “except for two bunnies and one guinea pig”, so the pets are safely allowed in writing on the lease. I’m in the process of getting all utilities in my name… and hopefully get most of my stuff moved this weekend. My bed and the buns’ cages will be last to move.

Zeus is a very well traveled bun! Good thing he settles into new environments very quickly. As long as he has a cage (doesn’t even have to be HIS cage!) he’s happy. My laidback boy. Hopefully Hera will take her cue from Zeus, and be okay with the move, too. They will have so much more room to run!

[LBJ10]

Great! Congrats on the new apartment! =)

[Valkyrie]

Congrats! I live in a tiny 2 bedroom duplex that is way too small for my husband and I and doesn’t even have a door leading to the back yard. Why don’t I move? Because the landlord doesn’t care how many or what kind of pets I have and didn’t even charge a pet deposit!!! (When I moved in I had 1 cat, 1 dog, 1 bunny, a dozen birds, plus the 60 gallon fish tank and I was upfront about getting another cat and bunny soon.) And her last tenant’s dogs DESTROYED the flooring! Plus rent is cheap. So I totally understand not having the perfect home, but making it work. I can’t wait to hear how everyone adjusts!

[Deleted User]

Congrats! =] I bet the buns will love the new spaces to explore. =]

[Author]

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