Articles by: Oh My Apartment

Oh My Apartment

If you’re thinking of moving into a larger apartment complex, chances are that your potential landlord or management company will run a few checks on your rental application. They may ask for character references, run a criminal background check and speak to former landlords. But these things don’t usually present many problems for renters. What will really drag down an otherwise positive rental application is a poor credit score and the problematic credit report that accompanies it.

Oh My Apartment

 · Dec 10, 2007

These days, it seems like you can charge anything on a credit card: bus passes, school tuition, even a pack of gum. One thing that does get people pulling out their checkbook month after month is rent. Even this is slowly starting to change. Across the country, more and more apartment complexes are accepting credit cards for rental payments. We spoke to building managers and landlords across the country to see whether they allow tenants to pay rent on a credit card.

Oh My Apartment

 · Dec 3, 2007

Most of us try to keep our wits about us on the street or while driving through an unfamiliar neighborhood. But the one place we’re supposed to be able to relax and not think about the potential of danger is in our own homes. That’s why it’s so deeply disturbing when we hear about a crime committed by a stranger in the victim’s own home. It’s horrible and it does happen. The chances are slim, but it makes sense to be prepared on the off chance that someone tries to break into your apartment.

Oh My Apartment

 · Nov 26, 2007

How to Secure your Stuff in and Around Your Apartment
Living in an apartment complex can sometimes give you a false sense of security, as if your apartment is safer because your neighbors live so close by. In some sense, it is safer–it’s easier to find a neighbor to come to your aid in an emergency than it is for people in rural areas. But when it comes to keeping your things safe, living in an apartment can be more risky.

Oh My Apartment

 · Nov 19, 2007

Once your apartment starts to feel like home, the rest of the building often follows. While pulling into the building lot after work or running downstairs to take out the trash, you may feel as relaxed and unguarded as if you’re actually in your own unit. While building parking lots, fitness centers, basements and storage areas are generally safe, you need to be aware that they aren’t really home. Here are some things to think about when you walk outside your apartment door.

Oh My Apartment

 · Nov 12, 2007

We often decide to move apartments to help improve our financial situation: for a better job or more affordable housing. Unfortunately, the process of moving always seems to be more expensive than we anticipate. The little costs we don’t think about can really add up. If you want to avoid that unexpectedly low checking-account balance, it helps to make a budget as soon as you decide to move.

Oh My Apartment

 · Nov 5, 2007

Unless you’ve just signed a lease in a luxury apartment building, your first look at your new place may be a disappointment. Countless renters have opened their new front doors to find yellowing and peeling paint, scuff marks and stains on the walls or a hideous paint job in the bedroom. A few calls to the landlord or maintenance company may solve the problem. If you’ve just signed a lease with an unresponsive owner or want an unconventional look for your walls, you may be tempted to paint the apartment yourself. Here are some things to think about before you take the plunge.

Oh My Apartment

 · Oct 29, 2007

Although living in a tiny space gives apartment dwellers an edge on keeping electricity bills low, rising energy costs are forcing everyone to conserve. Whether you care about your wallet or the environment, it makes sense to do what you can to cut back on energy usage. Here are some tips to help you lower your energy usage and save money on electricity — without turning your life upside down.

Fill the fridge. A full refrigerator is more energy efficient than an empty one. It may not make sense at first; doesn’t having more stuff to cool require more energy? It does, but only initially. Once the items in your fridge are chilled, the lack of empty space is what helps to keep the interior cool.

One of the biggest drains on the refrigerator comes every time you stand in front of the open door, deliberating about what to eat. Warm air enters the interior and has to be cooled when the door is shut. A full refrigerator has less space for that warm air to fill and cold food that is better able to retain a low temperature.

Oh My Apartment

 · Oct 22, 2007