Choosing an Affordable, Pet Friendly Apartment in Erie, PA

Finding the right apartment can be an overwhelming and stressful process. Where do you even begin? You find yourself looking at an endless number of listings on various websites, making phone calls, sending in applications. Then when you think you’ve finally found the perfect place, someone else swoops in and grabs it before you get the chance. 

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There are many factors to consider when choosing the right apartment. Firstly, you should decide if an apartment is right for you, or if you’d be better off looking at a home or a townhouse.  Once you’re sure that an apartment is right for you, be sure to weigh these factors:

Top 11 Factors when Choosing an Apartment 

1. Price. This is probably the most obvious consideration, but it’s still important to think carefully about how much you can afford to spend. Set a budget for yourself before you start looking at apartments. A good rule of thumb is to set your budget at 30% of your monthly income. Spend a little time looking at apartment listings in your price range to set realistic expectations for yourself and what you can afford. Additionally, be sure you take other costs into account on top of the base rent amount, such as a security deposit, utility costs, parking, and any other payments you’ll have to make each month. Palermo Realty has a variety of affordable listings throughout the Erie, Millcreek, Fairview, Harborcreek, and Summit areas.
2. Location. Location, location, location. It’s an old cliche, but it’s a cliche for a reason. This is one of the most important considerations when you’re looking for a place to live. If you commute to work or school, make sure the apartment you choose is close enough. How far is it from friends and family? If you have kids, how are the local schools, parks, and playgrounds? How are the local restaurants, shops, and grocery stores? How is public transportation? There are countless factors to consider when it comes to choosing a location. Be sure you’ve taken them all into account when you’re looking for a place to live. If you’re not sure about a specific location, consider testing out the drive or public transportation from the apartment location to some of your most frequented spots to see what it’s like. There are a plethora of great neighborhoods in the greater Erie area, and we’ve got great listings in many of them. Get in touch with us and we’ll help you navigate finding an apartment in the right location.
3. Space. How much space do you need? Counting the number of bedrooms and bathrooms you need is a simple calculation, but what about other spaces? Do you work from home? If so, make sure you have a designated spot to set up your workspace. Do you enjoy hosting parties, dinners, and other events? If so, you’d want to make sure you have the space to host people comfortably. Do you have kids or pets that might require some extra play space in the living room? Do you have any other specific hobbies or pieces of furniture that might require their own designated space? For example, if you own a piano, make sure you have the necessary space for it in your living room. We have listings of varying sizes and with an assortment of floorplans, so we can make sure you’ve got the right amount of space.
4. Utilities. When taking the price of rent into consideration, be sure to look into what utilities are included. It may not seem like a lot, but if things like water, electricity, and gas are not included, you’ll need to take into account that those will be added on to your monthly costs. If you’re comparing two different apartments, the one that has utilities included may in fact end up being the cheaper option when compared to one that is $50 per month cheaper but doesn’t include any utilities. It will help to do some quick adjustments for utility costs when comparing prices.
5. Amenities. What kind of amenities are included? There are many to consider, and some might be more important to you than others. Is there central air and heating? The winters can be very cold in Erie, and it’s not uncommon to have a heat wave once in a while in the summers. Do you want an elevator? In-unit laundry? Other perks like a gym or pool, private parking, additional storage space, or building security? Take these into account when comparing units and their prices, and you should be sure to list out which are more important to you, and which you can do without. Many of our listings include amenities such as gym access, WiFi, and in-unit laundry.
6. Pets. If you own a pet, this is something to look for early in the process. Many apartments will have strict no pet policies, while others may have restrictions based on size, breed, or type of pet. Some may not allow certain kinds of exotic pets. If pets are allowed, see if there is an additional fee for keeping pets, and take that into comparison when comparing prices. Many of Palermo’s listings are pet-friendly, so if you’ve got a furry friend, we’d love to meet them too!
7. Smoking. This is an important consideration even if you’re not a smoker. If you do smoke, you’ll want a place that allows for it. If you don’t smoke, you might prefer a non-smoking building if a neighbor smoking nearby will bother you. In either case, it’s. best to look into the rules for your building regarding smoking and if there are designated smoking areas.
8. Neighbors. What are your neighbors like? Ideally, you’d have neighbors who you could be friends with, or at least like enough to ask for a cup of sugar when you need it. You also want to make sure you don’t have bad neighbors. If you want somewhere quiet, it’s best to not live next to college kids who may be playing loud music late into the night. On the flip side, if you know you might be making a lot of noise, be sure you’re not living near people who might be bothered by it.
   
   Try to introduce yourself to the neighbors when you go to look at an apartment, and get a feel for what they’re like and if you’d get along with them if they were your neighbor. You should also ask them about what it’s like to live there to hear their thoughts on the apartment complex and building management.
9. Damage. Make sure that there is no serious damage in the apartment, and that everything is functioning properly. The last thing you want is for something to come up and cause you trouble shortly after you’ve signed the lease and moved in. Make sure there’s no serious damage to the walls or floors, and make sure that all the appliances and plumbing are working properly.
10. Personal Needs. Do you have any specific needs or aspects of your lifestyle that need to be considered? Do you work from home and need office space? Do you have a different work schedule or lifestyle that requires you to sleep at odd hours? Do you record music at home and need a unit with good sound insulation and nice neighbors? Think about what specific elements of your life might come up when looking for a new place to live.
11. Take a tour. Do not take an apartment without seeing it in person first. Pictures can be deceiving or outdated, and you’ll get a much better feel for the place once you go and walk around. The worst thing you could do is sign a lease before you’ve seen the place, and arrive later to find out you hate it. Take the time to see the place and the surrounding area. Meet the neighbors, and as mentioned above, check for any damage or issues. Reach out to us to schedule an appointment to tour some of our great available apartment listings!  

Apartments in Erie, PA

Palermo Realty has many great apartments available for rent. We have a wide variety of pet-friendly properties across Erie county, with a number of amenities to choose from. Check out all of our listings, which you can filter by category to find the apartment you’re looking for. If you’d like to learn more, get in touch with us today. We’d love to hear from you! 

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