The cool thing about being a renter is the vast array of options available to you when it comes to your home.  For some renters, the lack of commitment to anything longer than a 12-month lease can be extremely intriguing, but for others, the thought of picking up and moving can feel like a daunting task. However, with rental apartment prices on the rise throughout the country, more and more tenants are being faced with the big decision of whether or not to renew their rental agreements.  The reasons not to renew seem glaringly obvious, but let’s take a look at a few of the perks of remaining where you are.

Location is Everything

With the constantly increasing demand for a rental apartment in a good neighborhood and with prices on the rise, your location may be enough of a reason to stay put where you are.  Even when facing a rental increase, take into consideration the neighborhood characteristics which made this location so intriguing to you in the first place.  You may want to consider your proximity to work, nightlife, grocery stores, etc.  Moving even just a few miles away could offset your travel costs enough that it might make more sense to face the rent increase and stay put.  Not to mention, if you’ve fallen in love with your location, you may find that the next place just isn’t going to be comparable, no matter what the cost.

Amenities

If your rental apartment offers amenities that you find yourself using frequently, this could be another factor to determine whether or not you should stay put.  If you start each morning at the community gym and spend your weekends lounging by the community pool, these may not be comforts you are willing to give up, particularly if they are built into the cost of your monthly rent.  Take a look at some surrounding apartment complexes and see what they offer.  If moving to a new complex means trading your in-unit stackable washer/dryer for a community laundry room, is it worth it?

You Love Your Landlord & Neighbors

Let’s be honest, finding a good landlord and neighbors is not always an easy task when you are living in a rental apartment.  Anybody who has rented is likely to have a story about the neighbor throwing parties on a Tuesday or the landlord who refused to fix the air conditioning in the dead of summer.  If you’ve found a landlord who does his/her job and takes good care of your rental apartment, or neighbors who are more likely to stop by with an apple pie than leave an errant party-goer passed out in front of your apartment door, you might be onto something.  Establishing positive relationships with both your landlord and your neighbors is imperative to happy renting, and could also help out when it comes to my next point.

You Have the Flexibility to Negotiate

Just because you are in a rental apartment does not mean that you are one hundred percent obligated to the rent increases and other changes in your rental agreement. Here are a few ideas to get the conversation started:

• · State the obvious!  Speak with your landlord or property manager, explaining to them that you would love to stay in your apartment but that the increase is too high.  You may be surprised to find that they have a special or promotion they neglected to tell you about.
• · Take a moment to pat yourself on the back and point out what a great tenant you are.  Landlords want tenants who are responsible, trustworthy and reliable.  If you’ve never been a day late with rent or you have paid for repairs within your unit, bring these things to attention.
• · Consider a trade.  Perhaps there are repairs or upgrades you could make over the course of your next lease term or maybe there are opportunities for you to volunteer or help out throughout the apartment complex.  Get creative!
• · Offset the rental increase by making suggestions of how the landlord can help you.  If you’re not handy and there are repairs that need to be addressed, this is a great time to get those attended to.   
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The Cost of Moving is HIGH

The cost of moving from one rental apartment to another is not cheap.  Look at factors such as packing materials, movers (or the cost of pizza and beer if you’re enlisting friends), storage if you’re moving to a smaller unit, security deposits, etc.  Sometimes just estimating the cost of moving alone is enough to determine that you are perfect exactly where you are.  

Looking for a Great Rental Apartment in Hattiesburg?

If you’ve considered all of the above and are still looking for a new rental apartment, work with the best in Hattiesburg.  If are seeking to either rent or invest in Hattiesburg apartment communities contact us at Hattiesburg Apartments. As the most accredited property management team in the Hattiesburg area, we are confident that we can make your rental dream a reality. Search through our properties today!