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Includes: Budget Worksheet – Questions to Ask – Steps to Take

FIRST TIME

RENTERS GUIDE

A Steve Brown Apartments Guidebook

A Steve Brown Apartments Guidebook A First Time Renters Guide | 2

Are You Ready to Rent for the First Time?

This comprehensive First-Time Renter’s Guide will help you prepare and make smart choices

as you move into your ﬁrst apartment.

It’s designed speciﬁcally for people renting for the ﬁrst time in Madison, and includes links to

local businesses that can help with your move.

The Guide is set up in chronological order. We’ll start nine months before you move, taking you from

budgeting and searching for an apartment, all the way through renewing your lease or moving out.

Along the way, you’ll get plenty of tips, dos and don’ts, and savvy suggestions. This guide can

both save you money and aggravation if you follow it closely. It’s the ideal way to make veteran

moves as your rent for the ﬁrst time in Madison.

Inside the Guide:

Part I: Before You Move

6-9 MONTHS BEFORE YOU MOVE – Pre-Planning .................................................................................3

Set Your Budget ....................................................................................................................................3

Get a Feel for the Madison Market ...............................................................................................................5

Decide Roommate or No Roommate ....................................................................................................5

Check Your Credit History .....................................................................................................................6

Determine Your Must-Haves .................................................................................................................6

4-5 MONTHS BEFORE YOU MOVE – Choosing an Apartment ..............................................................7

Research What’s Available ...................................................................................................................7

Visit Prospective Apartments ................................................................................................................7

Ask the Owner Important Questions .....................................................................................................8

2-3 MONTH’S BEFORE YOU MOVE – Make It Ofﬁcial ............................................................................9

Fill out an Application ...........................................................................................................................9

Sign your Lease ....................................................................................................................................9

Reserve a Rental Truck .......................................................................................................................10

1 MONTH BEFORE YOU MOVE – Getting Ready...................................................................................10

Start Services ......................................................................................................................................10

Update Your Address ..........................................................................................................................10

Start Renter’s Insurance ......................................................................................................................10

Part II: The Big Move

MONTH ONE IN YOUR NEW APARTMENT – Move In Day ...................................................................11

Walk Through Inspection ....................................................................................................................11

Request Repairs ..................................................................................................................................11

Part III. After the Move

3-9 MONTHS INTO YOUR LEASE – Renewal Time ...............................................................................11

1 MONTH BEFORE THE END OF YOUR LEASE – Preparing to Move Out ..........................................12

THE DAY YOUR LEASE ENDS – Moving Out .........................................................................................12

A Steve Brown Apartments Guidebook A First Time Renters Guide | 3

Part I - Before You Move

6-9 MONTHS BEFORE YOU MOVE – Pre-Planning

If you want to get an apartment that ﬁts your budget and your lifestyle, you need to do some important

pre-planning. We’ll touch on decisions you should make before you begin your apartment search. These

step-by-step decisions include:

• SetYourBudget

• GetaFeelfortheMadisonMarket

• DecideRoommateorNoRoommate

• CheckYourCreditHistory

• DetermineYourMust-Haves

Making choices in these areas will help speed your decision-making process when you begin your

apartment search. They’ll also help you avoid biting off more than you can chew ﬁnancially, a common

mistake among ﬁrst-time renters.

Set Your Budget

You’ll want to establish how much money you have for your apartment before you begin your search. By

setting a simple budget, you can determine how much money you can spend on housing.

First of all, you don’t want to get in over your head. Make sure your rent doesn’t exceed more than

25-30% of your monthly income.

Next, keep in mind there’s more than just the advertised rent to consider. Expenses could include utilities

such as electricity, gas, water/sewer, phone, Internet, cable TV, groceries, laundry, parking, furniture,

household supplies, and more.

Use the Budget Worksheet on the next page to evaluate how much money you can spend on your

apartment each month.

SMART TIP:

Rental Companies can usually provide you

with estimates for monthly utilities so make

sure to ask when you’re shopping around.

A Steve Brown Apartments Guidebook A First Time Renters Guide | 4

Budget Worksheet

Income

Take Home Pay From Work $ __________

Savings (If you’re using savings,

divide the total available by the

# of months you want your savings

to cover)

$ __________

Financial Aid (divide the total

available by the # of month’s you

want your ﬁnancial aid to cover)

$ _________

Help From Parents/Family $_________

Other Income $ _________

Total Monthly Income $ _________

Expenses

Cell/Phone/Internet/Cable TV $__________

Groceries $__________

Laundry $__________

Personal Care

(Hair/Toiletries/Clothing) $__________

Membership Dues/Subscriptions $__________

Car Payments $__________

Gas/Oil Changes/Routine

Maintenance/ Fees $__________

Car Insurance $__________

Parking Fees $__________

Bus/Taxi/Train/Airplane

Fees and Tickets $__________

Tuition and Fees $ __________

School Books/Lab Fees/Supplies $ __________

Movies/Theater/Plays/

Concerts/Sporting Events $ __________

Dining Out/Fast Food $ __________

Music/Games/Rec. Equipment $ __________

Pet Food/Vet Bills/

Pet Sitter/Pet Supplies $ __________

Health Insurance $ __________

Medication/Prescriptions $ __________

Dental Care $ __________

Other: _______________________ $ __________

Unexpected Expenses $ __________

Savings/Monthly Cushion $ __________

Total Monthly Expenses $ __________

Amount Available for Rent and Utilities:

Subtract your expenses from your income, making sure to leave a cushion for unexpected expenses and

savings. The amount left over is the amount you can spend in rent and utilities each month. This is the

budget amount you’ll want to hit when shopping for your new place.

TOTAL: Income $ ________ - Expenses $ ________ = Amount Available for Rent $ ________

SMART TIP:

Don’t bite off more than you

can afford! Typically your rent

shouldn’t exceed more than 25%

of your monthly income.

A Steve Brown Apartments Guidebook A First Time Renters Guide | 5

Get a Feel for the Madison Market

Rents can vary widely in Madison. Spend some time looking at apartment rental listing sites for the

neighborhoods you think you may want to live in. Understanding the Madison market can help you save

time in the coming months.

It may be a good idea to either drive or walk through the areas you like. Make sure you like the feel of the

area and that things you value most are close-by. Are you close to:

• Public transportation

• Work

• School

• Groceries stores

• Night life, culture, fun

• Girlfriend, boyfriend, family, etc.

If you can’t aord the area you want, you may need to adjust your income or expenses, nd a roommate,

or adjust your expectations for where, or how, you’ll live. Remember, most apartment companies will have

income and credit requirements that you’ll need to meet so it’s best to be realistic right from the beginning.

Decide Roommate or no Roommate?

If you nd that your budget is a little tight, you may want to nd a roommate who can help share in the costs.

Or you may just want some company. Either way, here are some tips if you’re looking for a roommate:

• Ask friends and family if they know anyone moving to (or living in) the area. See if they can

introduce you to a person looking for a roommate.

• Use online using sites like Craigslist, or your rental company’s roommate matching service.

• Contact a person via Facebook or email for initial conversations. Then meet in person or use

Skype to “interview” each other before determining if you’ll live together. Here are some good

compatibility questions:

– What kind of habits do they have?

– When do they go to bed?

– Do they like noise or music when falling asleep?

– How do they feel about overnight guests?

– How often they go out?

– Do they smoke and drink or do drugs?

– How clean do they like their environment?

– What kinds of music and TV shows do they like? Do your tastes align?

– Do you feel like you can communicate openly with them?

It’s important that you determine compatibility BEFORE you move in together.

SMART TIP:

Check your compatibility with potential

roommates by covering your assumptions

and habits: are you tidy? What time do you

wake up? How often is too often for guests?

A Steve Brown Apartments Guidebook A First Time Renters Guide | 6

Check Your Credit Report

Most apartment companies want to be sure you’ll pay your rent on time, so they’ll want to see your

credit report. A credit report gives them a snap-shot of your credit worthiness. It will show what types of

credit you currently have and/or what you have had in the past, if you have paid your bills on time, ﬁled

for bankruptcy, or if you have ever been evicted.

Before you apply for an apartment, download a free report of your credit score at

www.AnnualCreditReport.com (the only FTC authorized source for a free credit report that’s yours by

law). Take a look and make sure there aren’t any inaccuracies on the report that could lower your score.

Beware: If you have a low score, the owner might reject your application.

Determine Your Must-Haves:

Take some time to decide what you are willing to sacriﬁce when it comes to ﬁnding the right place. If

your credit isn’t so hot and you don’t have a lot to spend, you may not get a ﬁreplace and wood ﬂoors in

a trendy neighborhood. However, certain things like safety and good service should never be sacriﬁced.

Use this chart to determine what’s important to you. We’ve listed typical issues for renters, including

brief descriptions of what you should consider. Rate them accordingly:

1 = Must Have 2= Nice to Have 3=Not Important

Location: close to work, school, family etc. 1 2 3

Neighborhood: low crime rate, parks, walking, etc. 1 2 3

Building Safety: doors, gates, cameras, etc. 1 2 3

Apartment Safety: window locks, second ﬂoor, deadbolt 1 2 3

Transportation: parking, bus route, bike path 1 2 3

Cost: easily within my budget 1 2 3

Nightlife: close to dining, clubs, friends, theater 1 2 3

Shopping: close to groceries, gas station, etc. 1 2 3

Pets: must allow cats, dogs, etc. 1 2 3

Outdoors: patio or balcony, yard space, pool 1 2 3

HVAC: central heat and air, wall A/C, radiators 1 2 3

Furniture: furnished, partially furnished, unfurnished 1 2 3

Building Amenities: ﬁtness center, on-site ofﬁce, etc. 1 2 3

Apartment Amenities: wood ﬂoors, ﬁreplace, style 1 2 3

CUT OFF AND USE AS A REFERENCE SHEET WHEN SHOPPING

My Pre-Planning Checklist:

Budgeting: I can spend $_________ on rent and utilities a month

Desired Neighborhood(s): ________________________________________________________________

Roommate: I will / will not have a roommate (circle one)

I need a __________ bedroom ___________ bathroom apartment

My Credit is: ____Not So Hot ____Good ____Excellent

My Must Haves Include (list your 1’s): _____________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________

A Steve Brown Apartments Guidebook A First Time Renters Guide | 7

4-5 MONTHS BEFORE YOU MOVE – Choosing an Apartment

Now we’re getting down to the fun stu. In this section, we’ll take you through the selection process,

showing you how to nd your apartment and set up a showing. You’ll also get some good tips for

narrowing your selection.

Research What’s Available

The search is on. With your Pre-Planning Checklist in hand, it’s time to look through a number of

resources to nd your apartment.

• Start with your friends or family. Find out what companies and properties the people you know

have been happy with and start your search there.

• Use Madison listing resources. There are a variety of local listing services available to you, as

well as Facebook Marketplace and Google:

– Abodo.com: https://www.abodo.com/madison-wi

– Apartments.com: https://www.apartments.com/

– ApartmentGuide.com: https://www.apartmentguide.com

– Campus Area Housing: http://housing.civc.wisc.edu

– Campus & Downtown Living: https://www.madisoncampusanddowntownapartments.com

– Craigslist: http://madison.craigslist.com

– Madison Apartment Living: http://www.madisonapartmentliving.com

• Narrow down the choices. Eliminate the places that don’t meet your criteria from the

Pre-Planning Checklist. It will save you time in Step 2.

Visit Prospective Apartments

Now it’s time to start calling the properties you’re interested in and set up tours to see them rst hand.

Some important things to keep in mind:

• See the real thing. It’s best that you see the actual apartment, not a model, and that you never

rent sight unseen. Even though all of the oorplans may be the same, the actual condition of the

apartments can vary greatly.

• Don’t fall in lust. When renting an apartment, be careful not to fall for really cool features unless

they’re on your Pre-Planning Checklist. A great view might be fun, but if it’s not one of your Must

Haves, don’t make the mistake of falling for the apartment. You’ll regret it later.

• Keep an eye out during your tour. Regardless of what’s on your Must Have checklist, check

these items during your tour to avoid any surprises:

1. Does the building and neighborhood appear safe (look for secure parking, possible illegal

activities, outdoor lighting, security gates, etc.)?

2. Are the property’s grounds or common areas kept clean and attractive?

3. Do the property units appear to be maintained (look for working windows, toilets that ush,

faucets that don’t drip and have good water pressure, units free from bad odors, etc.)?

4. Are the oors in good shape? Doors? Walls? Appliances?

5. Is there enough space and additional storage for your things?

6. Are the hallways well lit? Is there emergency lighting? Are there re escapes?

7. Is there sucient lighting in each room? Electric outlets? Ethernet ports?

A Steve Brown Apartments Guidebook A First Time Renters Guide | 8

Ask the owner important questions

While you’re on the tour, you’ll want to ask the owner or the person showing the apartment a few daily

living and rent-related questions. Don’t make your decision until you’re clear on the following:

1. When is rent due and how do you pay rent? Can you pay online or by mail? Is the process easy?

When is rent considered “late” and a fee is assessed.

2. How long is the lease? When do you move in, when do you move out?

3. What’s the move out process like? What are you required to do to get your full security deposit?

4. How much is the security deposit? How much money do you need to put down to reserve the

apartment until you move in?

5. What kinds of things can the apartment company assess fees for? (Late rent, damage, parties,

drug use, etc.)

6. Exactly which utilities are you responsible for and what are the estimated costs each month?

7. What type of heating and cooling does the apartment have? Who controls the thermostat

settings? When is the heat turned on?

8. Who are the providers for Internet, phone and cable? How many choices will you have?

9. What are the pet policies? Are there extra fees or deposits? What happens if there’s damage

from your pet?

10. What kind of routine pest control do they perform? Have there been any ongoing problems with

bed bugs at this property?

11. Can you hang pictures, paint walls, add curtains or blinds without being penalized?

12. Are there any restrictions regarding guests, parties, etc.?

13. Is there emergency maintenance? What happens if you lock yourself out of your apartment?

14. How is garbage handled? Is there a dumpster or do you take trash to the curb?

15. How is snow removal handled? When can you expect the driveway/sidewalks to be cleared

after a snowfall?

16. Who maintains the lawn and landscaping? Am you responsible for any of it?

17. Who lives here now? Is it mostly students, families, working professionals?

Okay, you’ve compiled your lists, done your tours, and asked a ton of questions. By this point, you have

a fairly good sense of which apartment is the right one for you.

Now that you’re ready to commit, it’s time to apply for the apartment and sign your ﬁrst lease!

CUT OFF AND USE AS A REFERENCE SHEET WHEN SHOPPING

Properties On My Top 5 List:

Location Star Rating

1. _____________________________________________________________ ✩ ✩ ✩ ✩ ✩

2._____________________________________________________________ ✩ ✩ ✩ ✩ ✩

3._____________________________________________________________ ✩ ✩ ✩ ✩ ✩

4._____________________________________________________________ ✩ ✩ ✩ ✩ ✩

5._____________________________________________________________ ✩ ✩ ✩ ✩ ✩

A Steve Brown Apartments Guidebook A First Time Renters Guide | 9

2-3 MONTHS BEFORE YOU MOVE – Make It Ocial

Fill Out an Application

Once you’ve made the decision to rent a particular property, you will be asked to ll out a rental appli-

cation. Rental applications provide the apartment company with your background information. The rental

application will typically ask for your:

• Social Security and/or Driver’s License number

• Employment, rental and income history

• Credit information

• Contact information

• References (former landlords, employers, friends)

• Any past evictions or bankruptcies

If you are a rst time renter with little or no employment, rental, or credit history, you may be asked to

have a co-signer or guarantor on your lease. A co-signer is typically a relative with good credit that

agrees to be responsible if you cannot pay your rent.

Sign Your Lease

When your rental application is approved, the next step is to sign a lease agreement. This agreement

spells out what both parties are agreeing to and what is expected of both parties.

A lease will:

• Specically state how many months or years the agreement is in eect.

• What the rent amount is and when it is due.

• Who is responsible for the utilities.

• What fees may be charged and what those fees are for.

• What policies and “rules” are in eect at the property.

It is extremely important that you read the agreement carefully. If there is something you don’t under-

stand, ask the owner for clarication.

Read though the provisions, making sure you understand your rights. Be sure to download the

City of Madison’s Tenant and Landlord’s Rights and Responsibilities (found at

http://www.cityofmadison.com/dpced/bi/documents/tenantlandlordrightsandresponsibilities.pdf). It’s

packed with useful information.

You may want to get a copy of the lease in advance so you have time to read it, or to have a trusted

advisor read it for you. Leases can take a long time to read through; don’t be overwhelmed. Simply take

the time to review the document and ask for help if needed.

SMART TIP:

Every property owner should provide you with

a preview of the lease you’ll be signing so that

you have time to review it. Ask for a copy of a

sample lease in advance!

A Steve Brown Apartments Guidebook A First Time Renters Guide | 10

Reserve A Rental Truck

If you’re in the downtown Madison area, you know the big moving day is in the middle of August.

Because so many people are moving at the same time, it’s a good idea to reserve and moving trucks

a few month’s in advance so you won’t be scrambling at the last minute.

If you don’t have a moving truck’s worth of belongings, you may also want to consider renting a van

instead of a truck, or renting a pick up truck from Home Depot or a car rental agency. Better yet, borrow

a van or truck from a friend or family member!

1 MONTH BEFORE YOU MOVE – Getting Ready

Start Services

If you are paying for utilities, you’ll need to establish service in your name. If your utilities are included,

the property owner will take care of making sure you have service on your move-in day.

• If your utility provider is Madison Gas & Electric, visit

https://www.mge.com/customer-service/home/utility-service to start your service

• If your utility provider is Alliant Energy, visit

https://www.alliantenergy.com/CustomerService/AlliantEnergyService/StartorStopServiceRes to

start your service

Update Your Address

Get this done early, so your friends, family, creditors, subscriptions services, etc. know that you’ll have a

new address next month.

Either change your address online at https://moversguide.usps.com or visit the post oce and ll out a

change of address form at the post oce.

Start Renter’s Insurance

Insuring the belonging inside your apartment is your responsibility, not the property owner’s. Owners

carry insurance on the dwelling, but not the contents inside.

To protect yourself, consider purchasing renter’s insurance to protect you against theft and re. The

insurance is typically less than ten dollars a month and can be invaluable if you have an unexpected loss.

If you’re still in college, make sure you check your parents’ homeowners insurance policy. Their policy may

cover your belongings. Many property owners now require renters to carry liability insurance as a condition

of their lease, including Steve Brown Apartments.

A Steve Brown Apartments Guidebook A First Time Renters Guide | 11

Part II: The Big Move

MOVE IN DAY: MONTH ONE IN YOUR NEW APARTMENT

It’s time to move!

Once you’ve got everything loaded up and ready to go, you’ll go to the rental ofﬁce to pick up your keys

and your move-in information. Once you have access to your new apartment, here’s what you’ll want to do:

• Walk-through inspection. Before you move any of your belongings in, inspect the unit for

damages: cracks in walls, damage to doors and windows, problems with appliances, faucets,

toilets, and tubs, broken blinds, etc. The owner will generally provide you with a check-in sheet so

you can list any damages.

A great idea is to take photos of video of any problems with the apartment. Document everything

that is wrong now, so you won’t be held responsible at move out.

• Request repairs. If there are problems with the apartment, request maintenance as soon as

possible to have those problems ﬁxed.

Part III. After the Move

RENEWAL TIME: 3-9 MONTH’S INTO YOUR LEASE

Renewing Your Lease

If you like your apartment and want to stay for a second year, you can only have the space if you renew

your lease. Owners want to rent the space as soon as they can, so they’ll likely send you renewal options

when interest starts to heat up for your apartment. It may seem like the property owner is pushing the

issue, but more often than not they’re reacting to demand – particularly in desirable locations.

Apartments That Are in High Demand in Madison:

•Campusareahighrises

•LowerLangdonStreetapartments(BetweenLakeSt.andHenrySt.)

•Anythingwithlakeshoreaccess

•Anythingthat’slessthantwoyearsold

If you love your place (and others do too), be prepared to renew early. Go through the same lease-

signing process you did the ﬁrst time you rented, to ensure you’re aware of any changes to rental costs,

utilities, etc.

Deciding to Move Out

If you plan to move out, make sure you give proper notice in writing to help avoid disputes. Your lease

will outline how many days notice you are required to give. Keep a copy of the notice for your records.

Visit www.stevebrownapts.com/downloads/SampleVacateLetter.pdf to see a sample notice.

To ﬁnd a new apartment, go to the beginning of this guide and begin the hunt.

A Steve Brown Apartments Guidebook A First Time Renters Guide | 12

PREPARING TO MOVE OUT: ONE MONTH BEFORE THE END OF YOUR LEASE

You’re going to be repeating many of the same things you did when you moved in. Here is the critical list:

• Notifytheutilitycompaniesthatyouaremovingoutandwillnolongerberesponsibleforthebills

at that apartment.

– If your utility provider is Madison Gas & Electric, visit

https://www.mge.com/customer-service/home/utility-service to stop your service

– If your utility provider is Alliant Energy, visit

https://www.alliantenergy.com/CustomerService/AlliantEnergyService/StartorStopServiceRes

to stop your service

• Eitherchangeyouraddressonlineathttps://moversguide.usps.comorvisitthepostoceandll

outachangeofaddressformatthepostoce.

• Requestmaintenancetorepairanyproblemswithyourapartment.Youwanteverythingingood

repair before you leave to avoid deductions from your security deposit.

• Findyouinspectionformandphotosfromyourmoveinwalkthroughinspectionandhavethemon

hand. If there are new problems that you may have caused, do what you can to repair them now to

avoid deductions from your security deposit.

• Startcleaning!Thecleaneryourapartmentis,thelesslikelyyouaretohavedeductionswithheld

from your security deposit. Don’t assume your apartment only needs to be as clean as it was when

you moved in, it’s best to assume that there’s no such thing as “too clean.” Your best bet is to hire

a service.

• Conrmyourmovingtruckreservationandlineupvolunteerstohelpyoumoveyourbelongings.

• Updateyourrenter’sinsurancepolicy.

MOVING OUT: THE DAY YOUR LEASE ENDS

You are responsible for getting all your belongings moved out, cleaning your rental unit, and turning over

thekeysbytheday,andtime,statedinyourlease.

• Takeallofyourbelongings.Don’tleaveunwanteditemsbehind,youwillbechargedfortheirremoval.

• Clean,clean,cleaneverysurface.Iftheapartmentwasdirtywhenyoumovedin,don’tassumeit’s

OK to leave it dirty when you move out – it won’t be.

• Takephotosorvideooftheconditionoftheapartment.

• Doanalwalkthroughoftheapartmentwiththepropertyownerandthenhandoveryourkeys,

parkingpasses,remotedooropeners,etc.

• Leaveaforwardingaddresswithyourpropertyowner,theywillneedittoreturnyourdeposit.

• Askforanalstatement,indicatingthatyourbalanceispaidinfullandthatthereareno

outstanding fees or charges.

This rst me renters guide is brought to you by Steve Brown Apartments, one of the

largest providers of downtown Madison apartments. We hope you found it useful. If you

have any quesons regarding rental opons, be sure to visit our website for a complete lisng.

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