Ah… the infamous apartment search. I think we can agree that there’s almost nothing as important as your home, and searching for an apartment is right on that list.

Now while we all may know the obvious things to look for in an apartment like price ($ or $$$), location (suburbs or city?) and finishes (traditional or modern?), there are a few high priority items that aren’t as obvious.

Lucky for you, I’ve been in the game long enough to let you in on 3 important things I never forget to look for when touring apartments. And let me tell you, they’ve definitely saved me from making a bad decision. (Plus, let’s be honest, nobody wants to sign a lease and then realize their amazing apartment is… well, not as amazing as they thought it was. So let’s avoid that, shall we?)

And if you’re not too sure what other stuff you should be looking for in an apartment, check out this step-by-step guide here here: How to Find and Apartment in 6 Easy Steps

Let’s get started!

3 Important Things to Look for in Your Next Apartment

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1. Window direction and lighting

We all love natural light, but unlike popular belief, not all windows are created equal. In fact, there’s a science to the best type of natural light one can receive and it all bubbles down to one thing: the direction the windows are facing.

My last apartment had West-facing windows, which means I didn’t get much sunlight in the morning but a flood of golden rays (!) in the evening. It was absolutely beautiful and helped me really appreciate my windows even more.

If you’re into a lot of natural light and bright apartments (like myself) then having windows that face in the correct direction can lead to a very well-lit space. On the contrary, if you don’t like too much direct sunlight, then a different direction of a window will give you that even-lit and temperature regulated space.

So what window direction should I be on the lookout for? And what is the best direction from my windows to face? Well, friend, you’re in luck – because I took the liberty to break it down for you:

An actual picture of my apartment with West-facing windows @ 8:10pm. Absolutely gorgeous.

Window Direction Guide

Just like the sun sets from the East to the West, the sun also shines into an apartment differently at different parts of the day.

East/West-facing windows tend to be the brightest in the morning/evening, respectively, and the light will be more of a warm golden tone.
South-facing windows get a lot of direct sunlight and tend to be the brightest during the day. This can sometimes raise the temperature of your apartment since the rays shining in are the hottest of the day.
North-facing windows tend to not have much direct sunlight at all, and therefore will be a more darker but even-lit room. North facing windows are perfect for people that don’t like too much direct sunlight.
South/North-facing windows will have more of a cooler-toned light.

So which direction should you choose? Well, that’s up to your preferences.

If you love waking up with the sun, you’ll love an East-facing window.

If you love watching the sunset, you’ll like West-facing windows.

If you don’t like direct sunlight, then look for North-facing windows.

And if you want an all-around bright space, go for South-facing windows.

Either way, when looking for your next apartment, check to see what direction your window is facing and if it corresponds with your personal preferences and lifestyle.

Other window properties to consider:

Are there any major streets/highways near my window? (The noisy traffic and honking could be more of a disturbance than you think)
How many windows are in the apartment? (More windows facing different directions = more balanced and natural light)
Is my window facing an establishment with a bright sign? (My friend always complains because her room is never dark at night)

Some more snaps of my room at different times in the evening.

In my opinion, windows are one of the most important (and overlooked) aspects of an apartment, so don’t forget to double-check before you sign!

If you’ve already signed and you’re not a fan of the direction your window is facing, no biggie. There are ways to compliment the space to help bring in the tones that you want – for example, painting your walls a warm-toned white to help warm up your North-facing window. If you’re interested in other tips like these, let me know in the comments below and I can create a guide for it!

2. Parking for your Apartment

Okay let’s be real — nothing, and I mean nothing, can kill a great apartment faster than terrible parking. If you plan to park at your apartment, one important thing to look for is to check if the resident parking situation aligns with your needs.

I live in Houston, where it’s constantly raining and flooding (!) so making sure that my car is dry and safe is important to me — therefore, apartments without garage parking are deal-breakers. It allows me to be able to park on my floor, have easy access to my apartment, and also not worry about my car in high waters.

Understanding your individual needs is key to make sure the apartment’s parking situation aligns with what you need. The great thing is that a lot of apartments offer enhanced parking plans for additional $, like a reserved parking spot, or an attached garage if you need it. But some of those can be pretty pricey so don’t forget to build it into your budget when you’re comparing apartment prices!

Something else you can do is skim through the apartment reviews for parking complaints. If you see an unusually high volume of complaints against parking – they’re either very bitter or very right (and most the time you can tell which is which). Take note. The last thing anyone needs after a hectic and stressful day is a hectic and stressful parking situation.

And don’t forget your visitors! If you frequently have guest over or love hosting, take time to ask what designated areas are for your visitors. I have been in too many situations where visitor parking was literal hell on earth (I’m talking 6 visitor spots for 350+ resident building) and it made the percentage of me coming over drop very very low. So, unless you want Taco Tuesday’s to be moved to Becky’s apartment, make sure you know there’s ample spots for your girls.

Things to consider when it comes to parking:

How is parking for residents? Is it garage? Is it assigned? Street parking? Open lot? First come, first serve? If you don’t plan on getting a reserved spot, look at reviews to see if there are a lot of complaints directed towards finding a spot.
Visitor parking - if you wanted to have guest come over, where would they park? How is overnight parking?

And of course, if you don’t care about parking at all (I’m looking at you, NY babes) – skip this step and keep it moving!

3. Adequate Storage

In the midst of the glitz and glam of touring your next apartment, it’s easy to forget to check if there’s adequate storage for your daily living.

You would be surprised how many apartments don’t have simple things like a pantry in the kitchen to store your non-perishable food items, or a closet to keep miscellaneous things (and trust me, you don’t want to find out you don’t have these AFTER you move in).

Of course, amounts of storage differ based on location (think NY vs. TX) but if you have a lot of random or large belongings that don’t really have a home (vacuum, bike, etc.), this is definitely something you should be aware of.

Take note of all cabinets and closets in the apartment and check to see if they’re located in convenient places and large enough to store your belongings. If you don’t have much options inside your actual unit, you can check to see if your apartment rents out their own storage units.

Once again, not a total deal-breaker, but it would be super disappointing if you found out that the apartment you so dearly loved had only one tiny closet to hold all of your stuff.

And alas, if you already leased the place and are realizing in shame that you only have a small cupboard to hold your stuff (or you just really love your small city apartment)– have no fear. I put together some small-space-friendly storing options perfect for any small space:

Shop these storage-friendly options:

Copy of Grayson Wall Storage Mirror Cabinet

Welp, that’s all I have for you today, friends. Hopefully, these three things gave you a little bit more to think about in your apartment hunt. Happy Searching! What apartment hack post do you want to see next? Let me know in the comments below!

Love always,
The Corporate (Apartment) Queen

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