Apartment Blog

During the housing boom, buyers were borrowing thousands of dollars to pay for homes on the market. However, in today’s economy, many of the buyers aren’t able to repay those loans due to rising interest rates, resulting in mass foreclosures. With foreclosures, many residents are forced to find alternative living arrangements, most often apartments to rent. Due to pet restrictions in apartment communities, pet shelters are seeing an increase in the number of animals being given up. Or worse, left on the streets.

ForRent.com doesn’t want to see anymore pets separated from their family. Pet owners needing to relocate can use our site to find pet-friendly apartments. With our easy search criteria, you’re sure to find an apartment in your area that accommodates you and your animal. Please visit ForRent.com today! Your pet is a part of your family and we want all of you to stay together.

Spring is here! YAY!! But as the warm weather approaches, so does all the pollen and allergens that can aggravate your sinuses! Its not just outside allergens that can help create a Rudolph nose, but also the inside of your apartment! Here are a few tips that I’ve found helpful to allergy proof your home!

Concentrate on the Bedroom!

According to Angel Waldron of the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, you spend about 80 percent of your time in your bedroom! So it’s logical that should be the first place you start. Believe it or not, dust mites live in your bed! Somewhere around two million of them! They take residence in your pillows, mattresses, bed springs, blankets and comforters. “These mites are the number one indoor allergen, and their population peaks in July and August.”[1] So do your part in controlling them and it’ll go a long way toward helping your allergies. Be sure to wash your linens in the hot cycle frequently. Another tip is to purchase allergen-proof pillows and bed covers. I had both of them growing up and they helped relieve my symptoms!

Manage the Pet Hair!

While I’m an animal lover as much as the next person, there is some pet dander that I just can’t be around-specifically cats! And apparently I’m not alone. “Approximately 10 million people are allergic to cat dander, according to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation.”[2] Cats have the most allergens followed by dogs and rodents. So to control your animals’ dander make sure you keep your pet off your furniture, including your bed! Bathing your pet once a week also makes a big difference in cutting down on allergens.

Keep Pollen Out!

With the warmer weather coming, people tend to have their windows and back doors open to let in the fresh air. I know I love doing that! Turns out that could be a huge contributor to my allergies! Doing that brings the pollen inside your apartment! So if you don’t want the runny nose, watery eyes, and stuffed up feeling-keep those windows and doors closed! Especially during the time of day the pollen count is at it’s highest, which is between 5:00-10:00 am.

Get Rid of Mold!

Who wants mold in their apartment? I know I don’t! The very thought of it gives me the shakes, but it happens! The biggest hotspots for mold happen to be in your bathroom and your closet! The bathroom is one of the wettest places in your apartment. The combination of heat and dampness is optimal for mold growth. So make sure you do your part to prevent it from starting. A few tips to help with bathroom mold is to make sure you circulate the air before and after your shower. Use the fan during the shower and open the door for 5-10 minutes afterwards. Also be sure to stretch the shower curtain after your shower so all the water can drain and the material can dry out. Wash your bathtub, shower door, walls, etc, if you see any mold. Use rubber gloves and a mixture of bleach and water. Doing these few steps will not only prevent your allergies, but also your health and the appearance of your apartment!

So there you have it. A few tips I’ve learned from AOL Real Estate about how to allergy proof your apartment! I know this spring the outdoor allergens are going to create difficulty for some, but at least when you get inside you won’t have to worry about too many irritants!

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[1] Realestate.aol.com/article/_a/allergy-proof-your-home/20060501110209990001[2] Realestate.aol.com/article/_a/allergy-proof-your-home/20060501110209990001

If you’re renting an apartment with a pet, you realize some of the financial obligations you are faced with such as pet deposits, monthly pet fees, etc. But what you may not have taken into consideration is having a pet at the end of your lease could cost you a lot more if you aren’t careful. When most people put down a security deposit on their apartment, they usually expect to receive the full deposit at the end. However, pet owners need to be more proactive when it comes to caring for their apartment even before move-out if they want their full deposit back! Here are some tips for pet owners to getting your full security deposit back:

Tip 1:

Document everything. Prior to move in, or on the first day, have a checklist and go through the entire apartment for any problems. This would include the carpet, the walls, counters, etc. If the leasing office hasn’t given you a check list, bring your own. You need to inspect the apartment thoroughly and have documented proof of any incidents. This will help you prove your case should there be any discrepancies at the end of your lease, while also helping you remember the original state of the apartment. Also feel free to take digital photos and keep those for your records.

Tip 2:

Clean up spills/accidents IMMEDIATELY! Obviously if you’re not home when an accident happens you can’t clean it up as quickly, but as soon as you become aware of the mistake you need to clean it up. Use Pet Stain Remover and clean the area thoroughly. Remember that cleaning ‘accident’ spots only cleans the carpet, not the material. Get a vacuum pet powder and use it prior to vacuuming your carpets to help eliminate odor. Cat urine is absolutely the worst smell! I would recommend shampooing your carpet a couple times a year. It’ll add life back to your carpet!

Tip 3:

Be thorough! When you do your initial inspection you should catch any areas in the carpet where threads are loose or fraying. However, while you were moving or vacuuming, some may have ‘popped’ up. You need to inspect your apartment often for these problems as they could potentially be a larger problem if your animal, particularly dogs, find it. If there are any trouble spots in your carpet, purchase a rug to deter your animal’s attention or some object so that it won’t make the problem worse.

Tip 4:

Be proactive! You know your animal better than anyone else. If your dog likes to go after blinds, be sure and pull them up or replace them for curtains (just be sure to keep the blinds for when you move out as you don’t want to be charged for a new set). Or if your cat likes to use the sofa as a scratching post and transfers that habit to a wall; make efforts to block access to that wall or have your cat declawed.

In an apartment rental, you are responsible for damage your pet creates. To get your full security deposit back, you need to go above and beyond to restore the apartment back to its original condition! Do you have any more tips for getting your security deposit back with a pet? Let us know! We animal lovers can use all the help we can get!