Tips For Touring an Apartment Complex

If you are selecting a new apartment, an apartment tour is your chance to really inspect a potential new home and make sure that it meets your needs.  It can be tough because apartment complexes always try to put their best foot forward and dazzle you with charismatic leasing consultants and beautiful club houses, great looking pools, and top notch exercise room facilities.  Sales professionals call this "selling the sizzle and not the steak."  When you tour an apartment complex, you have to sniff out the steak.  You need to know what it's really going to be like to live in an apartment complex.
 

High Security Mail Boxes

 If you don't you may find yourself living in a roach motel with unsavory neighbors.  It's only a slight step up from a van down by the river.

Watch Out for Trashy Neighbors

 Here are some things that you should notice whenever you tour an apartment complex:

Ten Things to Notice on an Apartment Tour

Ways to Play Your Stereo Without Getting Evicted!

I love owning a serious component stereo again.  But, living in an apartment, I have to make some compromises and respect my neighbors.  

I don't want to generate noise complaints or an eviction notice.  Here are some ways to enjoy a stereo in an apartment without getting evicted:

Eight Ways to Play Your Stereo Without Disturbing Your Neighbors

Intruder Alert - Burglaries in our Complex

We got a notice today that two burglaries recently happened in our complex!  It's our first burglary notice in two years.  But, we do live in a teeming hive of scum and villainy.  I guess it is unrealistic for the anti-zombie walls to keep every intruder away.  That's why we are using a home security bar again.  It's also known as a "charlie bar" and it wedges the door shut.  You can read a full review here:

Product Review:  Master Lock Dual Function Home Security Bar

A Good Stereo For An Apartment

You can't really exercise a stereo in an apartment.  Even if your stereo's volume goes up to 11, you really can't push it past a 2 or 3 without disturbing your neighbors and being a rude neighbor.  But, that doesn't mean you can't enjoy music.  It just means that high volumes and thumping bass aren't a great idea.  Instead a more modest bookshelf stereo might be a better idea for apartment life.

I've recently found a very inexpensive stereo that works just fine for our apartment.  It's the GPX Home Music System.  Yes, it's a $45 stereo from Kmart.  But, it can connect to all my devices and it generates enough volume for my living room.  This stereo would work well in any apartment, dorm room or child's bedroom.  If you are looking for a good little stereo for a small space, here's my review:

Compact Stereo Review:  GPX Home Music System with CD Player

Living with a Dog in an Apartment

Having a dog is one of life's great pleasures.  If you have one in an apartment, you have to walk your dog several times a day.  You'll get exercise and a chance to interact with people in your neighborhood.  Dog walkers also provide an extra measure of security in an apartment complex.  Dog walkers are familiar with every square inch of an apartment complex and notice suspicious activity.

However, it can be a challenge to have a dog in an apartment and avoid disturbing neighbors with barking and horseplay.  However, dogs are trainable and you can change your habits to minimize noise from your dog.  Here's how to keep your dog quiet in an apartment community --

How to Keep Your Dog Quiet in an Apartment