We hope you had a great July 4 th weekend! Now it’s summertime, and we’re into the thick of the apartment-hunting season. Students are looking for new places, new graduates are moving to their new cities, and people everywhere are trying to avoid moving in cold weather.

What a colorful show!

When you’re searching in the summer, there are definitely items you should keep in mind to help make sure that you make a great decision. Here is our list of seven things to remember when you’re looking at apartments during the summer:

(1) Imagine the area when it isn’t summer. There won’t always be the same amount of foot traffic, for example; if you think it feels quiet now, it’s liable to feel more so in the winter. (This is especially true for parks.) Conversely, the area around a school won’t be as busy in the summer as it will be during the rest of the year. And it won’t just be kids – there will be adults and potentially cars and buses around.

(2) Pay attention to your commute. Proximity to public transit is always important, but beautiful summer weather can make a bad commute seem palatable. That said, that 15-minute walk to the subway will feel a lot less nice in the dead of winter. Bottom line: try to keep in mind what it will be like to live somewhere when the weather isn t sunny and warm.

(3) Does the heat work? Make sure to ask the super (or, better, the last tenant) how well the heat works and whether it’s had any maintenance problems. You won’t easily be able to test it (especially if the building has central heat), so you’ll need to be extra-careful to ask. This also goes for any utility or amenity that is more relevant in cold weather than in warm. And don’t forget to ask whether the apartment is drafty!

(4) How much sun does your apartment get? Remember to check the window treatments (and confirm that there will be some!) to see how bright your apartment will be. If you need darkness to sleep you may want to invest in blackout shades. Also, if you get lots of sun your apartment will be hotter in the summer (and likely colder in the winter), and unless you have very solid, well-insulated windows you may end up with a correspondingly higher utility bill.

(5) Can you wait a month or two? Rents are at their highest right now. If there’s a way for you to stay in your current space for a couple of months, you might consider it. While there will be less availability later on in the year, rents are substantially lower – and at their lowest in November. There may also be more rental concessions in the off-season, though that isn’t guaranteed.

(6) Be extra-prepared. Even more so than normally, you’ll need to have your documentation in order and funds available for the deposit/fees. Competition can also drive rents up; landlords with multiple acceptable applicants may take the opportunity to ask for greater than the listed rent, or a larger security deposit. Don’t let your desire to have this space lead you to take a deal you can’t afford. (But don t forget that even, during the summer, it s possible to negotiate on some points!)

(7) Don’t overvalue amenities you won’t use often. We’ve written about this before but it bears repeating: some amenities aren’t worth what you’ll pay for them. Amenities like outdoor space (especially roof space) or a pool may be great in the summer, but you may not be able to use them for large parts of the year.

Good luck with your hunt and don t forget to check out RentHop !

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How about some tips for working with movers. We have those as well.

When you’re looking for a new apartment, it seems like finding a place where you’d love to live is the hardest part. (We can help! ) But finding the new place is only half the battle. You still need to apply for it, and once your application is accepted you need to negotiate and sign a lease.

You can t get one of these until you ve signed your lease.

The lease is a legal contract that gives you the exclusive right to inhabit the space identified in the contract for a specified period of time. It’s extremely important that you read and understand it. If the landlord refuses to offer a written lease, or if she pressures you to sign it without reading it, that’s a major red flag.

As you read the lease, make sure to check key terms. Is the address listed for the apartment in the lease the right address? Is the rent correct? Does the lease tell you how and when to pay your rent? If there is a rent concession (like a free month of rent), is that reflected in the lease? Who pays for utilities, and which ones? You need to confirm all of those points, and ask any questions you may have, before you sign anything.

In addition, there are certain provisions that you should take issue with if they appear in the lease. We’ve got a list below – if you see these provisions in your lease, make sure you ask some questions! Note that laws differ across the 50 states; this list is intended to point out relatively common issues and help you start addressing them.

Before we get started, a couple of notes :

Beware if the landlord offers things to you verbally but won’t put them in writing . You’ll have a hard time enforcing them later. Similarly, if the landlord tells you she won’t enforce a provision in the lease, either get that in writing or ask that the provision be removed from the lease.

If you have a dispute with your landlord, educate yourself, and then ask for help .  In almost every city you will find both online resources and one or more tenant’s rights organizations. Use those resources. For New York, you can find resources here. here and here. For Boston, try here. here and here. In Chicago, start with this. this  and this. Otherwise, start with a google search, and remember that if you re in federally-subsidized housing there may be federal resources available too.

If at all possible you want to resolve disputes amicably, and the tenants rights organization may be able to help. If you can’t, or if you don’t know what to do next, don’t waste time (or engage in self-help by withholding rent) – reach out.

Tenant takes the apartment “as-is”. In 49 of the 50 states every landlord is required, whether the lease says so or not, to make sure that the apartment and all common spaces related to the apartment are (1) fit for human habitation and (2) not subject to conditions which would be dangerous, hazardous or detrimental to the tenant s life, health or safety. This is theimplied warranty of habitability. and renters can’t waive it except in very limited circumstances. (In the 50 th state, Arkansas, it’s also a crime to not pay your rent when due. Be careful!)

What does this mean? If the apartment isn’t currently habitable, or is unsafe, your landlord is required – at his expense – to fix it up, no matter what the lease says. A landlord trying to get you to take an unsafe apartment may be trying to make you pay to fix his problem. Don’t do it. And don t ask too many questions about whether an apartment is habitable or unsafe. If it looks or feels reasonably unsafe, stand your ground.

If the apartment is habitable and safe, the landlord isn’t obligated to do anything else. You may want to negotiate for move-in repairs or modifications, but a statement that you accept the apartment is irrelevant (your signing the lease evidences your acceptance).

Tenant is responsible for repairs. The landlord must ensure that the apartment is safe and habitable, and you can’t be made to pay for those repairs. Otherwise, if the landlord agrees to provide certain things in the lease (e.g. a dishwasher), then as a matter of contract law the landlord is responsible for ensuring that they work. You might agree to do certain repairs in return for compensation, but it’s the landlord’s job to provide the apartment she agreed to provide.

Landlord may enter at any time for any reason. Landlords can enter with no notice in case of emergency (which is probably a good thing!). Otherwise, by law in nearly all jurisdictions your landlord can’t enter your apartment without prior notice. How much notice may be specified in the law – it’s often 24 hours’ notice – or it may be “reasonable notice”. Your lease may describe specific things that constitute emergencies, e.g. bedbug infestation, and may also describe circumstances when the landlord can enter the apartment with notice. Be clear on what these situations are.

Tenant will pay X in maintenance/guest/cleaning fees. Often fees are permissible, so this is more about making sure you know what you’re getting into. If you’re going to be charged a monthly cleaning fee, for example, make sure you know what’s being cleaned, by whom, how often, and whether the cleaners will be able to access your apartment without you there. Also note that certain types of fees (unreasonably high late fees, or guest fees) may not be legal in some states.

Anything where you waive a right. It’s difficult in almost all states to waive rights to which you’re entitled by law, even if the lease says you’re doing so. That said, whenever you’re waiving anything make sure you understand what you’re waiving and why you’re being asked to waive it. This may alert you to an issue of which you weren’t aware, and though the landlord may not agree to change the lease you’re now forewarned.

Landlord will not be held liable for any damages. Again, the landlord can’t get out of his legal responsibilities. If the landlord acts negligently in failing to keep the apartment or building safe, the landlord should be liable if you get hurt or your property is damaged as a result. Beyond that, ask what damages the landlord is concerned about and why. You’ll get clues as to what’s important to the landlord.

Landlord has the right to change lease provisions at any time. Maybe this doesn’t matter – do you really need notice and an opportunity to be heard if the pool hours are changing? – but if the landlord can change key terms of the lease without your consent (or at least telling you) you’re at real risk. The landlord’s verbal assurances that they won’t use this power aren’t good enough here – make sure the lease includes restrictions on the landlord’s ability to unilaterally change material terms of the lease.

NOTE: This post is not intended to constitute, and does not constitute, legal advice and may not be used as such.

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Need help dealing with movers? We ve got nine tips to help you out.

How about ideas for making your space look bigger? We have those as well.