The Pros and Cons of Furnished Apartments

Of course, these units have more strings attached than those connected to the curtains! Read this handy information to help you decide what amount of furniture, if any, you’ll want your next apartment to  have.

How Furnished Does it Come?

Even among furnished apartments, there are  differences. Some units are outfitted with just the necessities ( a bed, dresser, kitchen table, sofas, etc.), while others seem dressed to the nines. The latter might have curtains, lamps and even some decor in addition to the basic big-ticket items.

When you view an apartment, ask the landlord which items will be included with the place  when you move in. You can also ask before you view.The sooner you know, the better. That way, you’ll  know what other furniture and appliances you’ll need to get before your move.

Additional Costs and Considerations

When it comes to furnished apartments, the landlord  invested in filling the unit with stuff. That upfront cost doesn’t disappear—you, the renter, will likely pay for it with  a higher rent price.

This is where you can do some cost-benefit analysis. Compare the monthly rent of the furnished unit   with an apartment of equal size in the same neighborhood without furniture. Then, consider about how much you’d have to pay to purchase any  furniture you still need.

Add furnishing costs to the rent and see whether that number is higher or lower than the price of the furnished place. If you don’t have a lot of furniture already, then the furnished apartment is probably cheaper and you may consider going that route.

Reasons to Choose Furnished

Is a furnished unit  better for you than the unfurnished place? Check out this pros-and-cons list that outlines situations in which you may or may not consider a fully furnished space:

Pros:

Cons:

  • You may not have space for big furniture you already own (meaning you’ll either have to store it or get rid of it).
  • Rent is higher (which isn’t good if you own furniture already).

More on Short-Term Leases

A short-term lease is a rental agreement that lasts fewer months than the standard 12. In most cases, people choose short-term leases if they are temporarily living in an area. For example,  a person might have to live in another state for a few months for their job, but will move back home once their project is over.

Some students  are also good candidates for short-term leases because they only stay in their college town nine months out of the year. Paying for an extra three months they won’t use is a waste of money.

In both cases, many landlords choose to furnish short-term apartments. The nomadic student or business person probably doesn’t want to  move lots of furniture only to have to move it again a few months later.

Situational Renting

All in all, whether you choose to rent a furnished or unfurnished apartment comes down to your lifestyle, budget and needs. If you own your furniture or would like  to, then stick to an unfurnished place. However, if you move frequently or if a batch of new furniture isn’t in your budget at the moment, a furnished place will take the hassle out of your itinerant lifestyle.

Have you ever lived in a furnished apartment? Did you like it and why?

Photo by Sasha • Stories on Unsplash

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