How to Find a Good Roommate

       The best way to avoid apartment roommate conflicts is to pick the right roommate in the first place. It can be tempting to select a roommate on the basis of how friendly they are, but you're better off judging them on the basis of day-to-day living compatibility.  Below are some guidelines to follow when you are trying to find a roommate for your apartment.

1.    Decide whether you want to share a bedroom and bathroom in your apartment or not.

Don't share a bedroom unless you have to; the potential conflicts are multiplied with a shared bedroom and consequent loss of privacy.
Sharing a bathroom in an apartment is usually easier with a same-sex roommate.

2.    Locate a potential roommate (by craigslist.org, local newspaper ad, by asking your friends for a referral, etc).
3.    Once you have found a potential roommate for your apartment, meet with them, preferably at a coffee house or similar public place, and compare their living preferences and daily habits to yours.  Below are some interview questions to ask of potential apartment roommates:

Are they early risers or night owls? Light sleeper or good sleeper?
What is their typical work or school schedule? (Will it conflict with yours?)
What do they need to feel secure (locking the apartment windows, doors, etc)?
What temperature do they think is comfortable?
Are they neat or "relaxed?? Get clarification as this means different things to different people (and no one admits to being a slob).
What are their favorite/least favorite chores in an apartment? How to do they like to divide up household work (chore list, just do it when they feel like it, etc.).
When should the roommate worry if they are not back to the apartment at a certain time? Do you wait until morning to make phone calls or do you send for a search team if they're 15 minutes late from work or school?
Are they extra-sensitive to fragrances and/or odors? This may affect what you choose as cleaning products and you may have to hide your running shoes after going to the gym.
Are they allergic to anything? (Examples: peanuts, perfume, milk, flowers, mold, smoke).
Do they enjoy talking or do they prefer to be quiet all the time? Do they talk about feelings or keep to themselves?
Do they enjoy decorating, or do they not care about decorating the apartment? What decorating style do they have?
What kind of music do they listen to and, more importantly, do they particularly enjoy listening to it when it's loud?
How much TV do they watch? What do they watch?
Do they like to share some items like pots and dishes or do they prefer to have separate everything in the apartment?
How often do they invite friends and romantic interests over? (Are you comfortable with the crowd they hang out with?)

4.    Find out what your potential roommate expects to get out of their roommate (you!), and see how their expectations compare with yours. Some people want a roommate just as a way to cut the apartment rental cost, with minimal interaction; some want people they can hang out with. Make sure expectations match. Be honest about your difficult qualities when answering your potential roomie's questions about you.
5.    Look out for signs of whether the person is honest and safe. If you get any uneasy feelings, politely say that you don't think they would be compatible with you and end the interview.

Tips to Remember When You Are Choosing a Roommate for Your Apartment:

You are more likely to find the perfect roommate for your apartment if you advertise and let applicants come to you (versus responding to an ad yourself for a vacant room).
Don't give out personal information to potential apartment roommates before you have met them. It's safest to meet in a public place first, not at your home, and show them your home only after you have talked to them long enough to get a sense of their character.
 

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How to Find a Rental Property That Allows Pets

Your pets are like children to you, and you couldn't think of not having them at home. How do you get a landlord to accept your pets, when landlords have the right to not allow pets in the properties that they rent?  Most apartments that are rented in the Greater New Orleans area by Tonti Management allow pets.  We do, however, require a non-refundable pet fee.

***By the Way, Contact Us Directly to learn about our Cleaning Fee Special***

If you are looking for an apartment in Metairie, Jefferson, Kenner, or River Ridge, then you will have no problem finding an apartment that allows small pets.  If you are looking in other areas in New Orleans, then here’s how to take care of the pet allowance issue while you are looking for a new rental in the classifieds.

•  Scratch off the properties that are clearly marked no pets.

•  Consider smaller properties rather than apartment complexes. A smaller property will usually be handled by the landlord directly, rather than a management firm.

•  Bring up your pet over the phone and give specifics.  There are usually pet restrictions.

•  Be honest. Let the landlord know what kind of pets you have, their habits and current size. Do not give the landlord a picture of your Great Dane when he was a puppy.

•  Offer to pay an additional security deposit.

•  Make it easy for the landlord to say yes. Send a letter of reference from your current landlord that shows that you are a responsible pet owner, or consider writing a resume for your pet.

•  Respect your landlord's decision. No means no.

Other Tips to Consider

You can get suggestions for making a pet resume from your local ASPCA.
Back up claims with paperwork wherever possible. Vet records and obedience school certificates can be that little extra which swings a landlord your way.
Violating a landlord's clearly stated refusal to allow pets on the rental property can result in eviction.

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How to Understand and Use Rental Classified Advertisements

      So many decisions have to be made about renting your apartment.  In your own mind, you know in what type of apartment you are interested - "I want a 2 bedroom apartment with 1 full bath and 1 bath with just a sink and toilet.  It has to have a patio and be on the second floor.  I want a place with a pool..."and these are just the basics. 

      Imagine your surprise when you start looking at ads for renting an apartment and find out that the ads you are reading look like "Greek" to you.  Before you launch a search for the perfect place to rent, you will need to understand the terms in classified rental ads.  Below are some pointers which will help you in this process.

Number 1: Know that common abbreviations in classified rental ads include WIC (walk-in closet), F/P (fireplace), W/D (washer-dryer) and EIK (eat-in kitchen).

Number 2: Know that common terms in classified rental ads include walk-up (a multistory building without an elevator), studio (a combination living room and bedroom) and cozy (a descriptive term that usually means small, rather than snug).

Number 3: Know the definitions of rental leasing terms in classified ads, such as month-to-month lease, lease-option or lease-purchase.

Number 4: Determine the specific features that you desire in a rental unit - such as pool facilities, washer-dryer hookups or a month-to-month lease - and take note of the classified ads that mention such features.

Number 5: Check the classified rental ads for the date of availability, amount of security deposit, and application procedures.

Number 6: After reviewing the classified rental ad, compile a list of unanswered questions to ask the owner of the rental property.

Contact Tonti Management by phone at 504-889-6800 or toll-free at 1-800-315-3365 and ask pertinent questions about features not mentioned in classified ads before you make appointments to tour properties.  If you would like to reach a certain apartment rental office directly, visit our Apartments page, choose the apartment in which you are interested in renting and contact that office directly.  If the choices of apartments in the Greater New Orleans area are too overwhelming, feel free to contact our corporate office, and an agent will personally walk you through the process of choosing a Tonti Apartment.

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How to Inspect a Prospective Apartment

Once you sign a lease, your options for improving the conditions in and around your rental will be limited. Take the time before you sign to make sure the place you are considering meets your standards.

Inspect the Outside

Inspect the Unit

 

Check the size of the rooms and the doorways to make sure they will accommodate your furniture.

Make a note of the number and size of closets, and try all the doors to make sure they work.

Examine the bathroom. Give everything a test run. Watch out for leaks, bad water pressure, poor drainage and poor ventilation.

Examine the kitchen. Make sure everything works well, and look for easy-to-clean surfaces, good ventilation and adequate work and storage space.

Find out about heating and cooling arrangements for your unit.

Tour the utility room and storage spaces. Check for adequate lighting, cleanliness, security and signs of vermin.

Inspect Common Areas

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