About the Author: Joshua Mark
This content was posted and edited by Joshua Mark and the Fidelity Management Corporation team in Philadelphia, PA. The Fidelity Management Corporation team is a family business that has extensive experience in the fields of apartment rentals, leasing, and property management, through 50+ years of operating, owning and managing apartment complexes.
As a team, we have extensive experience and knowledge with respect to answers that many renters look for during their quest to find a suitable apartment, including a depth of knowledge on topics such as sound control, construction, and quality of an apartment. This experience from the Fidelity Management team comes from operations (being in apartment rental business for 50+ years), in formal education with a member of the team holding a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering, as well as decades of hands-on experience in the construction field building and developing many single-family homes, residential single-family home and townhome communities, condominiums, and apartment complexes.
Our experience can provide helpful tips and tricks for renters looking to find the right apartment for their family, and potentially avoid costly mistakes.
While we write some content specific to greater Philadelphia market, the vast majority of our content is meant to address renters’ nationwide who are either beginning the apartment search, about to decide (select) an apartment, or wish to find a better place to live.
Nationally, this content and expertise has been recognized confirmed by some of the apartment industry’s most reputable resources…as inclusions or references in articles that have appeared in: ApartmentGuide.com, Rent.com, RentCafe, The Balance, MyFirstApartment, and many others.
As a tenant, your highest cost will almost always be your rent. After rent, the main expense is usually apartment utilities (think electric, sewer, water, gas (if applicable). These utilities may or may not be included in your rent. Some people believe that...
Have you considered entrance type as part of your apartment search? If not, you should. In general, there are 4 main apartment entrance styles - and not every apartment complex has each type. The four main entrance types are: private entrance, semi-private entrance,...
Apartment buildings have existed for hundreds of years, but most of the apartments you see in the U.S. today were likely built between 1950 and today. Historically-renovated buildings are an exception to this general finding. Those could be much older. The likely age...
Before moving into your new rental apartment, you are probably wondering whether your apartments comes with window blinds (sometimes referred to as window shades , window treatments, or apartment balcony shades). Let's find out! Are Window Blinds Standard Apartment...
Renting an apartment and think you need a new appliance? Here, in this article, 'appliances' refer to those items that were already there when you moved in. Let's take a look at when you can get an appliance replaced, and how to ask for one. What are Your Lease Terms?...
A virtual apartment tour can be helpful to visualize your future home -- even from afar. There are several types of apartment tours, but if you have a video chat tour lined up with a live agent, below are some questions to ask: 1. Who will guide the tour? Find out...
With the advent of technology, self-guided tours have risen in popularity among apartments nationwide. What is a self-guided apartment tour? A 'self-guided' apartment tour or 'self-tour property' is exactly what it sounds like: a way to tour without the presence of a...
If you're looking to rent an apartment, you probably have heard of at least two different types of tours (virtual and in-person). However, there are actually several other innovative ways to tour apartments these days, including 3D tours, live video tours,...
In a hotel, a guest can virtually check in and out as they wish. In an apartment, however, one's stay is almost always based on a Lease (legal contract) and requires notice. Typically, when asking 'What does 60 Day Notice Mean?', it refers to the number of days (60)...
When you're looking for a new apartment complex, how do you know what clear signs of problems to look out for? What exactly makes a bad apartment complex? Take a look at these red flags to know if the apartment complex you are looking at is likely a bad choice. 1....
Renting an apartment and want to know more about quiet times? What time(s) should you be quiet in an apartment? Let's take a look! Apartment Quiet Time Guidelines Typically, quiet time(s) in apartments are expected from 10 pm to 8am on weekdays and 11pm to 9 am on...
If you're on the lookout for a new apartment, you are probably wondering about the cost of apartments on higher floors versus lower floors. So, are apartments on higher floors more expensive? The short answer is yes, generally higher floors are more expensive in...
