You see an apartment rental available and you are amazed at the price! What, it can't be? You are overjoyed with your discovery! You don't care that it is terrace level maybe you don't even know what that is. A terrace level unit is a ground level apartment complete with either a street view, garden view or a neighboring building--ugh. Yes, you are starting from the bottom, but hey, one day you will be on top!
Now I get that you want that bargain, that deal, a steal that is going to save you lots of money and make possibly a parent or partner proud. However, are those headaches in the future worth it. Shall I be your apartment rental prophetess? Let's take you on a journey of what your challenges renting this unit might bring you!
1) Overhead noise, next door, and street level.
Loud walking, running or jumping might send you over the edge one day! Without thick flooring in between floors and even thicker cement or brick walls separating you from your neighbor's boom tv, ear-splitting yells from children, frequent disputes with a partner, you will hear the noise!
Before you rush to see the unit or sign a lease contract at the prompting of the friendly staff at the leasing office, notice what is around the rental unit's location. Are there trees and bushes and no recreational areas? Then maybe this might work out if you want that quiet secluded feeling, but there's still that neighbor overhead and possibly next door. If there is street level parking, sporting areas or an active pool community, you will hear the noise but not so much if the windows are double-pane glass and if the communities are further away.
Most leasing consultants and apartment managers will either downplay noise or will not speak on it at all, because they know you wouldn't lease especially if you already told them, "Listen, I don't do a lot of noise!" However, if the price is right, they are hoping the noise won't be so bad after all for you. "Wow, the unit is a few hundred dollars less!" you say. Yes it is, keep in mind there are plenty of not-so good reasons for this and you need to uncover what they are!
2) Insects and rodents.
You live close to the ground so why wouldn't they visit? The water and food source are conveniently located to possibly their nests, tunnels and other places they like to hide. The last neighbor might have seen their ugly faces a little too much and so they ran him or her off! So if bugs bother you, you will need to do your part to ensure they avoid your apartment as much as possible. (I talk about this on the blog, look up my bug-proofing tips). Do you have the time, money and energy to invest eradicating these critters long after pest control just walks through the apartment doing their money-grabbing quick spray? Constant bug vistors need constant attention and the most powerful bait known to man. Sure, get your bargain basement unit, but be prepared to fight bugs in the kitchen, bathroom and anywhere they plan to let you know who was here first!
3) Neighbors who litter.
All glossy-eyed still over that price knowing you don't like noise and bugs, but hey, you got a plan, right? However, the biggest bugs of them all are disrespectful neighbors who have a disregard for the environment. Some of them sincerely believe that the ground is their trash can, so over the balcony they throw their cigarette butts, water bottles, uneaten food, wrappers, and some of you know the rest because you do it. What a shame! So the guys and girls in the leasing office didn't tell you that if the groundskeeper doesn't make it to your location on a daily basis or maybe not at all, that's right, you will be picking up after your nasty neighbors! So there you go, saving money on renting the place, but taking on another role other than renter, trash picker-upper!
4) Sewage and water drainage systems and foundational cracks.
You're not a structural engineer and you don't know jack about drainage systems. So guess what you are going to do, you're not going to inspect the building's exterior at ground level for foundational cracks. You will be too busy looking at the pretty stuff to see any mold and mildew while your ignoring your God-given gift of smell. You most likely will casually stroll by the nearby pipes coming out of the ground covered or uncovered while your talking to the leasing professional about what, "I want...I need..." You just might miss the plastic hoses that are suppose to redirect water away from the terrace level apartment. They are just strewn here or there above ground. Further, who cares about those drain downspouts starting to come off the building or those plastic rain gutters that are constantly moved by the landscapers.
The next rainfall at that cheap unit just might bring more than you bargained for and maintenance knows it even if the leasing staff claims, "I'm so sorry, I didn't know." They probably really didn't know, they were thinking of their commission. Fast forward you are living in that terrace apartment with the issues but you got it for a steal, you look out your window, "Is that freakin' poop on the patio, baby wipes and what the #@%$& is that?" you yell. Yes, it is a sewage drain backup and I think you also have a leak coming from somewhere too! Now who is going to clean that mess up?
5) Low-level windows
Ever feel insecure, watched scary movies, worried someone is going to see your open window and come right in. The villain is there seated at your table eating a sandwich and drinking your favorite beer? If the very thought of that scares you, then why are you even considering getting a lower unit? But if you are that guy or gal who has protection waiting for the villain, then no worries there just secure your spot with all sorts of locks and alarms.
6) Poor lighting.
Unfortunately, with some apartment complexes, the terrace levels are just not well-lit--shadows in the breezeway, behind the building and elsewhere. If there is ever a power outage with no emergency lighting, it can be pitch black walking down those stairs and sidewalks. Keep your phone or a flashlight handy at all times especially if you work at night.
7) Flooding from above.
Oh yes, nothing like waking up to your neighbor's "issues" showering down on you--hope it wasn't the toilet overflowing! It happens and you don't fully realize what you have gotten yourself into until you can't get a hold of maintenance or a plumber to help you in that moment! You start to think back to when you toured the place and didn't pay attention to those old water markings or maybe they had been there the whole time but a little splash of paint prior to your arrival and it made yesterday's troubles just disappear. Keep a bucket handy and a mop and/or a shopvac just in case you just got to get the unit, because there just isn't anything else out there, are you sure?
Now after all of that and you know what to expect, you may have no choice but to go forward until your money is right! I get it, so with that said, invest in everything you need to bring you some comfort. The leasing staff will not meet your every need. Let me say that again for the stubborn one who thinks he or she can and will be happy forever and always after repeated phone calls and visits, the leasing and maintenance staff will not meet your every need especially if it costs alot and your issues are not what they consider an emergency! Yeah, I know sucks. So do your part, put your concerns in writing, record the unit, and reach out to a trusted friend who can be that second pair of eyes for you to see what you don't want to see!
Happy hunting!
Nicholl McGuire is the owner of this blog and the author of What Else Can I do on the Internet?
