FAQ
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Frequently asked question
Moving to a new city can be a lot to navigate, and many questions arise as you search. Here are a few frequently asked questions that you can help you navigate your Charlotte apartment search an whether using a locator would benefit you.
An apartment locator can help you sift through the cluttered apartment market. Someone who really knows their city can condense months of searching into a few days.
- We know the market, not just Charlotte, but its surrounding cities.
- We have insight on communities that have not hit the market yet.
- Communities update us on deals, specials and price cuts that may not be reflected on the more commonly known apartment sites.
- If you're not local or familiar with the city, we can give you insight into the neighborhoods and individual communities.
Questions about our service
Commissions are covered by the communities who have realtor referrals as part of their budget. It is similar to the way they pay for leads from Zillow Rentals and Apartments.com. Those are free for you to browse because the community pays for your information and the advertising opportunities. So, when you let a leasing agent know that you are working with us (or any locator/realtor), they will note that in their system, and we will receive a commission for the referral once our work together is verified.
Commissions are covered by the communities who have realtor referrals as part of their budget. It is similar to the way they pay for leads from Zillow Rentals and Apartments.com. Those are free for you to browse because the community pays for your information and the advertising opportunities. So, when you let a leasing agent know that you are working with us (or any locator/realtor), they will note that in their system, and we will receive a commission for the referral once our work together is verified.
Most communities use third party vendors to process applications, so we do not have sway over whether or not they approve you. And since we work with mostly luxury communities, managed by national and international companies, the approval rate for people with issues such as these is extremely low. We want to make sure you are housed properly, so we are working on a list of second chance properties for you to use a resource. However, at this time, we do not have one to pull from.
The answer is yes an no. Yes, we do help clients search for houses, as long as they are multifamily communities, not privately owned. Privately owned houses and condos tend not to pay referral fees; therefore, our referral amount would be on you to cover. So, for now, no, we do not offer searches for private rental homes.
Questions about Charlotte apartments
Most communities in Charlotte operate on the 60 day notices, so they will not be bale to give you accurate pricing and availability until 60 days prior to your move. Therefore, we recommend you start your search at the earliest, 75-90 days prior to your move date. (And of course, everyone’s circumstances are unique, so we can talk about that!)
Apartments look for your total monthly income to be 3x the base rent (pre-tax). There are some communities that may accept 2.5x, but those are few and far between in Charlotte.
Example: If your base rent is $2k, you will need to show proof that your income before taxes are deducted is at least $6k.
The price you see on the community’s website is the base rent–the price you are charged to lease and live in the unit. In Charlotte, electricity and water are almost never included in the base rent, so you’ll need to budget for that. (Avg. $50-$80 electricity; $10-$20 for water for 1 person’s usage).
Also, you will likely have additional monthly fees on top of the base rent, like valet trash or internet.
The price online is rarely the total price you will pay to live in that community. The following fees are common fees you will see, but every community will not have each one:
- Trash: $20-$40
- Pest Control: Avg. $5
- Internet package: $50-$90
- Parking: $20-$40 (typically only in the center city neighborhoods)