Top Things to Look for When Renting an Apartment

As Wisconsin gets toward the end of winter, many people are already looking forward to spring and summer. Here at Wimmer, we’re getting excited for moving season, when hundreds of apartment-seekers will tour and ultimately find homes in our communities.

Here are five very practical things to evaluate about an apartment before signing your lease on the dotted line.

1. The Apartment

When touring an apartment, take your time and try to imagine how you would set up a room based on the furniture you have now or might like to buy. If you’re someone who loves cooking from-scratch meals every week, do the kitchen and appliances meet your needs? If you host holidays or love to entertain, is there a dining room with enough space to feed your family and friends?

You likely already know how many bedrooms you need or if you need an office, but it’s key to envision the home you’re touring as your own. Try to think about practical, day-to-day uses of the space and consider whether it will really work for your unique needs, wants, and routines. At Wimmer Communities we own, operate, and manage nearly 30 communities in the Milwaukee area. These communities offer a variety of locations, floor plans, and amenities.

2. Pet Friendliness

If you’re a proud pet owner, you likely already know to make sure your new apartment community is pet-friendly. But it’s just as important to ensure the apartment and the building are “friendly” in more practical, day-to-day ways.

Is there easily accessible grass? Is there yard space for throwing around a tennis ball?

At Wimmer Communities, we also have dog parks or PetSpas with grooming facilities at some locations, and most of our communities are located within just a few minutes of public parks. Your pet is as much a resident of your community as you are, so be sure to evaluate the space from their perspective too

3. Community Events

Many modern apartment communities offer events for their residents to help people feel welcome. Do a little research online or ask the property manager about social events the community offers. Not only can this get you excited about a particular property, but it can also give you a feel for the community’s atmosphere or social dynamic.
Here at Wimmer Communities we offer events like doggie swim days, holiday parties, trick or treating, and events in the surrounding community, like our fabulous Concerts in the Gardens concert series all summer long.

Wimmer Communities also proudly hosts multiple charity events throughout the year. For example, during the past holiday season our residents and employees donated 2,267 items, including new toys and clothing to local people in need.

4. Location…Location…Location

Most Wimmer Communities are within less than a mile of grocery stores, schools, public parks, and shopping center, while others provide a little more seclusion but aren’t too far off the beaten path. We even offer lakeside and waterfall view apartments!

Take some time to figure out what school district the community is in, how long your commute would be to work, and other activities in your weekly routine such as a trip to the gym, your favorite salon, or visits with your friends or family. 

5. Amenities

It’s common for an apartment community to offer pet-friendly apartments, fitness centers, swimming pools, BBQ grills, underground parking, in-unit washer/dryer, storage units, stainless steel appliances, window shades, free WiFi in common spaces, and other now-standard perks, but what does the community offer you that few or no others can?

Of course not everyone is seeking high-end amenities, but for those who are, you can’t beat having a pet-grooming spa, maker’s room, car wash station, gas fireplace, keyless entry, valet charging station, concierge services, 24/7 package service, coffee bar, yoga room, fitness equipment with personal screen, fire pit gathering area, community art gallery, or even a golf simulator.

Check with the property manager or on an individual apartment page for the amenities offered at each community.

These five checklist items are certainly not an exhaustive list, but they’ll help you start thinking about how the little things in an apartment affect your day-to-day lifestyle.

At Wimmer Communities, we strive to offer more than just the basic amenities to our residents. We’re constantly thinking of new ways to delight residents and make their lives easier and more efficient—whether that means providing on-site staff, online maintenance requests, online rent payments, on-demand concierge services or fully equipped onsite fitness centers. Our goal is to go above and beyond for each of our residents, and our communities are thoughtfully designed to help us make this vision a reality.

Check out our latest developments here or take a digital tour of some of our most-sought after communities, such as RiverWalk on the Falls, Centennial Park, or Falcon Glen.