Many people rent apartments because it's much easier than going out and renting or even buying a home. At times you don't need tons of space and apartments fit your needs fine. While many times you can find a good apartment, there are times when you find the wrong place. What are some things to be aware of when renting an apartment?
One huge issue that is of concern is noise. This can be noise from the next door neighbor or even noise from the parking lot area where people might be playing music in their cars. Talk to the manager about the noise policy and how well it's enforced. While it might be a nice area, if you have trouble sleeping because of noise, it's not worth it.
Don't look at the apartment area but the community around the apartment. At times there are problems with others coming into the complex and making noise or even trashing the cars there. If the community around the apartment does not look nice, then you might want to avoid it. If there is a security guard and a high fence, this means there could be issues but in this situation is more than acceptable.
Make sure to get as many questions answered that you can ask. Can you sub lease this apartment if you suddenly have to move? Is your original deposit refundable? Do you have to get renter's insurance to live in this complex? Will you have to pay parking fees on a monthly basis if you have a car there? Can you move in a room mate or does their credit have to be approved first? There are many more questions that might come up for your specific situation that you should ask.
One of the best tips to get an idea of what an apartment is really like is to simply read the online reviews. This will give you a good idea if there is something that you are missing that is a common complaint for that location.