So my question for you all is, what are some tips from your own experience when it comes to living on your own/finding a new home? For example, I'm thinking of making a checklist of things that are important to me in a home or that I want to check for during a walkthrough (signs of pests? decent water pressure? How close is the train?). And hat are some expenses that might be easy to overlook when figuring out a budget to forecast my spending?
Congratulations on paying of the $60K! That is impressive. :D
A few things I (as a devoted renter and non-car-owner) look for in an apartment, in case it helps:
1. Where is the nearest grocery store? Within walking distance is preferable, or no more than 1 short bus ride. Is the closest grocery store one with reasonable prices? If you're looking to eat a lot more fruits and vegetables, does it have a good selection? Does it have hours that work for you? If the grocery store is not easy to get to, you'll likely incur more expenses - e.g. Taxi twice a month
2. Walkablility - You can often find a walkability score online, but it is usually better to just try any walk you are planning to do. Ask the rental agent or other tenants how well the sidewalks are maintained in winter.
A couple things I keep an eye out for: Crosswalks and stoplights - are they in logical places, or do you have to walk an extra block to safely cross a busy street? If you have a long walk, are there long sections with no shade/trees? That can make it miserable in the summer. Hills are well and good (and great exercise), unless they are uphill on the way back from the grocery store!
If you are planning to commute by biking, I'd imagine you're looking at similar things, focusing on the bike paths rather than the sidewalks. There's a whole section of bike path along my walking route that is useless in winter - it doesn't get plowed.
3. If utilities are not included in rent, then you want to get a rough estimate of what it would cost. I usually add another 1/3 of the estimate to my initial budget, as buffer in case the estimate was inaccurate. Chances are it'll be lower, and you can adjust the budget after a couple months of seeing the actual costs.
4. If there's en-suite Laundry, then the cost figures in under utilities, but if you will be using the building laundry room or local laundrymat, you need to find out:
a) Does it take coins or use a card? (And if it takes coins, do you use cash enough to get the required change, or will you need to head out to a bank every couple months to get coins?)
b) How much do the washers and dryers cost?
c) How many loads of laundry will you be doing in a month?
d) Will the washers and dryers accommodate bulky items like a comforter, or will you have to take those somewhere else? (Additional cost)
Almost everyone moving from a house to an apartment underestimates the laundry costs. LOL Another thing you might want to check is the hours the laundry room is open; make sure it will not be closed during the times you would want to do laundry.
Good luck with your apartment hunting! :)