Whether you’re looking for short-term living arrangements or trying to avoid the high cost of moving furniture into a temporary space, you’ve likely considered furnished apartments. After all, this rental option does come with lots of unique perks!
Finding the perfect community can be a lot of work, especially if you’re a first-time renter or are moving to the United States from another country. Before committing to a lease agreement, learn how apartment communities offer furnished apartments and what options are available if they don’t.
Do Apartments Come Furnished?
A furnished apartment is often pre-equipped with the basic furniture you need to live comfortably (i.e., sofas, dining sets, bed frame, mattress, and a dresser). While many apartments come furnished, this is not the status quo. Unless the listing you’re looking at explicitly says “furnished,” assume that it is not.
Fortunately, even if you’ve fallen in love with an unfurnished space, renting furniture allows you to turn an empty studio into a fully-furnished home. Furniture rentals work for many lifestyles thanks to their temporary and flexible nature.
CORT can provide a customized subscription package that allows you to select furniture options of your choice. We even deliver and set up these items directly in your new space, and come pick them up at the end of your lease, so you can avoid the hassle of hiring pricey moving companies.
Additionally, CORT works with many property management companies to provide Furniture as an Amenity™, allowing apartment complexes to seamlessly furnish apartments depending on tenant needs. In turn, tenants get stylish, well-maintained furnishings for their homes, and plenty of common areas around the property to work, lounge, and entertain guests.
Differences Between Furnished and Unfurnished Apartments
Move-In Costs
Of course, with an unfurnished apartment, you’ll need to spend a considerable amount of precious time and money on moving your belongings from their previous location. And if you need additional items for your space, those will also add to your expenses.
With a furnished apartment, you can opt-out of hiring a moving company altogether! Depending on your furniture rental package, you can get everything from bedroom furniture to kitchenware and appliances delivered to you.
Rent Price
Rent price is one of the key differences between a furnished and unfurnished apartment. Since a pre-furnished apartment is essentially move-in ready, the rent may be higher than similar unfurnished alternatives.
Fortunately, this increase in rent price usually offsets the amount you would spend when furnishing the space on your own. Additionally, when you’re ready to move to your next location, you won’t have to pay those pesky moving fees to get your furniture from one space to the next.
Freedom in Design Choices
The perk to renting an unfurnished apartment is that you start with a blank slate and choose furniture pieces and decor items that fit your personality and style more closely. In contrast, furnished apartments typically select these items for you. This may prove convenient for those who aren’t too concerned with specific design styles.
As for those who choose to rent an unfurnished apartment and pair it with a subscription package from CORT, you’ll be able to customize your furniture rental items to suit your likes and needs!
Types of Furnished Apartments
Not all apartments are created equal, and that’s even more true when distinguishing between the different types of furnished options. When speaking with your leasing manager, you’ll want to get the scoop on everything, including which items are provided (i.e., living room furniture, bedding, washer and dryer units, etc.), the length of your lease, and the building amenities.
It’s important to note that the vast majority of homes in the United States include major appliances and water equipment deemed mandatory by law. These items include functioning ovens, toilets, showers, and faucets.
Semi-Furnished Apartments
Semi-furnished apartments provide the ultimate essentials needed to live comfortably in a space, while the renter is required to fill in the proverbial blanks. Some of these items may include:
- A dining set (i.e., a kitchen table and chairs)
- A bedroom set featuring a mattress and bed frame
- A sofa or couch for the living room
Fully Furnished Apartments
Fully-furnished apartments may feature the large furniture pieces you need to feel at home as well as base semi-furnished items. These amenities may include:
- Curtains for each room — including shower curtains
- Coffee tables and end tables
- Area Rugs
- Additional lighting features such as lamps
Move-in Ready Apartments
Move-in ready apartments often come equipped with all of the amenities featured in a fully-furnished option but will usually include additional decor items for an overall finished look.
- Decor items such as wall art and faux plants
- Bedding materials like pillows, sheets, and blankets
- Dishware items including utensils, cookware, and more
Are Furnished Apartments Right for You?
The answer is, “it depends.” If you are looking for shorter-term leases, then short-term furnished apartments may be right for you. On the other hand, if you’re staying somewhere temporarily and can’t find affordable furnished apartments that fit your needs, simply add CORT Furniture Rentals to the unfurnished apartment of your choice!
Furnish Your Apartment With CORT
Are you having a hard time finding the right furnished apartment for you? Consider renting from CORT and benefit from choosing Move-In Ready Packages catered to your unique sense of style. You can put together a furniture rental package online and have your space fully or partially furnished just in time for move-in day!
