When you decide to rent a fully furnished apartment, you’re choosing ease, flexibility, and convenience. You can live in the apartment of your dreams without the commitment of purchasing the furniture, and you can move at a moment’s notice.
That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t go in without as much knowledge as possible, though. There are a few unique things to consider when renting a fully furnished apartment to make the best decision for your lifestyle!
1. What Is a Furnished Apartment?
Before hunting for the perfect apartment, you need to understand what a furnished apartment actually is. A furnished unit is an apartment that already comes with the furniture you need to live comfortably. They’re a big draw for people who move often, don’t want to commit to buying furniture, or simply want to make their next move as easy as possible.
After learning what a furnished unit is, many people ask questions like, “Do studio apartments come furnished?” And it depends. Some apartment communities offer furnished units for any floorplan, some only offer select furnished units, and some don’t offer furnished apartments at all.
Struggling to find apartments listed as fully furnished? You can DIY a furnished apartment through rental companies like CORT. We deliver and set up your rental furniture before you arrive, so you can move into a fully furnished, move-in-ready apartment. And when it’s time for you to move on, we take care of the pickup.
2. What Furniture Is Included With the Apartment?
When renting a pre-furnished apartment, ask for a list of what exactly is included. You might be surprised how much furnished apartments can vary. Some come with only the bare necessities, and others come decked out. You don’t want to realize at shower time that you don’t have a shower curtain or discover you don’t have a single lamp on your first night, let alone a lamp with a light bulb. Understand what is included and what you’ll need to add.
If your dream apartment doesn’t have a move-in-ready unit available, fill the gaps with CORT. Whether you need help tying together your furnished living room with decor or stocking the kitchen with cooking utensils, we’re here for you. Add housewares for the kitchen, bedroom, and bathroom to your order, and all your pots, pans, and dishes will be unpacked and neatly put away prior to your arrival. Even your bed will be made and the shower curtain installed, so there’s absolutely nothing left for you to do when moving day comes!
3. Is Furniture Included in the Rent?
There is a price difference between furnished and unfurnished rentals, but that doesn’t necessarily mean the community you rent from will make that cost clear upfront. You don’t want to rent a furnished apartment only to find out that there is an added furniture rent on top of the stated apartment rent when you get your first bill. Make sure to ask your landlord if the furniture rental fees are all included in the rent so you don’t get any nasty surprises.
4. Is There a Security Deposit on the Furniture?
When asking, “How much more expensive are furnished apartments?” you might need to consider more than just rent. Almost every apartment requires a security deposit that typically equals one month’s rent. For furnished apartments, you should ask if there is a security deposit on the furniture as well because that can dramatically increase the amount you have to hand over. In fact, it can double or even triple the security deposit you’ll need to cough up. This one’s an important detail to know, and it might have you switching gears and trying to figure out how cheap it is to furnish an apartment. Don’t forget that renting furniture is always a great alternative!
5. How Are Pickup and Delivery Handled?
Some apartment communities have furnished apartments on standby, and others will turn an unfurnished apartment into a furnished one. If the furniture isn’t already in your new apartment, you’ll need to know exactly how delivery and pickup are handled. Will the delivery team do the heavy lifting when everything arrives? Will they assemble it, or is that on you? How do you schedule and prepare for a pick-up when you’re done with your rented furniture?
Renting through CORT means that the delivery, heavy lifting, assembling and disassembling, and moving out are handled by the CORT team. You don’t even have to be present at delivery. We just need access to your apartment. CORT will work with your apartment management to get the furniture into your new place, so it is completely set up before you arrive. No need for you to lift a finger!
6. Can I Pick Out the Furniture?
One of the biggest drawbacks to furnished apartments is that you usually don’t get much choice in the furniture. The complex will likely already have pre-determined furniture they use for these units, and you’ll be stuck with their choices—even if you don’t like them. It doesn’t hurt to ask the property management if you can pick out the pieces, but don’t be surprised if the answer is no.
If the thought of not having control over your furniture and decor style makes you uncomfortable, turn to CORT. We give you ultimate control over what and how much furniture you rent so you can get exactly the furniture you want in the styles you love. You can browse our selection of furniture and decor online, or you can stop by your local CORT showroom to see the furniture up close and in person.
7. What Can I Do If a Furnished Apartment Isn’t Available?
Does your dream apartment complex not offer fully furnished units? That doesn’t mean you have to give up and commit to purchasing furniture or settle for a different apartment community. Instead, browse CORT Furniture Rental and create a custom package today! You can even view furniture pieces in 3D to get a sense of what the furniture will look like in your space. Rent what you need for your apartment and have it delivered and professionally set up. Start curating the perfect furniture rental subscription package online today!
