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Never lived in an apartment b4 and want to spend less/save money. I was just wondering if most apartments pay for utilities? If so, which ones. Should this be something I look for when searching for an apartment?
Most advertisements for apartments will tell you if utilities are included. Some include all utilities, some you pay electric, some you pay all utilities. When you start looking, you will find out then what apartments include all utilities. You may want to go with a place that pays all utilities because it will be fewer bills for you to worry about and remember to pay each month.
My apartment building includes all utilities. It's my experience that most of the "all inclusive" apartments are in hirises, but this may just be a regional thing. It's very convenient.
You'll want to ask when you go apartment hunting. It is my experience that a significant number of landlords / PMCs will say stupid things like "Oh sure, all utilities are included free of charge ... you just pay gas and electric". Be sure to clarify that when they say "all utilities", that means electric + water + sewer + trash + gas.
In my area its the older buildings that are "utilities included" because on the older builds they didn't install separate meters for multi-housing so its not possible to trace individual unit usage. I own a condo in an what used to be apartments built in the 60's and everyone pays 1/100 (100 units) of the tab. My tenant pays me a flat rate monthly and I, as the LL, deal with the fluctuations in my costs for the varying utility bills.
In my area, most single family houses and plexes are "you use it, you pay for it", ie, no utilities included. Most apartments include sewer, water, trash, and sometimes cable and internet. You usually have to pay your own power and gas.
But yeah, very market specific.
Many condo units and townhouses also have HOA fees. Usually the owner pays those, but be sure to ask the question. Also, don't assume that just because there are amenities (like a pool, clubhouse, gym, etc) that they are included for free. Ask.
Never lived in an apartment b4 and want to spend less/save money. I was just wondering if most apartments pay for utilities? If so, which ones. Should this be something I look for when searching for an apartment?
Where I live about 40% of the places are heat and hot water included. Electric is rarely included.
Alot of the places that it isn't included have inefficient heating systems with sky high bills. Some of these electric heat because its the cheapest to maintain and the landlord doesn't care since he doesn't have to pay for it.
In every complex I've lived in, trash was included. In two of them, water was included. In the most recent complex, they covered trash, but you were responsible for water/sewer - which the apartment complex would bill all residents by calculating the bill for the entire complex and then dividing it out based on how many residents were in each unit.
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