The tripling of oil prices in the last 2 years is causing economic disruptions, many of which we are only beginning to see. What’s the impact on tenants? If you pay your own heating bill, expect higher energy bills as natural gas prices also increase. However, moving to a similar apartment where the landlord pays the heat will likely be of no benefit, as the rent will be higher there to make up for rising costs.
A better strategy is to look at your transportation costs. Can you walk to public transportation, or does your apartment community provide a shuttle to a train? Can you walk to shopping, restaurants, or recreation? Please look at our Unique page to see which apartment communities offer these advantages.
It’s also true that renting is a smart thing to do at a time like this. Not only do you avoid the plummeting housing values that owners are suffering, but you have more flexibility to move, if you need to.