One of the most frustrating parts of apartment hunting is the sheer number of options you have available to you. You have the price of rent, you have amenities, location and so much more to choose from. It is no wonder that so many people end up making an apartment hunting decision that they regret.

The first thing you need to do when you start apartment hunting is make a list of priorities. For most people, rent is the absolute deciding factor when it comes to picking the right place to live. However, there are other things you should keep in mind. You will likely have to renegotiate your car insurance rates once you move. If you happen to be moving to a place that has covered parking or is only a short distance to your job, you could end up saving big on your car insurance. Be sure to call ahead and get a quote and then factor that number into your monthly budget before you decide.

There is also a significant quality of life issue that you have to answer. Sure, paying rent is important and having money left over for entertainment is vital, but if you can manage to move into a much nicer place with a better location, your quality of life will likely be dramatically improved. In these cases, if you can find a way to change around your budget and reorder some of your priorities, than you probably should. Just don’t get carried away.

One final option that you may want to take into consideration is shopping. If you used to live next to the discount market and you are looking at a place that is across the road from the organic food stand, you’ll likely be paying more per month for basic things like fruits and vegetables. These are often the hidden costs that bite people in the back end when they move. Do your best to try to foresee all of these eventualities.