Make friends with at least a few neighbors
Stay away from the ones that you think will be knocking on your door everyday, but you need to know a few people in your building. Eventually, you could trade keys in case either of you get locked out, or you can pet-sit if one of you has a dog or cat. Also, you want someone to know when you are away, so they can keep an eye on the place. Trust me on this one!
You should never go over your budget
Most finance professionals tell you that you should be paying 1/3 of your gross income, so if you make $5,000 per month before taxes, your rent should not be more than $1,666. Of course, I understand this is not always feasible in certain markets, but it is a good percentage to try to stick to.
If having a parking spot is important to you, ask if you get one
A lot of apartment buildings do not have specific spots for everyone, so you should make sure you get one if you want one. I pay $90 for mine each month, that’s how important it is to us!
Talk to the neighbors if you get a chance
If only I had done this at a few of the places that I lived, I never would have moved in. Between finding out about the guy that sings love songs to his old girlfriend at 3am to the chain smoker in the apartment next door, you can learn a lot just by being friendly with one of the neighbors. Ask them what they think of the place, how the landlord is, etc. – get a feel for your new home before you sign anything.
The landlord is probably going to ask you for a check to cover a credit check, so be sure to bring your checkbook
Also, when you get accepted, you will probably be asked for first, last and security, meaning that your new $1200 a month apartment actually will cost $2400 plus the deposit for that first month. Be sure to have the money in your account!
When you meet the landlord, try to act like a grownup
You might not want to wear your baseball hat backwards or continue smoking that cigarette – it could reflect badly on you. And oftentimes there are several people applying for any apartment, so you want to present yourself at your best…even if that changes once you sign the lease.
Common Myths about Apartment Living
Think you know everything there is to know about apartments? Well here are some common myths many people have about apartment living that may just surprise you.
Myth: Crime rates are much higher in apartments.
Truth: On the whole, apartments are actually generally safer. In recent studies it has actually been found that police services are needed around half as often in apartment complexes.
Myth: Because an apartment is affordable it must be cheaply built and poorly maintained.
Truth: This myth is not true at all. Apartment buildings are held to the same, if not stricter, building standards as everyone else. Just because an apartment is affordable doesn't mean they're going to short change you.
Myth: If my roommate cannot make rent, it is not my responsibility.
Truth: Look out on this one, in many cases if your roommate does not make rent you're both held responsible, which means you could be left with the full responsibility or the resulting bad credit. Make sure to check your lease and clarify this with your landlord.
Myth: If I don't make rent my landlord can lock me out of my apartment.
Truth: Nope! This one is false too. In order for your landlord to lock you out you either would have had to have been taken to court or be given the proper notice. A landlord does not have the right to completely cut you off without notice.
Myth: Apartments create major traffic problems for both the residents and the general public.
Truth: As it turns out, apartment residents are generally more likely to take public transportation and thus own fewer cars than the average homeowner.
Myth: My landlord can enter my apartment at his/her own will.
Truth: Landlords are required to give you a reasonable amount of notice before entering your apartment. Landlords are also not allowed to bully you: if a landlord is coming into your apartment excessively you need to speak up.
Myth: The landlord is required to pay for anything, large or small, that was originally in my apartment that breaks or gets worn down.
Truth: Read your lease. What the landlord is required to pay for should be outlined. Generally, landlords are not responsible for anything you may break or anything generally regarded as cosmetic, such as a scratched up floor or door. They are, however, responsible for general maintenance of the property.
One of the most important things you should get from this is that things that may seem obvious aren't necessarily true. When dealing with your apartment you should try your best to research as much as you can. In many cases it can clear up misunderstandings that would generally waste your time and money.
Renting an Apartment
While it doesn't offer any investment potential, renting an apartment is the wisest financial choice for many people. Some may be saving for a down payment on a home, others may be unable to afford buying a home. For families or individuals who move often or for those not interested in the maintenance and repair of a home, renting can offer freedom to relocate and some relief from the costs of home ownership. No matter why an individual is renting, it's a great idea to know about the financial and legal aspects.
Leases
A lease is a binding contract that lays out the conditions and responsibilities of a rental agreement, both for the owner and the renter. It stipulates the monthly rental price, payment due date, the length of the lease and what happens if one of you breaks the lease. A lease generally also outlines whether the renter or landlord will pay the utilities, whether pets are allowed, and any other restrictions and requirements the landlord wants to include.
Read your lease agreement very carefully before you sign it. You will be held accountable for knowing everything included in the lease. Also, keep a copy of the lease for your records. It may come in handy if you have a question about what you are or are not allowed to do.
Cosigning
If the landlord is not convinced that you will be able to make your payments, he or she may require you to get a cosigner. This is someone who will share financial responsibility for the lease. If for some reason you are unable to make the payments, the cosigner will then be responsible for making the payments.
Breaking a Lease
You should avoid breaking a lease by moving out before the end of the agreed term if at all possible. Each lease agreement has its own penalties for breaking the terms—some only require the payment of a penalty but others require the renter to continue paying rent until the apartment is re-rented. For this reason, it's critical to check your lease and make sure you can handle the financial ramifications before you break your lease.
Advantages Of Renting An Apartment
Depending on your age, family status and income, there are always pressures to live a certain way and spend a certain amount of money. For most families, the opinion is that it is better to buy a house and deal with a mortgage instead of renting. The reasoning behind this is so that the children will have a home to grow up in and even inherit in their later years, which is true even if the parents sell because they will be moving up the property ladder and buying something more valuable. Rental accommodation is thought to be the option for singles and young couples who have yet to really settle down and start a family, because their living arrangement is flexible and they will not be tied down to a specific place, or even to each other, if worse comes to worse.
Is this really the case though? The truth is that it comes down to several individual factors. Deciding whether to rent or own must be considered on a case by case basis. Although the eventual plan for the vast majority of families is to own a house and stay put for the sake of the children, there are some families who simply cannot afford to take on a mortgage just yet, or who move often enough to never benefit from getting on the property ladder. Often it is best for low-income families to stay in a rental property for as long as it takes them to either start making more money or to save up for a home of their own. This will give them the financial freedom to provide for themselves and their families properly in terms of nourishing meals, school fees, clothes and other unforeseen expenses instead of spending every spare penny on the mortgage and hoping that the bank won’t decide to repossess their house.
Renting is also a great option for younger people who are often driven to travel and explore new places and situations instead of staying put in one spot for 15 to 30 years until the mortgage is paid off. Renting gives anyone with the tendency to explore the freedom to do so without heavy financial obligations. As well as this major feature, renting also gives some people with a lower income, or who rely solely on their own income, to live in a high-end apartment because the rent is lower that mortgage payments would be.
Mobility is also one of the keys to renting. Houses for sale are usually in suburban areas and this means that the owners need to rely on their vehicles to get to and from the center of the city, to work and back, and anywhere else they need to go. Apartment rentals or house rentals can be found in the middle of city centers so that no car is necessary and the renter is free to walk to many popular destinations, as well as to many of the amenities they will need to use on a daily, weekly or monthly basis. Renting has many positive qualities that are often overlooked, so if you are debating whether to rent or buy, think carefully about your lifestyle.
Beautiful Prominence Apartments is conveniently located close to schools, shopping and dining!
What to do: Prominence Luxury Apartments is centrally located, close to all of the North County attractions including Legoland and the Wild Animal Park. San Marcos is home to several fantastic lakes and wildlife preserves for hiking, fishing, and boat rentals. Great shopping at the nearby Carlsbad Outlets and/or the North County Mall (featuring more than 100 shops, including Nordstrom, Macy’s, JC Penny).
Where Lifestyle and Luxury Finally Become One!
North County’s newest apartment community with every imaginable amenity you could dream of having right at your doorstep. From the moment you see Prominence Apartments, you’ll realize you’ve settled for far less in the past, and when you enter the property you’ll promise yourself never to do it again.
Prominence Apartments 601 S Twin Oaks Valley Rd, San Marcos, CA 92069 (760) 798-2632 (888) 429-6140 prominenceapartments.com
We offer short term, month to month, and flexible lease terms.
$485 security deposit OAC – Same day sign and save $200!! Only a $14 application fee!!
MILITARY WELCOME: Ask about our military special!!!
Washer/Dryer available for $25 per month!
Beautiful Prominence Apartments is conveniently located close to schools, shopping and dining!
What to do: Prominence Luxury Apartments is centrally located, close to all of the North County attractions including Legoland and the Wild Animal Park. San Marcos is home to several fantastic lakes and wildlife preserves for hiking, fishing, and boat rentals. Great shopping at the nearby Carlsbad Outlets and/or the North County Mall (featuring more than 100 shops, including Nordstrom, Macy’s, JC Penny).
Where to eat: Just minutes away from San Marcos’s own Restaurant Row where you will find fine dining, casual steakhouses, and every cuisine imaginable. Walking distance to grocery stores, sandwich shops, Mongolian BBQ, and much more.
Where to learn:
COLLEGE: CAL STATE SAN MARCOS, PALOMAR COLLEGE, MIRA COSTA COLLEGE
HIGH SCHOOL: MISSION HILLS HIGH SCHOOL, SAN MARCOS HIGH SCHOOL
MIDDLE SCHOOL: WOODLAND PARK MIDDLE SCHOOL
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL: DISCOVERY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
How to get here:
FROM 78 WEST
1. Take exit 13 for Twin Oaks Valley Rd (0.2 mi)
2. Turn left at S Twin Oaks Valley Rd (1.0 mi)
3. Make a U-turn at Village Dr
4. Destination will be on the right (0.2 mi)
FROM 78 EAST
1. Take exit 13 for Twin Oaks Valley Rd (0.2 mi)
2. Turn right at S Twin Oaks Valley Rd (1.0 mi)
3. Make a U-turn at Village Dr
4. Destination will be on the right (0.2 mi)
601 S Twin Oaks Valley Rd San Marcos, CA 92078
Prominence Apartments 601 S Twin Oaks Valley Rd, San Marcos, CA 92069 (760) 798-2632 (888) 429-6140 prominenceapartments.com
Where Lifestyle and Luxury Finally Become One!
North County’s newest apartment community with every imaginable amenity you could dream of having right at your doorstep. From the moment you see Prominence Apartments, you’ll realize you’ve settled for far less in the past, and when you enter the property you’ll promise yourself never to do it again.
Neighborhood and things to do!
Beautiful Prominence Apartments is conveniently located close to schools, shopping and dining!
What to do: Prominence Luxury Apartments is centrally located, close to all of the North County attractions including Legoland and the Wild Animal Park. San Marcos is home to several fantastic lakes and wildlife preserves for hiking, fishing, and boat rentals. Great shopping at the nearby Carlsbad Outlets and/or the North County Mall (featuring more than 100 shops, including Nordstrom, Macy’s, JC Penny).
Where to eat: Just minutes away from San Marcos’s own Restaurant Row where you will find fine dining, casual steakhouses, and every cuisine imaginable. Walking distance to grocery stores, sandwich shops, Mongolian BBQ, and much more.
Where to learn:
COLLEGE: CAL STATE SAN MARCOS, PALOMAR COLLEGE, MIRA COSTA COLLEGE
HIGH SCHOOL: MISSION HILLS HIGH SCHOOL, SAN MARCOS HIGH SCHOOL
MIDDLE SCHOOL: WOODLAND PARK MIDDLE SCHOOL
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL: DISCOVERY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
How to get here:
FROM 78 WEST
1. Take exit 13 for Twin Oaks Valley Rd (0.2 mi)
2. Turn left at S Twin Oaks Valley Rd (1.0 mi)
3. Make a U-turn at Village Dr
4. Destination will be on the right (0.2 mi)
FROM 78 EAST
1. Take exit 13 for Twin Oaks Valley Rd (0.2 mi)
2. Turn right at S Twin Oaks Valley Rd (1.0 mi)
3. Make a U-turn at Village Dr
4. Destination will be on the right (0.2 mi)
601 S Twin Oaks Valley Rd San Marcos, CA 92078
What to do: Prominence Luxury Apartments is centrally located, close to all of the North County attractions including Legoland and the Wild Animal Park. San Marcos is home to several fantastic lakes and wildlife preserves for hiking, fishing, and boat rentals. Great shopping at the nearby Carlsbad Outlets and/or the North County Mall (featuring more than 100 shops, including Nordstrom, Macy’s, JC Penny).
Where to eat: Just minutes away from San Marcos’s own Restaurant Row where you will find fine dining, casual steakhouses, and every cuisine imaginable. Walking distance to grocery stores, sandwich shops, Mongolian BBQ, and much more.
Where to learn:
COLLEGE: CAL STATE SAN MARCOS, PALOMAR COLLEGE, MIRA COSTA COLLEGE
HIGH SCHOOL: MISSION HILLS HIGH SCHOOL, SAN MARCOS HIGH SCHOOL
MIDDLE SCHOOL: WOODLAND PARK MIDDLE SCHOOL
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL: DISCOVERY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
How to get here:
FROM 78 WEST
1. Take exit 13 for Twin Oaks Valley Rd (0.2 mi)
2. Turn left at S Twin Oaks Valley Rd (1.0 mi)
3. Make a U-turn at Village Dr
4. Destination will be on the right (0.2 mi)
FROM 78 EAST
1. Take exit 13 for Twin Oaks Valley Rd (0.2 mi)
2. Turn right at S Twin Oaks Valley Rd (1.0 mi)
3. Make a U-turn at Village Dr
4. Destination will be on the right (0.2 mi)
601 S Twin Oaks Valley Rd San Marcos, CA 92078
Features
Our apartment homes feature granite countertops in the kitchen and
bathroom, gas appliances, double-pane windows, private and spacious
patios, gas fireplaces, central heat and air, washer/dryer hook-ups,
garages available and so much more!
A Lot To Offer
"My family and I have been living at the Prominence Apartment complex for about six months. The complex has alot to offer from Raquetball to a indoor movie theater. The security is great. The staff is professional and friendly. I would recommend this complex to all my family and friends."
Beautiful complex with tons of nice amenities!
"I've lived here for about four years now and overall I m a happy tenant. It s a beautiful complex with tons of nice amenities. There isn't anything nicer in North County. I live in the older apartments toward the front where it isn't as crammed so I've never been bothered by the noise. The parking however is a pain in the butt. If you want to have friends or family come over they better all be in one car. I am happy with my apartment because even after living here for four years I've never had any appliances or anything else break.. Overall it s a beautiful place to live, and worth the noise and parking issues."
Neighborhood
Beautiful Prominence Apartments is conveniently located close to schools, shopping and dining!
What to do: Prominence Luxury Apartments is centrally located, close to all of the North County attractions including Legoland and the Wild Animal Park. San Marcos is home to several fantastic lakes and wildlife preserves for hiking, fishing, and boat rentals. Great shopping at the nearby Carlsbad Outlets and/or the North County Mall (featuring more than 100 shops, including Nordstrom, Macy’s, JC Penny).
Where to eat: Just minutes away from San Marcos’s own Restaurant Row where you will find fine dining, casual steakhouses, and every cuisine imaginable. Walking distance to grocery stores, sandwich shops, Mongolian BBQ, and much more.
Where to learn:
COLLEGE: CAL STATE SAN MARCOS, PALOMAR COLLEGE, MIRA COSTA COLLEGE
HIGH SCHOOL: MISSION HILLS HIGH SCHOOL, SAN MARCOS HIGH SCHOOL
MIDDLE SCHOOL: WOODLAND PARK MIDDLE SCHOOL
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL: DISCOVERY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
How to get here:
FROM 78 WEST
1. Take exit 13 for Twin Oaks Valley Rd (0.2 mi)
2. Turn left at S Twin Oaks Valley Rd (1.0 mi)
3. Make a U-turn at Village Dr
4. Destination will be on the right (0.2 mi)
FROM 78 EAST
1. Take exit 13 for Twin Oaks Valley Rd (0.2 mi)
2. Turn right at S Twin Oaks Valley Rd (1.0 mi)
3. Make a U-turn at Village Dr
4. Destination will be on the right (0.2 mi)
601 S Twin Oaks Valley Rd San Marcos, CA 92078
**TESTIMONIAL**
Prominence was our first apartment. After moving, and starting up the apartment hunt again, we came back to Prominence. We felt very spoiled that Prominence was our first apartment! The landscaping and surrounding area is beautiful. The location of Prominence is ideal for any occasion. By far the best apartment complex in North County!
**TESTIMONIAL**
I love it here!! After apartment hunting throughout the entire North County, I thought i was going to have to live in a crappy run down apartment where I would be scared to walk outside at night by myself. This place is different. The office staff is very nice and have gone the extra mile to make sure we got a great place. We saw a place in Carlsbad that was more expensive but after doing a walk through decided right away it was crap compared to Prominence. It's close to school, cutting my weekly expense on gas in half! I love it here and wouldn't want to live anywhere else!
Welcome
The initial Willmark company was founded in 1978. Following construction, the integrity of our projects continue with Willmark’s experienced asset management team. With established properties in California, Nevada and Oklahoma, Willmark continues to expand their portfolio. The corporate office is housed in San Diego, California.
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