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When it comes to the best apartment amenities, what’s popular in 2017 may surprise you. According to Apartment Guide research, many of those searching for an apartment tend to focus on individual apartment features rather than community features. However, many apartment hunters weigh community features at approximately the same level of importance as how many bedrooms they’re looking for, so community features matter. Those who want community features, however, tend to weigh them as highly as features of each apartment, so community amenities really matter as well.
According to our data, apartment renters love their pets with most of the apartment searches looking for either pet friendly communities or apartments that allow pets. Being able to do the laundry also ranks supreme, with an in-unit washer and dryer at the top of the wish list for many renters. Additionally, keeping cool is also a big concern for renters, with many looking for air conditioning or a community pool as an amenity.
You’re ready to start your search for a new apartment. You’ve selected the neighborhoods you like and made a budget so you know what you can afford. Now it’s time to narrow down your search by determining which apartment amenities you might need.
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As a recap, here’s what recent ApartmentGuide searches show as the most popular amenities:
The Most Popular Apartment Amenities in 2017
- In-unit washer and dryer
- Air conditioning
- Pets allowed
- Furnished apartments
- Dishwasher
- Washer and dryer connections
- Some utilities included
- Balcony
- Cable ready
- All utilities included
The Most Popular Community Amenities in 2017
- Pet friendly
- Garages
- Swimming pool
- High speed internet access
- Fitness Center
- Laundry Facility
- Covered Parking
- Gated Access
- Wireless internet access
- Access to public transportation
Growing in popularity
These lists are never set in stone. What’s important now may not be in the future, and amenities we barely think about now become must-haves in the future. We took a look at some industry trends, and found these amenities, while not yet on this list, are on the way up.
- More elaborate fitness centers: It’s not enough just to have weights and exercise machines. Everything from adding tennis or basketball courts to having full, complimentary yoga classes are becoming more common.
- Bike-friendly amenities: More people are getting around on their bikes, so amenities such as bike storage and repair are becoming much more sought after by renters.
- Online payments and maintenance: Do you really want to call the front office to get something fixed? Does anyone like writing checks for rent? Being able to handle these online is especially attractive to younger renters.
- Package lockers: We get far more packages than we used to – have you seen how many people buy everything through Amazon? – so having somewhere to keep them other than at your front door is incredibly attractive to renters.
- Electric car charging stations: More electric cars means more people needing somewhere to plug them in overnight.
- Hardwood floors: Not all the rising amenities are new things. Having your apartment look good on the inside is a strong desire, and carpet or tile just doesn’t do it for some people.
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