There are millions of apps you can find on the Apple App Store and Google Play right now. In fact, as of Q1 2021, those two combined have over 5.5 million applications to download! Some of them you install as soon as you get a new smartphone (or even have them pre-installed by default), while others, like Uber or Spotify, you soon realize you can’t live without.
Fortunately for all renters and apartment seekers around the world, there are many apps that were created specifically to make their lives easier. It can be challenging to be a tenant, from searching for a new apartment or room to trying to budget your expenses to dealing with your roommates. And, don’t forget about communicating with your landlord and paying rent on time!
To save you the trouble of scrolling through countless apps and trying each of them out, we’ve prepared the list of the most useful apps any tenant should consider installing on their phone.
Rentberry
Looking for a new home can be a long and exhausting process. It can be hard enough to find a place that actually looks good to you, meets your financial expectations, and is located in a decent neighborhood. Add to this being selected by the landlord among dozens of other applicants and agreeing with them on all details regarding the rental — this truly becomes an epic quest!
Rentberry is an apartment-hunting app that will become your best friend, not only when searching for a new rental, but for a long time after. Thanks to Rentberry’s great mobile application, you can search for different types of properties in your selected location, such as apartments, houses, townhouses, or rooms. Rentberry offers virtual tours for a great number of rentals, an interactive map to make it easier to navigate through different neighborhoods, and the possibility to maximally customize your search, thanks to many filters.
Tenants who are searching for a new place can use it to schedule apartment tours online, send a potential landlord their application, and even sign an agreement electronically. And, you might want to keep it on your phone even after moving in to send maintenance requests to the landlord, sign up for tenant’s insurance, and keep all your rental-related documents in one place. It is free and comes both for iOS and Android.
If you live in a rental apartment, you know that sometimes it can be very difficult to make a new rental feel like home. Every time you have to switch to a new place, you have to deal with certain design solutions that might not be to your taste or search for new ways to make these soulless walls become a fun place to live that would reflect your personality.
Pinterest is a perfect starting point for any of these purposes. First of all, by simply looking at various beautiful interior design options, you can develop your sense of aesthetics. Soon enough, you’ll notice how easy it will become to combine different styles and colors in one room. Also, Pinterest is a bottomless pit of DIY ideas and instructions, so if you enjoy creating something out of nothing for your home, you can incorporate some truly unique objects and solutions for your new digs. All this with minimal costs, which is perfect for any renter who cannot afford to spend tons of money every time they move to a new place.
Pinterest has been used for years by millions of users from all over the world, and it is a truly unique place where you can always find inspiration and fresh ideas on how to make your rental feel like a real home.
Credit Karma
We believe that any resident of the United States has to keep their credit score in check. This is especially true when we talk about those who have to deal with real estate or rental properties. Buyers and tenants all over the country are evaluated and selected based on their credit scores. That’s why we recommend having Credit Karma downloaded on your phone.
Credit Karma provides weekly reports from TransUnion and Equifax — two out of the three big credit reporting agencies, so the information you get is accurate and reliable. This financial app allows you to monitor your credit score and receive broader reports on what affects your score, with some recommendations on how you can improve your credit score. These features make it particularly useful for those who want to build or improve their score. Also, you can use it to simulate how your record might change if you finish paying off your student loan or open a new credit account.
There are also plenty of additional services — the ability to open a credit card, take a loan, or even a feature to file your taxes. However, many users tend to bring up high interest rates and issues with tax calculations, so we would recommend you use it for keeping track of your credit score solely.
Mint
Some experts say that millennials are terrible at handling finances, while others insist that things are not as bad as they seem. While there are multiple opinions on different generations and their money spending habits, one thing is clear. You do have to treat your money wisely, especially if you’re a renter who wants to purchase their own place one day. Unfortunately, for many of us, saving money does not come naturally — this is where applications such as Mint come in handy.
To use the app, you’d have to connect your various financial accounts to Mint — it supports almost any financial institution and bank in the US and their respective checking accounts, IRAs, credit cards, savings accounts, and more. Later on, you can create your budget and see how much you spend in various categories per month, such as food, entertainment, or subscriptions. We believe that the last one might be especially useful and insightful for many of us — do you know how much you spend on Netflix, Spotify, Amazon Prime, and so many others per month? Of course, this categorization in the app is automatic.
This budgeting app is very easy and straightforward to use, so it wouldn’t take you much time to figure out how to start tracking your financial situation. Set up your short-term or long-term saving goals, check how much you’ve already spent and if you have to become more frugal for the remainder of the month to be able to save as much as you wanted, and simply keep track of each transaction. Mint will become your best companion and a free financial advisor.
Encircle
Probably, there is no person on Earth who could list all their belongings if they had to. However, you might face situations when you have to describe each item you possess, including its purpose and value.
Using a home inventory app is a must for anyone who has to move to a new place, as it’s the best way to keep track of all your possessions and avoid loss or leaving them behind when the time for packing comes. But, even if you don’t move around that often, you might want to keep the Encircle app on your phone.
Many people in the US use it to create a comprehensive inventory of household items to use for insurance claims. Hopefully, you will never need this feature, but better safe than sorry! If some unpleasant situation such as flood or break-in happens, it would be much easier for you to deal with the situation if you have used a home inventory app beforehand.
Encircle allows you to take pictures of each individual item or a whole room picture, so you wouldn’t have to create a photoshoot for each trinket you have. Later on, you can add a text note to each item if needed. And, whenever you need, you can generate comprehensive PDF reports to share with the insurance company, customs, or the moving crew.
Thumbtack
There are plenty of times in the renter’s life when you might need to ask for a helping hand. From hiring professional movers when you have to relocate to the new place to finding help to keep your rental clean and in good condition — we’ve all been there. Fortunately, nowadays, there are plenty of apps that will help you find local professionals, such as plumbers, cleaners, movers, and anyone else for home improvement projects.
One of the best apps on the market for this purpose is Thumbtack. This app lets you search among the vast selection of various professionals and makes it easy to find the best match with a good variety of filters. What’s more, you can read the reviews from real customers who order the services of a professional before and chat with the pro of your choice directly in the app. And when you’re ready to book a service, you can do it directly in the app as well.
Many users of the app note a straightforward and easy-to-navigate interface, quality experts, and the ability to find a professional right next door. Using the app is free, and you’d only have to pay the professional whose services you used. Now, when all your friends are busy or out of town for your move, you would never have to do it alone anymore!
Modern technology has brought so many things to us, so we have to make sure we use it to our fullest. From finding a new apartment to live to creating a home inventory and hiring movers to getting comfortable at a new place, there is an app for every need and every purpose. Hopefully, this list will come in handy for you, and you’ll discover new ways to deal with some of your common dilemmas thanks to this article!
