Why Should I Move to Goshen Terrace Apartments?
Just a few things to consider:
- 96% of Goshen Terrace residents are satisfied with the completion of their Service Requests.
- 70% of Goshen Terrace team members live at the community.
- Goshen Terrace residents have been living in the community for an average of 3.13 years.
- Goshen Terrace has an ApartmentRatings.com over all rating that is 60% higher than the average rating for apartment communities in West Chester.
Please Share With Us
At Berger Rental Communities, we think we’re doing pretty well-Our occupancy rates are higher than our competitors, our residents stay with us longer than the industry standard, and we get a lot of positive feedback from our residents. One of our Core Values is Continuous Improvement. We are never satisfied with the status quo, and we know that no matter how great we are, there is always room for improvement. We want to do everything we can to improve our services, and improve the experiences that our residents have. The only way that we can know how to improve the resident experience is by learning more about what our residents want. We know that our residents are very busy, and do not always have the time to share their feelings with us, so we want to make the sharing of feedback process as easy as possible. The following are easy ways to help us improve:
1. Visit www.BergerReviews.com, and leave a comment for us.
2. Send us an e-mail to comments@rentberger.com.
3. Share feedback at www.ApartmentRatings.com.
4. Complete an anonymous maintenance survey-if we have your e-mail address, the link to this survey will be e-mailed to you when a service request is completed. If you need the link to this, please e-mail us at comments@rentberger.com, and tell us which community you live at. We will send the survey right over to you.
Thanks!
Our Core Purpose and Values
We are proud to have recently defined the Core Purpose and Core Values of Berger Rental Communities. This was quite an easy, yet enlightening, process. To define our purpose and values, all of our team members engaged in a discussion about what drives us all to be excited to come to work each day, and what drives us to be the best that we can be while at work, and what we feel we all possess that allows us to be the best we can. It is clear that we have all felt and understood the Core Purpose and Core Values of Berger Rental Communities, and we are very excited to define these essential parts of our business as:
Core Purpose
To provide every resident with the “Ahhh…home” feeling each time they enter their homes.
Core Values
Collaboration: We believe that greater results are achieved by working together. We work toward a common win/win solution as a team doing what is best for the Company.
Integrity: We require complete honesty and integrity in everything we do. We respect each other, and believe that individuals who are treated with respect respond by giving their best. All interactions are centered around a presumption of good will.
Accountability: We accept personal accountability to meet our business needs and help others improve. We treat the company’s assets as our own and behave with the company’s success in mind. We take responsibility for our successes and errors.
Continuous Improvement: We constantly strive to improve company operations, and further our personal and professional development. We are never satisfied with the status quo and are committed to individual and team initiative to seize opportunities and deliver results.
Short Term Housing Options
Regardless of whether you own or rent your home, it is so important to walk in your door, and hang your hat saying, “Ahhhh…I’m home.” At Berger Rental Communities, we understand that property management has very little do with apartments-it is about providing people with wonderful experiences at a place they call home for both short and long periods of time. During their first visit to our leasing offices, about 80% of future residents mention the words, “buying a house” or “in between houses”. Many of these future residents are pleasantly surprised to learn how great and easy apartment living can be when the goal for the near future is to own their own home. While I cannot speak for other property management companies, Berger Rental Communities makes these transitions very easy for people:
- We offer short term leases at phenomenal rates! Most people expect that they would have to spend a fortune to live in short term housing-our short term leases are offered with a minimal premium.
- Most people choose not to “settle in” to their rental housing and do not want to take the time to really make this space their home because they know they will not be living in that space for a long time. We make it easier by offering custom paint options-our residents do not have to do anything but pick a color. Their color choices are painted on their walls before they move in, which makes feeling at home happen naturally.
- We can arrange to have our apartments furnished before new residents arrive with their boxes-our rental furniture packages allow residents to move in just with a suitcase. They do not have to worry about their furniture that they intend to use in their dream home getting damaged during the moving process; They do not have to worry about picking out bedding that will match both their apartment and their new home. Rental furniture really makes these transitions easy.
- When residents are new to the area, they love using our team as resources-we know our locations and surrounding communities like the back of our hands. Our knowledge can be a priceless tool for a lot of residents.
- When residents know they are about to become tied down with the responsibilities of home ownership, they love to take advantage of our maintenance program! Our rule is, call us for anything-if it is a maintenance emergency at 2:00 in the morning, it will not wait until the next day. It is not so simple when you own a home-enjoy our maintenance program while you can.
Our team is always available to assist people with any of their rental housing needs. Please do not hesitate to contact us when you are in need of a housing resource.
Moving Checklist
Planning is the key to a successful move, so grab your pencil and let the countdown to Moving Day begin. Here are some things to consider:
- Take an objective look at your stuff and try to start sorting things you will move and other things you will give away, throw away, or sell.
- Create a folder for all of your moving-related information and expenses. Depending upon the reason for the move, you may be eligible for a tax deduction.
- Notify the newspaper and magazines, credit card companies, family and friends of your upcoming move.
- Contact the telephone, cable, electric, gas, and Internet providers at your old home to arrange disconnection of services on the day after you move.
- Contact your new telephone, cable, electric, gas, and Internet providers to arrange connection of services on the day before your move. Your leasing team should be able to assist you with these arrangements.
- Make a list of repairs needed in your old home and arrange for the work to be completed before the move.
- Start packing as soon as you can. Remember to label each box with a description of contents and desired room location to spend unpacking after the move. Keep boxes light.
- Make personal travel arrangements for the move.
- Arrange for transporting pets, house plants and anything else the movers can’t take.
- Start cleaning out your refrigerator and freezer. Minimize new food purchases. Put baking soda or charcoal inside your refrigerator and freezer to keep them smelling fresh.
- Contact your insurance company for your renter’s insurance policy. If moving to a Berger Rental Community, you can or order renter’s insurance online at www.eRenterPlan.com.
- Transfer all prescriptions to a drug store near your new home.
- Pay all outstanding bills and be sure to indicate your new address on payment receipts.
- Empty your safe deposit box and arrange for a new safe deposit box at a bank near your new home.
- Give the movers directions to your new home plus contact information, including cell phone, new home phone and emergency contact.
- Give your old home a thorough cleaning.
- Pack linens and other things you will need immediately in boxes labeled “Open First, Load Last.”
- Do a final walk through to ensure that everything has been packed.
- Alert the post office of your change of address by visiting www.usps.com.
First Time Renter Advice
Congratulations! You are moving out and are now own your own. This is no doubt a very exciting time in your life. Here’s some advice about what you need to know to make renting your first apartment a very positive experience.
Private landlord vs. Management Company
Before you start looking, you might want to decide whether you want your apartment run by a private landlord or a management company. There is an important distinction. A private landlord might be someone who rents their property for extra income while working full-time outside of the real estate industry. This could mean that the private landlord might not have the time to put into being available to their residents 24 hours per day. On the other hand, a private landlord might only have a few properties, and might be more apt to making exceptions to rules for individual renters. On the other hand, a management company is in the business for long-term. Management companies should always be available for their residents, and mostly have 24 hour emergency maintenance programs. Because management companies have many more apartments to manage, exceptions to rules are harder to make with management companies. Berger Rental Communities manages over 2,000 apartments in more than 10 communities across the state of Pennsylvania. We are professionals who have built our business on word-of-mouth advertising and resident referrals. We strive to ensure that our residents are happy in their new home.
Choosing a Roommate
Unless you landed yourself a really great job just out of college, you will probably need to consider getting a roommate to share expenses. Consider your friends list. Is there someone you already know that will be living in the same area who you would consider rooming with? The idea is to pick someone fairly similar to yourself. Find someone who keeps the same hours, who shares your level of cleanliness, someone who can afford his or her share of the expenses and someone you genuinely like to spend time with. This is an important decision and one that shouldn’t be made too quickly. If you need to look outside your circle of friends, consider local free ads such as community newspapers and local roommate matching services or online at Craigslist or Move.com to post an ad. Also consider checking the listings or create your own at Roomates.com, RoommateNation.com or RoommateLocator.com. Some of these services may charge you a small monthly fee. When evaluating potential roommates, it is important for you to check references, contact their previous landlord, and verify that they are responsible in regards to making payments.
Apartment Layout
There are many different apartment floor plans available. There are studio, one, and two-bedroom apartments with one or multiple bathrooms and other amenities such as dens, dining rooms, extra storage, etc…Take the time to review the different layouts available to you. Pick a floor plan that most closely fits your lifestyle today…and something you can live with for the next few years.
Compare Apartment Community Amenities
When looking for an apartment, it’s all about the complete package. Many Berger Rental Communities, for example, offer swimming pools, fitness centers, computer facilities, outdoor trails, etc…Take the time to compare offerings of several area communities and consider the potential savings if you don’t need a separate gym membership, for example.
Reserve your Apartment
Once you find the perfect apartment, act quickly. Reserve your apartment by paying a small deposit and completing the application for rental.
Application Fee
Once you place a hold on an apartment, the next step will be a credit screening and the application so you can be approved to rent the specific apartment you are interested in. Once you submit the application, you will generally be asked to pay a small application processing fee to cover the costs of ordering a credit report, checking references and processing your application. This fee is generally non-refundable. For more information about deposits, read Understanding Apartment Deposits.
The Lease Agreement
Once your application has been approved, and you are ready to move into your perfect apartment, you will be presented with a lease agreement. The lease is a legal document that is binding on both the resident and the landlord. It specifies the terms and conditions of the agreement and defines roles and responsibilities. Read this document over carefully. You might even ask a trusted relative or good friend read over it as well. The team at your new apartment community should be available to assist you with any questions and concerns that you might have about this document. Once you fully understand the legal agreement you are signing, go ahead and take the next step. In addition, all of your roommates will need to sign the lease as well.
Security Deposit
You will be required to put down a security deposit. This will be held by your landlord during your residency, and will be applied to the cost of repairing any damages to the apartment. After deducting the proper amount to cover damages and repairs, the remainder of the security deposit is refundable when you move out of the apartment. Terms for holding and refunding the security deposit should be spelled out in the lease. Remember this security deposit while you are living in your apartment; you’ll want to take excellent care of the apartment so it will be refunded to you when you leave. For more information about deposits, read Understanding Apartment Deposits.
Renters Insurance
Before you move in, you should obtain renter’s insurance. Some landlords require this. As an added service to our residents, Berger Rental Communities has partnered with a leading insurance company to offer you pre-approved, low-cost insurance protection. Information about this insurance company can be found at www.eRenterPlan.com. For more information about renter’s insurance, read Why Do I Need Renter’s Insurance?
Apartment Walk Through
Right before you are scheduled to move in, it is important to walk through the apartment with the leasing consultant. This allows you to confirm that all preparations have been completed and the apartment is prepared to your satisfaction.
Arrange for Utilities
Because utilities such as gas, electric, cable television, Internet service and telephone service will be placed in your name, it is your responsibility to call and order service before you move in. The leasing team at your apartment community should be available to assist in making these arrangements.
Furnishing Your New Apartment
Before moving in, you will want to give some thought to furnishing your apartment. The most important component is having a good bed. After that, consider hunting for furniture and supplies at garage or yard sales, thrift stores and the attic or basement of relatives or friends. You might also consider checking the classified ads in local newspapers or community advertisers. Beyond couches and coffee tables, you may also need to find a small table and chairs for your kitchen or dining room, floor lamps, area rugs and chairs for extra seating. Don’t forget to stock up on other basics, including a shower curtain, wastebaskets, cleaning supplies, mops, brooms, etc…If you prefer to rent furniture, your leasing team should be able to arrange furniture rental for you. For more information about purchasing a bed, read Purchasing A Mattress? There’s A Lot To It…
Arranging the Move
Once you have found your perfect apartment, completed the paperwork and have a move-in date in mind, it’s time to locate a moving company. Your leasing team should be able to provide you with several options of moving companies. Ask friends and relatives for recommendations. Unless you choose to pay for the very expensive packing service, you will be responsible for packing everything yourself. Consider purchasing bubble wrap and using it to wrap fragile items such as china, glasses or lamps. Liquor stores and supermarkets are a good place to find boxes, or you may decide to purchase new boxes from the moving company or a mailing store.
Understanding Apartment Deposits
When renting an apartment, it can be very confusing and overwhelming to try to make sense of, and keep track of the different required deposits. Most apartment communities require a few different types of deposits. The most common types of deposits, and the ones you can almost always expect to pay are Application/Holding Deposits, Security Deposits, and Pet Deposits, if you have a pet.
Application/Holding Deposits
When applying for an apartment, most communities require an application fee and a holding deposit. The application fee is generally a nominal fee, which covers a portion of the community’s application processing costs-credit checks, criminal background checks, etc. At most communities, the application fees are never refundable. In addition, a holding deposit is generally required. This holding deposit is what the community requires in order to take an apartment off of the market. This deposit can generally be applied towards future payments. Berger Rental Communities applies this deposit towards future rent. Berger Rental Communities will refund this deposit if an application is not approved. Remember that this holding deposit is different from the application fee that will generally not be refundable if an application is not approved. Generally, this holding deposit will not be refunded if the application is approved but the applicant decides not to move in.
After the application is approved, depending on the amount of the initial holding deposit, the community may require that an additional deposit is paid in order to continue to hold the apartment until the move in date. This deposit would generally be applied towards future payments, and also non-refundable if the applicant does not move in.
Security Deposits
A security deposit is money that the resident pays in advance to offset the cost of any damages to their apartment during their residency. The security deposit is held in an escrow account during the duration of residency. Costs are generally only deducted when the resident moves out and an inspection is completed. Charges that can be deducted from your deposit may include, but are not limited to:
- Any charge for unpaid rent at time of move out.
- Charges for damage, wear and tear resulting from negligence, carelessness, accident or abuse on the resident’s part. Normal wear and tear items are not deducted.
- Unpaid charges listed in your lease, such as those for late rent payment, returned checks, missing fixtures, keys not returned to the office, etc.
- The reasonable cost of cleaning if the resident fails to properly clean their apartment before they leave.
To avoid confusion, Berger Rental Communities provides residents with a damage charge list when they move in. When moving out of their apartment, the resident must provide their leasing team with their forwarding address, where they would like to receive their security deposit refund and final account statement.
Pet Deposit
A pet deposit is a deposit that residents with pets can be asked to pay in advance to offset any damages caused by an animal during their residency. It is pretty much an additional security deposit. Depending on the community, this deposit can either be refundable or non-refundable.
Should I Rent or Buy?
Apartment living may not be for everybody, but it may be a smart decision for you. In fact, renting might be a surprisingly smart option for people who have never even considered it before. According to the New York Times, in the final analysis owning a home today may be much more expensive than renting throughout most of this country. Here are a few guidelines that may help you decide whether to rent or buy:
Lower Upfront Costs
When you rent, you don’t have to worry about saving for the substantial down payment, attorney’s fees or heavy closing costs. Homeowners are also obligated to pay insurance, property and school taxes. Insurance has been rising an average of 8-10% each year, depending upon market value. Property taxes have been increasing about 4-5% each year.
Lower Monthly Costs
Renting will generally cost you less per month than a mortgage payment for a similar size and quality space. In fact, the gap between renting and owning a house is the highest it’s been in a decade. The monthly mortgage and interest payments homeowners pay are just the beginning of the financial commitment. With adjustable rate mortgages, monthly payments increase whenever interest rates rise. If you’re considering a condo, don’t forget about the monthly Homeowners Association and Condo fees you will be paying.
Greater Personal Flexibility
Renting gives you the flexibility to move if you need to-if you change jobs, transfer, meet someone special or simply decide you want a change of environment. When you rent, you’re not locked into a long-term financial commitment the way you can be with a house.
Less Financial Risk
Life is full of changes. In fact, nearly one-third of homeowners find themselves moving within five years. If you are renting, if you want to move in 5 years, you’re not tied down to a long-term mortgage. When you rent, you don’t have to worry about the value of your house or your ability to sell in a buyer’s market. You can leave one rented apartment home and find another quickly for less than the cost of selling or leaving behind an empty house that has yet to sell.
Increased Saving Power
Most people assume that by buying a house, they will be getting tax deductions to cover the extra costs. However, you get those tax deductions only if you itemize your taxes and only if the costs exceed the standard deductions offered by the government. In fact, only one-third of taxpayers do itemize. If you find you can itemize, depending upon your tax bracket, you may only be saving $.10 to $.35 in taxes for every dollar you pay in mortgage interest. The best way to increase your savings power is to decrease your costs and free up some money to invest in retirement, a new hobby or a dream vacation.
Fewer Maintenance Expenses
Average annual maintenance can amount to 1-2% of the house’s market value. Homeowners need to budget for the unexpected: the leaky roof, the broken furnace or the garage door that’s stuck closed. At any point in time, it seems, anything can and will go wrong in a house. You just need to be sure you’re always got the money to fix whatever it is that’s wrong this week. Renter’s, on the other hand, have the convenience of knowing exactly how much their housing will cost each month, month after month. Instead of spending money on property repairs, you can save for your retirement; buy stocks, bonds, or other investments; or put money into a side business or hobby.
All the Extras Included
If you rent from a community-oriented company such as Berger Rental Communities, you’ll enjoy all sorts of conveniences! Depending on where you rent, your community may offer a swimming pool; tennis courts; recreation center; business center; fitness center; media center; and other amazing features-all professional managed with staff ready to assist you at all times.
Apartment Customization Tips
One of the many wonderful things about apartments is that they are usually leased in a condition that is appealing to most people-neutral color carpets, white walls, traditional appliances, etc…This is much easier than moving into a house that comes with lime green carpet! Follow the ideas below and watch yourself feel right at home in apartment that represents you, at a very economical price:
Accent Walls
If it is okay with your landlord, repainting the walls can make a dramatic difference to the light, atmosphere, and even the perception of space in your apartment. Generally speaking, if you paint the walls in your apartment, you will be held responsible for painting them back to their original color. Berger Rental Communities offers a great option for our residents: Our residents can select a paint color(s) out of our 8 great options, and we will paint any walls of the resident’s choice. For a small one time fee, our residents can have beautiful accent walls, and they never have to worry about painting them back to white.
Wall Decor
Using a little spackle or caulk on your walls right before moving out is easy-worrying about covering up holes should not deter you from using art, posters, and mirrors to customize your home to reflect your style. Great wall pieces can be found at a great price (prices so great you can dispose of these items when you move) in many places such as thrift stores, garage sales, Ikea, Target, Home Goods, and Wal-Mart. Look mainly for colors that are appealing to you, representations of your hobbies and things you like, and mostly, look for pieces that just make you smile.
Area Rugs
Area rugs are great items to use to make your apartment reflect your style. Area rugs are fantastic to keep in high traffic areas, or areas you are likely to have spills-at your entrance, under a coffee table, under a dining table, and in hallways. Shop for inexpensive area rugs in the same places you would shop for wall decor. Remember that if red wine gets on your area rug, you can replace the rug. If red wine gets on your carpeting, you might have to bring in a special carpet cleaner, or run the risk of forfeiting a portion of your security deposit.
Your Bed
In most bedrooms, the bed is the main attraction. Get a great bedding set at a great price at stores like Ikea, Target, Home Goods, Wal-Mart, and Macy’s during one of their fantastic sales. Allow yourself the opportunity to make your bedroom a sanctuary that you can’t wait to get to at the end of the day. While shopping for bedding, go for some great wall decor to match your color scheme or theme.
Furniture
Local thrift stores, garage sales, Ikea, The Dump, Target, Home Goods, and Wal-Mart (just to name a few) sell some unique pieces at great prices. Be sure to check out the scratch-and-dent areas of furniture stores as well-scratches and dents can build character in some pieces, some scratches and dents can be buffed out or covered up, and some you might not be able to notice. You can also find some great deals on furniture on eBay and Craigslist. When shopping, keep in mind that some paint can truly make over furniture-I once received hand me down furniture that just wasn’t my cup of tea. A few cans of pink spray paint really allowed me to turn my neutral colored apartment into my dream home that represented me for just $25.
Details
Plants work wonders in an apartment. You do not need many plants-pick out a few that are appealing to you, and place them throughout your home. Synthetic plants can look great, and they are very easy to take care of. If you can handle a little maintenance, real plants are great, and they do a great job of bringing neighbors together-it is wonderful to have a neighbor that you can take turns with watering each others plants when you are out of town.
Don't Hesitate to Call For Maintenance
One of the many great conveniences of renting an apartment is that when part of your rented property is not working properly, fixing it involves just a phone call to your leasing or maintenance office. While we constantly remind our residents to call us if they need anything whatsoever, it is only normal that some residents do not want to “bother” us with their maintenance concerns. On behalf of Berger Rental Communities (and most property management companies), I cannot emphasize enough that there is never a resident concern or need that could ever potentially be a “bother”, and I would like to explain why:
1. Customer Service-we are grateful for our residents, and we understand that our residents sign our paychecks. Resident satisfaction is always our top priority, and we are always delighted to have the opportunity to satisfy a resident’s needs.
2. Maintenance is our responsibility – if you want to fix things yourself, or ignore malfunctioning items, buy a house. Take advantage of the fact that you do not need to take apart your ice maker to find out why it is not making ice-let us do that. Not only is it our job, it is our pleasure to resolve these issues.
3. Although you might feel that “it’s just an apartment – I’m only going to be here for a few more months”, we feel that you must come home to your apartment every night and say, “Ahhh, I’m home”. If you are making your own ice in trays rather than using the ice maker that comes with your apartment, are you really coming home and feeling, “Ahhh”?
4 (For those who still do not want to bother us with items that seem minor to them). Not reporting your maintenance concerns could be costly and time-consuming for your property management company. Let’s look at the ice maker example: Ice makers can stop making ice for a variety of reasons. While it might not seem that using ice-cube trays is a major inconvenience, a broken ice maker could be an indication of a major malfunction in your refrigerator and freezer. The refrigerator and freezer might continue to appear to be working fine for several weeks, or more, but you might wake up on a Saturday morning to find spoiled milk and melted ice cream. While an ice-cube tray might not be considered a maintenance emergency, a warm refrigerator generally is an emergency. If you did not want to “bother” anyone with an ice maker issue, you will not be happy to have to call maintenance on that Saturday morning, which would result in the on call maintenance technician coming out during the weekend. At this point, more than likely, the refrigerator and freezer has been damaged beyond repair, and will have to be replaced. If this ice maker malfunction was called in as a routine request when it first happened, the easy repair could have been made, saving the entire refrigerator, and limiting the amount of time you had to go without an ice maker.
To sum it all up, submitting maintenance requests for your apartment creates a win-win situation for everyone, however, the bottom line is this: You, the resident, will get your repair made, and will be happy, and happy residents make happy property management companies. Happy property management companies will then make more happy residents, and happy residents make great neighbors, which leads to another fantastic part of renting apartments: You can have an impact on having wonderful neighbors just by submitting your service requests.
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