The factors which influence people in the moment of choosing apartments for rent   depend first of all  on their budget, purpose of your trip (work, study, temporary or definitive migration), and if its apartment for single person, couple or family with childrens. Anyway in all cases mentioned before you need to evaluate the next aspects which can be more or less suitable for every particular case.  Here we resuming the main points you need to focus on:

The main points in choosing an apartment for rent:

Location

When you rent an apartment for a long term a very centric location is not so important and sometimes can be even a disadvantage due to crowded streets, noise and lack of free parking places. In the case you are a family with kids or a person who likes relaxing at home after a hard working day  it would be better to find some option in a quiet district, close to metro or bus stops. These kinds of apartments are relatively easy to find because a lot of owners prefer to rent their real estate to families or adult serious working people with a good job because these kinds are more reliable, speaking about rental payment and renting time. Also would be great to have near your new place supermarkets, pharmacies, gyms, schools and kindergartens. No doubt if we are speaking about students, for them normally there are suitable small centric studios, in the middle of all cultural events and surrounded by bars, clubs and shopping malls or if the university is not in the center to choose some flat near university campus. 

Apartment facilities

 Many times the apartments offered for long rental are not totally equipped because in this case a tenant can invest some money for things he will use for a long time. Anyway it's important that an apartment has kitchen electrodomestics, fridge, washing machine and air conditioner if we are speaking about the countries with hot climates. Speaking about apartments in the old buildings in the downtown, sometimes you can find problems with water pipes which are leaking, not enough water pressure in the shower or insects. It is necessary to check all these details before contract signature. 

Consuming costs

It's very important before signing a rental contract to have clear the amount you will pay for water, electricity and heating. You need to know if you will have central heating or not, this factor influences much on the final price. Also it is important to pay attention to flat isolation in order to not lose heat during the cold seasons. 

Elevator

If your rented flat is located in a high block of flats and it is not the ground floor it is always better to have an elevator. Not only to make your daily trips faster and easier but also for the case when you move into a new apartment with a lot of heavy things. 

Contract modality

Long term contracts can be of different flexibility and different periods of time. It's important to make sure that your contract allows you to finish it without any economic sanctions informing your landlords in advance. 

Payment method

It is always more comfortable if you can pay your monthly rent by bank transfer. So you don't need to meet physically with the owner and can arrange your payment from any place and at any time. 

Neighbors

For sure we do not choose a flat according to the fact if we like neighbors or we don't like them, but if you have a possibility try to get some information about your future neighbors. Sometimes when people who live in close flats have different habits it can cause daily confrontation and create an unpleasant environment. For example, in one apartment live old people, who are very sensitive to all kinds of noise and in close one some students who like listening to loud music, invite friends and go to bed very late. Also for someone it can be quite problematic to have neighbors with small kids who cry frequently or with pets which can also be quite loud. 

Common areas

It is important that common areas such as halls, elevators, parkings will be in good condition and cleaned regularly. Some new residential complexes have their own playgrounds for children and swimming pools. If you are a family with kids, renting a flat in this kind of building would be a perfect option.

Parking place

For people who have a car, a parking place. Some buildings have their underground or outdoor parkings, which normally owners add additionally to the rental price. Anyhow if your building is not located in the centric area you can find free public places to park your car. Unfortunately speaking about very centric or close to the center zones will be difficult to find free parking and even paid parkings not always have available places.  

To sum up, searching a flat for renting is a long and hard work process, but if you take it seriously and without unnecessary rush you will find a good flat where you will feel at home.