If you can recall your last “impulse buy,” then you can probably also recall how you felt the next day after you reconsidered the purchase. In other words, sometimes impulse buys work out, and we're happy with our choice, and sometimes they don't and we feel stuck. It's called buyer's remorse.

It can be the same way with Chico apartments. People can make an “impulse rental,” eagerly signing a lease before they request a tour of the complex first.

Renters sometimes skip a tour because they:

• Assume an outline tour has informed them of everything they need to know.
• Are in a hurry to snatch up an apartment in a highly sought-after complex.
• Feel eager (or pressured) to move into a complex where friends already live.

Whatever the motivation, the consequences of an impulse rental last far longer than an impulse buy: more than feeling stuck, you will be stuck, probably for a year. And your quality of life is not something you can block from your mind or conveniently ignore, like an impulse buy you can banish to a closet.

To banish the potential regret of an impulse rental, schedule a tour of a Chico apartment complex before you sign a lease. A tour presents a golden opportunity to assess whether you will be content with your decision, especially if you divide your fact-finding mission into three categories:

Category 1: Assess the location

Even if you're familiar with the general area the complex is located in, an in-person tour can allow you to focus on:

• Nearby intersections. Are they busy and difficult to navigate? Will you be able to get to work on time, given traffic conditions?
  
  
• Nearby noise-makers. Chico is not exactly a remote community, so an apartment complex is bound to be affected by some noise from nearby traffic, parks, schools and businesses. Everyone has a different tolerance for noise, and you might consider some background noise to be soothing. But you also should know what conditions will exceed your noise threshold.
  
  
• Nearby establishments. Will you have to travel far to reach your favorite coffee bar, shopping center, grocery store and hair salon? Is it important to be within walking distance of these establishments?

Category 2: Assess the complex

A tour allows you to study the surroundings in the mode of a finicky inspector. Only you know what will enhance or diminish your quality of life, but remember that seeing really is believing as you survey:

• The apartment you wish to rent – or a reasonable substitution or model. Now also is the time to double-check measurements and ensure that your belongings will fit.
  
  
• The general physical condition of the complex. Is it neat, clean and well maintained? Does it look and feel secure?
  
  
• The state of the amenities, including the pool, fitness center, laundry area, office center, parking and storage facility. Do they look as they were presented online? Is anything missing from what you had expected to see?
  
  
• The attitude of the staff. Are they helpful and friendly? Do they seem to know the complex well? Do they speak highly of it, with reasons to support their recommendation?

Heed two more tips

It's always a good idea to tour a Chico apartment complex several times – at different times of the day and at least once on a weekday and once on a weekend. It takes time to be this thorough, but you may be surprised by how the energy level at a complex can change between day and night. Your observations are bound to be different, as well. Remember too that a tour is no substitute for living in a Chico apartment complex. But a tour can open your eyes to conditions you might not otherwise see online – and reduce if not eliminate any sense of renter's remorse.

You can also tour an apartment online right now with our Video Tours on our Chico complexes. but we also encourage you to contact us to schedule an in-person tour of an apartment complex you’re interested in renting.