Renters Say Air Conditioning is the One Amenity They Can Not Live Without

CHICAGO, July 31, 2007 – As the summer heats up, a recent Apartments.com survey to current renters supports the importance of staying cool as more than thirty-six percent of respondents indicate that air conditioning is the one amenity they can not live without. Air conditioning is also consistently the most searched amenity on Apartments.com.

In addition to air conditioning, twenty-two percent of renters surveyed stated that parking is the one amenity they could not live without and fourteen percent said in-unit washer and dryer.

Offering the right combination of amenities is an increasingly important priority as more than fifty-nine percent of survey respondents have chosen not to rent at a particular property because their most desired amenity was not available. Renters surveyed stated the following amenities were most important in their apartment search:
1. Air Conditioning (81%)
2. Parking (81%)
3. Washer and dryer in unit (54%)
4. High speed Internet in unit (47%)
5. Dishwasher (46%)
6. Elevator (24%)
7. Pool (21%)
8. Hardwood floors (13%)
9. Fireplace (5%)

Renters also showed great interest in specific service and technology amenity offerings; sixty-one percent of survey respondents indicate that digital cable is a very desirable amenity, fifty-nine percent would like the option to pay rent online and fifty-three percent of respondents are interested in in-unit wireless Internet.

When faced with selecting between two apartments that are equal in amenities and pricing, more than fifty-two percent of survey respondents say the location of the property would be the determining factor as to which apartment they would choose.

As part of its monthly “What Renters Want” research series, Apartments.com surveys renters on various topics. For more information on these surveys, to receive a copy of additional survey results or for a comprehensive listing of most searched markets, please contact Lisa DeVries at ldevries@apartments.com.


About Apartments.com
Apartments.com is the most visited national apartment Internet listing subscription service with more than 50,000 unique addresses representing more than three million rental units from managed properties, newspaper classifieds and for-rent-by-owner properties. With personalized searches, highly visual ads featuring 360-degree virtual tours, professional photography, and comprehensive community listings, Apartments.com makes it possible for renters to access apartment rental inventory from across town or across the country. Leads from highly qualified, ready-to-rent prospects are delivered to Apartments.com customers, increasing closure rates and decreasing the average cost of leasing an apartment. The site's foundation of solid partnerships with the local newspaper and television station Web sites of more than 10,000 newspaper affiliate and strategic partners across the country include Yahoo! Real Estate, the Chicago Tribune (www.chicagotribune.com), The Washington Post (www.washingtonpost.com) and the Los Angeles Times (www.latimes.com). Apartments.com is a division of Chicago-based Classified Ventures, LLC.