What is a Furnished Apartment?

• A furnished apartment is a unit that comes already furnished.
• Ask for a list of furnishings to confirm what’s included. Note that the amount of furniture varies from apartment to apartment.
• Furnished apartments are ideal for short-term leases but can be more expensive.

As you plan your next move, you might consider renting a furnished apartment. A furnished apartment can be an excellent option for first-time renters with few household items. Understanding everything a furnished apartment entails, including its benefits and drawbacks, can help you decide if this apartment type is right for you.

What is a furnished apartment?

A furnished apartment is a rental apartment with essential furnishings and household items. This type of apartment has furniture for renters to live comfortably. You may see the terms furnished, fully furnished (or turnkey), and semi-furnished used to describe furnished apartments. These words are loosely defined terms with no set inclusions. Before you commit, ask the property owner for a list of furnishings so that you know what to expect.

What’s in the living room?

The living room of a furnished apartment should have a couch, coffee and end tables, and lamps. However, property owners can interpret the term furnished differently. The more furniture the apartment offers, the more you’re likely to pay for the apartment.

• Furnished: Includes decor, coffee and end tables, a couch, and lighting
• Fully furnished: Includes the same items as a furnished apartment, with a bookcase, desk, entertainment center, ottoman, and other home decor items (generous property owners may include indoor plants, a video game console, a stereo system, a TV, and throw blankets)
• Semi-furnished: Includes a chair or two, a couch, and a table

What’s in the kitchen?

When moving into your first apartment, all the kitchen appliances and utensils can add up quickly. Walking into an empty kitchen can be daunting, especially if you plan to cook meals. Moving into a kitchen with some furnishings can make your first apartment a little more appealing.

• Furnished: Renters will enjoy a dishwasher, toaster, microwave, table, and two chairs. You could also have cooking and baking items, such as measuring cups and spoons, a can opener, spatulas, a garbage disposal, and other cooking utensils, along with some decor items.
• Fully furnished: Renters enjoy the features of a furnished kitchen (mentioned above), plus dishes, dish towels, a coffee maker, pots and pans, silverware, centerpieces, linen napkins, and table mats. Some property owners include oven mitts, a vegetable peeler, mugs, mixing bowls, cutting boards, or salt and pepper shakers.
• Semi-furnished: This kitchen includes a stove, refrigerator, a few small appliances, and a table and chairs.

Kitchens in furnished and unfurnished apartments usually have a stove and refrigerator. Large necessary appliances should always come with a rental property.

What’s in the bathroom?

Toothpaste, toothbrushes, combs, makeup, brushes, soap, cotton swabs, and lotion are a few personal grooming and hygiene items you’ll need.

• Furnished: Includes a wastebasket, floor mats, and shower curtain
• Fully furnished: Includes the basics above, a toilet plunger, one complete set of towels, a toilet brush, a toothbrush holder, a soap dispenser, and perhaps a hair dryer
• Semi-furnished: Includes as few items as possible, such as a simple shower curtain

All rental properties require a bathroom sink, toilet, shower, or tub.

What’s in the bedroom?

Bedroom furniture can be expensive, so choosing a furnished apartment can help your budget.

• Furnished: Renters will find a bed, dresser, nightstand, and lamps. A few wall decorations could also be included, along with a comforter and sheets.
• Fully furnished: This bedroom type includes the items described above, along with extra sheets, more blankets, pillows, possibly a desk and chair, an alarm clock, and some bedroom decor.
• Semi-furnished: You’ll find a dresser and bed. However, the property owner may provide the bed frame, and you may need to provide a mattress, box spring, and bedding.

Some renters may prefer bringing their own mattresses, box springs, and bedding.

Why consider a furnished apartment?

When looking for the ideal place to call home, having the option to rent a furnished apartment ready to move into can be appealing. You won’t have to splurge on significant household necessities, and unpacking would go quickly since most items are already included. Generally, a furnished apartment has a shorter-term rental agreement of less than a year. This agreement gives you more flexibility to move when you want. If you’re moving across the country or overseas, finding a furnished apartment means you don’t have to try to move or purchase all types of furniture.

What are the disadvantages of a furnished apartment?

You will likely pay 15% to 20% more for your monthly rent to cover the depreciation of the items in the apartment. Security deposits are also usually higher for furnished apartments. Without your furniture, it can be challenging to make it feel like your place. Usually, there are also fewer listings for furnished apartments, so you may struggle to find one in your preferred area.

What’s a furnished short-term apartment?

Furnished apartments often have shorter rental durations than unfurnished apartments. However, some furnished apartments have even shorter terms of less than a month. Vacation rentals are common types of furnished short-term apartments. Property owners must find new renters regularly, so they usually charge 40% to 50% more than unfurnished apartments. Even though the rental agreement has a shorter duration, these apartments have all the same inclusions you’d expect from any comparable furnished apartment.

FAQ: What’s a furnished apartment?

Find out how to search for a furnished apartment and how to approach a rental for one.

Ready to look for a new apartment? Search thousands of furnished and unfurnished apartments on Zumper by using the filter feature.