6 Helpful Tips for Using Yelp to Find a Luxury Apartment in Oklahoma City

If you’re looking for the perfect apartment home in Oklahoma City, Yelp is a great place to start your search. You can find useful reviews, photos, and learn more about how management handles resident issues. However, there are several things to keep in mind in order to get the most out of Yelp.

1. Look At The Pictures

When looking at pictures on Yelp, it’s important to scroll through the “from the business owner” photos and then look to see what photos are posted from renters who live in the apartment homes. These first-hand images can give you a “more realistic” view into the community.

2. Check The Responses

Apartment management regularly responds to Yelp reviews, so examine how they reply to customer concerns. Are they confrontational, harsh, and accusatory or do they make an attempt to open a discussion with the customer? The way in which management responds online will give you a peek into how they treat residents once the lease is signed.

3. Avoid Old Reviews

Since Yelp is not a new company, there may be reviews out there from years ago that are no longer applicable to the apartment community you’re considering. For example, outdated reviews won’t include information on apartment upgrades, new management, new owners, or newly added amenities, so make sure you check the date of each review.

4. Take Harsh Reviews With A Grain Of Salt

Take nasty or overtly negative reviews with a grain of salt. Anyone can write a review on Yelp and that includes disgruntled employees, delinquent renters, and people who never even lived in the apartment community. Apartment management companies can ask Yelp to check a review for violations like hate speech or harassment, but they can't request that reviews be removed.

5. Get A Second Opinion

There are other review sites like Angie’s List, Google+ and Facebook where you can cross-check reviews. Look for consistencies in complaints or compliments, so you can make a more informed decision on which apartment community is worth touring.

Do you have any additional tips for using Yelp in your apartment search? If so, let us know in the comments section below.