Renting a apartment, house, or commercial space is a contract between you and the landlord. To protect yourself during your rental search, take along a renting checklist to ensure you ask the right questions so you can make a good decision for you. Not all rental properties are created equal, nor are landlords or management companies. Keep the rental checklist handy so you can ask questions and make an informed decision. These five questions are a good start when starting your rental search.

For one reason or another, you need to replace an apartment or condo mailbox lock. Maybe you lost the key or you bought a bank-owned condo and they didn't have a key to give you. Or the old mailbox lock may be damaged and the key you have won't work.

When the rows and rows of mailboxes belong to the apartment complex owner or to the condo association (and not the U.S. Post Office), it is often the responsibility of the occupant to deal with the problems of a missing key or replacing a mailbox lock.

If you are trying to live more sustainably, you may already be recycling, composting, and everything else you can think of. Now, it is time to look at how you are using your living and work space. Is your layout sustainable? Can it be even better?