Looking for a new apartment is a notoriously time consuming process. Luckily, there are ways to make the best use of the time spent searching which can ultimately save you a lot of money and time. Many people don’t realise there are times of the year which make it a lot easier to find that ideal new apartment so when you look for a property can have a bearing on how hard it is to find.
Finding a new apartment can be a long process
What’s the Best Time of the Year to Find a New Apartment?
Finding a new apartment at the end of the year makes it a much easier task. Try to wait till November; this is definitely the best month to start apartment hunting. Don’t even attempt to look for a new place during the summer months because you will find it a lot harder which could lead to a lot of frustration and turn out to be a more expensive process to boot.
Why Summer Months are So Bad?
It’s during the summer months that graduates flock to the city in order to start their new jobs. Add to this fact that a lot of 1 year leases are coming to an end in August, and you soon realise how hard it can be to find a new apartment. The demand often outweighing the amount of apartments available! This is what has become known as the ‘summer housing frenzy’ and it can send rents soaring sky high.
Should you get lucky and find an apartment in August, then try to negotiate a 14 month lease, which means it won’t become renewable until October of the following year.
Where to Start Hunting for an Apartment
By far the best place to look for a new apartment is online. There’s a fantastic choice of sites that deal in real estate whether it properties for rent or sale. Some even take you around the property on a virtual tour which means you can do this in comfort without having to visit the apartment for the first viewing.
Check Out the Areas First
You also need to check out the areas apartments happen to be in. You should ideally visit the property during the day and then again at night. It will give you good idea of what the area is like and whether or not it suits you. The last thing you want is to move into an apartment that’s nice and quiet during the day, only to find there’s a busy bar right across the street that plays rock music till the early hours of the morning – unless of course you have a night time job and need to sleep during the day.
Where are the Nearest Shops?
You need to know whether or not you can buy groceries close by or do you need to travel into town to do your shopping? If you need to use public transport, find out how close the nearest bus and train stop are to the new apartment. The last thing you need is to have to walk miles to catch a bus or train in order to get to work and home again.
The importance of reading a contract before signing it
Check Out Your Contract
You need to read the small print on your rental contract to make sure there are no hidden surprises that could cause a problem. Make sure you know who the landlord is and that they are always prepared to fix anything in the apartment that gets broken or suddenly stops working and that repairs are done quickly. Make sure you know what you are responsible for in the apartment i.e. redecorating etc.
Check Out Heating & Air Conditioning
Make sure you check out the heating system and if there is air conditioning make sure it is in good working order. All appliances should have been regularly serviced by authorised people and this information should be available to you. This gives you the reassurance the appliances are safe to use and that the apartment is owned by a responsible landlord and/or managed by a professional management company.
Conclusion
The first thing you need to do when looking for a new apartment is make yourself a checklist. This should have all the things that you are looking for in a property. Location, rent, condition, contract and lease are the main things to consider.
Next, it is nice to know whether or not there are shops, train stations and bus stops close by. If you find an apartment that meets all your criteria, and then make sure you read the contract thoroughly including the small print so you don’t get any nasty surprises. Of course, by far the easiest way to find a great apartment really quickly is to have someone else do the work for you, like an estate agent or property management company – such as http://bmgapt.com/.
Image credits: DominusVobiscum and NobMouse
{ 0 comments… add one now }