Tips and Tricks to Finding Your First Apartment to Rent

Nothing beats the great feeling you’ll have when you first walk into your own apartment. It signifies independence, freedom, and your first step into the adult word. However, the process of looking for your first apartment can be overwhelming You may not know where to start, or you may be confused about certain steps in the process. You might be looking for a HDB for rent but are unsure on how you should go about it. Fear not! Here we’ve listed some tips and tricks for you to consider that are bound to help you on your journey of renting your first apartment.

1. Determine your budget

No one knows your own pockets better than you yourself. Evaluate your bank account and finances to set a budget that is comfortable and within your reach. Remember the golden rule: keep your rent less than 30% of your monthly income. While it’s true you should rent a space that speaks to you, you have to compromise to be able to finance your accommodation. You wouldn’t want to go into debt over your monthly rent and bills.

2. Where to look and where not to

You can start off the traditional way by looking at newspaper classifieds and local bulletin boards. If you have identified a few apartments as candidates, go and take a look at their management bulletin boards. Rental ads are usually placed there. However, with the advent of technology, it is becoming increasingly easy to look for things online. Loads of websites exists where owners and rental agents post advertisements for rental properties. What’s more, all this is at the tip of your fingertips, and you can search for the perfect place to rent, all from the comforts of home.

3. What are you searching for?

While it is important to know of the ways that you can look, it is even more important to know just exactly what you are looking for. It is vital for you to have a list of requirements regarding what you want for and from your space. Do you want a place that is close to work or school? A place that allows pets? A place with free parking, good security or ample facilities? Or do you want an apartment with all the amenities you need close by? Take the time to sit down and search within yourself for what you want and expect to find.

4. Conduct a walk-through

After you have found potential properties, be sure to ask for a viewing and walk-through. You wouldn’t buy something sight unseen. Thus, you shouldn’t make the decision to rent a place before you see it. A walk-through also serves other purposes. You can use it ask a chance to document any pre-existing problems you find with the apartment. This is crucial to avoid being held liable for damage you did not inflict. Not only does this protect yourself and your future home, it protects your security deposit.

5. Negotiate a little more if you like the
    apartment

Take some time to learn more about your landlord. Learn what kind of person your landlord is to gain an upper hand so that you can bargain a little more. By knowing what kind of person you are dealing with, you are able to safely determine in advance whether some of the things you are not as happy with are negotiable or not.

6. Understand the lease

You lease is a contract. So, before you put your signature down on any contract, make sure you understand it. Read the lease carefully, identify the problems you have with it, and negotiate it with the landlord. You should look out for a few things, such as: whether there is a penalty for breaking the lease, the policy for fixing issues with the apartment, how much time’s notice you should give if you want to renew your lease, and the rules for getting your security deposit back.

7. Loopholes in the contract

Keep a sharp eye out for loopholes while you are looking through the lease terms. Take ample time to survey your contract with a fine toothed comb before signing. Watch out for those agreements with auto-renew clauses. You might find yourself in a rut when you decide to move and face your landlord taking legal action for you due to your contract. Also watch out for those contracts that grant he landlord unannounced access to your apartment anytime your landlord wishes to check in on something. This could be a serious restriction to your privacy and freedom.

8. Make the move

Before you make the move, make sure to schedule your movers several weeks in advance. In any case, start packing early. It takes much longer than you think. You would be courting disaster if you are not totally packed up before the movers arrive. To make your move an easy breeze, make sure you organize your boxes and label them accordingly. You wouldn’t want to waste time sifting through boxes in your new apartment looking for something you need right away when you move in.

Last words

Once you have gone through these tips and moved into your first apartment, be sure to abide by the rules and regulations as provided by your landlord. You should avoid all acts that will possibly forfeit your deposit. The key for a smooth process in finding your first apartment is to always be polite and negotiable.