Ideally, when you’re searching for a home, you’ll have all the time in the world to scour the land for the place that best resonated with your dreams for the future, and speaks to you on a deep level.
If you’re making a major life investment, and are buying a house that you plan to live in for years and years to come, this is of course the way you should go about things. But, for many people, in many situations, accommodation is more of a short-term prospect, and a pragmatic decision.
If you’re a student, or a young urban professional, in particular, there may well be plenty of situations in which you will need to find a decent apartment to rent on really short notice.
Here’s a quick survival guide for doing that.
Set your standards, take a deep breath, and stick to them – don’t be pushed into snap decisions you’re uncomfortable with
It’s essential that you set some appropriate (but realistic) standards at the start of your property search, and stick with them through thick and thin throughout the process.
Often, when you’re searching for a flat to rent in a hurry, you’ll come up against manipulative landlords who want to try and take advantage of your clear sense of urgency to force you into acting emotionally, instead of logically.
Don’t allow yourself to be pushed into snap decisions you are uncomfortable with. Take a deep breath, review the situation with as much balance and poise as you can manage – and always err on the side of not making a decision right in front of the landlord or agent.
Try to work with a well-reviewed landlord, or reputable estate agent – beware of shady arrangements
The involvement of reputable estate agents in managing a property will generally be a sign that the property you’re interested in renting is at least being handled in a generally above board manner.
If you’re not renting a property via an estate agent, or a well-reviewed landlord with a good reputation, however, be really wary of how you tread.
Many shady letting agencies and private landlords exist, and will be more than happy to sign you up to predatory contracts, and put you in some pretty abysmal properties that are half falling apart behind a quick veneer of wallpaper and fresh paint.
Never agree to any deal where you have to pay in cash, or where you don’t have a contract.
Get a sense of what the exact area is like before you move in
Maybe you’ve been scouring the city for a flat that has the space and amenities you want, for a price that you find reasonable – and then, you find something that’s even better than you were hoping for!
Not so fast. Before you thank your lucky stars and move in, ask yourself what do you know about the exact area where the flat is located?
Many cities have undesirable pockets here and there, where the crime rate is higher, pollution is bad, and infrastructure is barely functional.
Do some research, and try to get a proper sense of what an area is really like before you move into a property there.
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