Finding the right home for you and your family is a stressful task to say the least. Especially if your job requires you to move a lot relocating from one place to the next, it can be a constant struggle. What might make it even harder is your lack of knowledge about new neighborhoods and the local real estate market that you don’t have any reference to base your decision upon. If you’re currently looking for a new rental and need some advice, you’ve come to the right place. Here are some of the factors that you need to consider when looking for a new home to rent.
Your Budget
To make your life easier when you’re in the market for a rental, it’s always a good idea to set your budget first since it’s probably going to be the determining factor. However, before you can set your budget right, you need to take into consideration the average prices in your targeted neighborhood, as well as the running costs like utility bills and maintenance charges. This way, you’ll be able to set a more realistic figure that you can rely on to favor between your shortlisted properties.
The Location
Beyond the area and the access to facilities, you should consider whether the location of your new home is going to be a good fit with your daily life. You want to find a place that is close enough to your kids’ school and your workplace. Especially if you’re moving from a small city to a bigger one like Washington DC, it won’t be easy for you to get used to the heavy traffic. It doesn’t make much sense to target one of the remote DC rentals thinking you’d be saving some cash when in reality, you could end up spending even more on the long commute. This should make your move more tolerable as you’ll have the free time you need to get acquainted with your new city and socialize with your new neighbours.
The Condition of the House
Before committing to any property, you should have it properly inspected for unseen issues like termites, worn out pipes or loose floor panels. Don’t be fooled by how impeccable the house looks on the outside, there’s always a good chance that the owners aren’t showing you the complete picture. This is not to suggest that you should expect the worst, but, be skeptical and don’t shy away from asking for assurances like a recent inspection report. However, as a general rule, if the rent of a great property is too good to be true, you should start digging deep to try to find out the reasons and then you can decide for yourself whether you’d want to proceed.
I live in a small Georgia town that you most likely have never heard of and I LOVE it! My house is more than full as I am a single mother of four & caregiver to my aging mother and uncle. Lover of all things Outlander. Goes to the beat of her own drum woman.
Elizabeth says
This is all common sense advice!