Even though many modern Nigerians save money or take mortgages to buy their own home, a lot of citizens, especially young ones, prefer to rent their places. Renting a house or apartment has a lot of advantages compared to owning a place: it’s more affordable, more flexible, and you can move to another location as quickly as you’ve decided. However, most tenants want to rent their apartments for a long term, which means that your new rented property should have several qualities you consider important. The following questions will help you find your perfect rental.
Does it fit your budget?
Although having a tight budget is not always the only reason why people rent instead of buying, having a rented apartment that is affordable and nice at the same time is definitely a plus. As a rule, your rent should not be bigger than 30% of your monthly income, meaning that if you live alone, you’re likely to afford small, cheap property, but if you and your spouse both work, you can rent a much nicer place. Don’t forget to find out if you also need to cover bills like electricity and running water, or if they are already included in the monthly fee.
Is it what you wanted?
In our minds we all have a picture of our perfect home, starting from the location and size. Since most people think a lot about what their future rented property should be like, it makes sense to create a little checklist and see if the property you’ve chosen has enough points for you to rent it. The most common and important requirements for rentals are size, location, condition, necessities, price, and neighbours. Include all of that into a checklist, add some specific features like public transportation or parking lot availability, and compare several offers to find the one that fits you best.
How well is it located?
We all have different demands for the location of the property and what surrounds our place. Some prefer to live in large business districts, so that the workplace or other locations could be easily accesses. Family buyers prefer to raise their children in quiet and green neighbourhoods located close to schools and hospitals. Plus, if you’re not lucky enough to grow everything you need in your own garden, it’s very convenient to live near major markets or grocery stores. These points should also be included into your checklist, because they directly influence whether you’ll feel comfortable living in your new rental or you’ll constantly regret your decision.
How safe is the place?
When you’re either renting or buying property, you have a right to basic safety, which is why you need to find out the safety level of the location you want to move to. Start with researching the area and looking into the crime situation in the neighbourhood. You can also do a visual inspection of the building and its surroundings: if it’s all kept in a good condition, with no broken windows, suspicious-looking locals or dangerous dark corners, you can expect a decent level of safety. You should also ask your tenant about the security inside the building: there can be live security, surveillance cameras, or an alarm system you can use in case of emergency.
Can it be easily accessed?
It doesn’t matter if you own a car or use public transportation – one of the main requirements for good rental property is easy access. If you mostly travel by bus, then make sure that the new place is close to the public transportation routes, so that you wouldn’t have to travel for several kilometres just to get on a bus. If you drive a car, check the condition of the roads surrounding the building: if they are in a poor condition or are untarred, the next major rain can turn them into a swamp that you’ll only be able to cross on a large SUV, and not on your favourite Toyota Corolla or Honda Accord.
Does it feel like home?
One fact that you need to accept is that no property is perfect. You can find a place within your budget and main requirements, but it’s still going to have some flaws that you can either accept or move on to your next option. However, if you walk into an apartment, look around, and it feels like a place you want to start and end your day, it may be the biggest sign that this property is exactly what you need, and minor flaws can simply be ignored.
Your perfect place is already on Jiji
