Renting a house is always a serious decision, and you surely want to make no mistakes that affect your budget or self-esteem. There are a lot of nuances. Nevertheless, it is enough to remember the basics to deal with this task successfully.
House for rent in 9 steps
If you do not know how to rent your house without an agent, do not get upset. You can do it all on your own. The main thing for renting a house is doing everything in the right order. Here are basic steps to renting a house that will help you to handle everything on your own.
1. Research the market.
First of all, check out houses for rent on Jiji. Look at location, prices, living conditionds etc. Compare the results. Read latest news regarding real esatet market. Be aware of current prices, acting legislation, financial details, and possible changes regarding all this in the future.
2. Set up the criteria.
Decide what is reallyt important for you. What is your purpose for renting this apartment? If you’re moving in with family, neighborhood and infrastructure will be the most important. If you are young and independent, you might care more about location. If you are limited in costs, you will have to lower the requirements. The preiod of rent matters as well.
3. Define your budget.
Amenities, location, area, and other features directly influence the price. If it does not matter, how much a landlord is going to ask, you are lucky and do not need to make compromises. If it is not so, decide, how much you are ready to spend first.
4. Look up the available offers to find the compromise between 1 and 2.
Be realistic. Look for something that matches your requirements and budget at the same time. If there is no a single thing that fits you, reconsider the requirements: you’ve got something wrong and need to revise either the budget or the requirements.
5. Contact and owner.
Do not hesitate to call a landlord and arange a meeting. First, ask about everything you are interested in. Then ask for a meeting at the site, in case everything is okay.
6. Check out the property.
The visit to the place is obligatory. Even in case the photos you see are of good quality, the place will differ. Moreover, you are not able to check the state of water supply system, of the repairs, and so on. And there is much to check!
7. Ask questions.
Even if they are strange and concern details. You are going to live here for a while, so ask about everything that might bother you, from neighbors to spiders on the attic. An adequate landlord will never be rude while answering. If they are, the problems may be more serious than weird questions.
8. If you like it, get it.
If you find the property, which corresponds your expectations and requirements, do not waste any time. The more you doubt, the lower are your chances to find something appropriate. Even in case it is the only house you’ve visited, there is no reason to postpone the decision and check other places, if this one fits you.
9. Sign a contract.
You should never sign a contract you are not happy with. If something seems wrong, it is wrong. If you are not satisfied with conditions, price, or additional requirements, it is better to find the other option. Always discuss the controversial points with a landlord or agent. There is a chance to alter the contract and handle the situation.
How to find a house
Now, the most important question: how do you find houses for rent? The easiest option is to hire an agent and leave all work for a professional. However, lately people prefer finding houses for rent on their own, without intermediaries or extra expenses.
Firstly, check out Jiji.ng for available options. Indicate the location, quantity of bedrooms etc. Secondly, indicate the price range. Thirdly, pay a personal visit to the property. At the last stage, make sure to specify all details about the following aspects:
- Location
- Transport connections
- Neighbourhood and neighbors
- Condition and oldness
- Garden and backyard
- Furniture and appliances
- Landlord and formalities
- Seilings and walls
- Locks and keys
- Plumbing and kitchen
Ask questions. We’ve already mentioned this point. Find out as much as possible to leave the least room for unpleasant surprises.
- How safe is the area?
- How fast can you get to the city center?
- How intense traffic is?
- How often traffic jams and car accidents are?
- Is there a hospital, school, supermarket etc. within easy reach?
- Where are gas, electricity, water meters?
- When is the rubish collected?
- Are there manuals and warranty for the appliances?
- Is there Internet?
- and go with all the rest that bother you.
Renting tips
You can write an entire book of tips for home renters. To start with, memorize just five basic rules:
- Know your rights.
- Know your lease terms, duties, and payment capability.
- Fix everything on the paper.
- Ask landlord’s permission for redecoration or big changes.
- Get on well with neighbors.
And enjoy your new house!
