Even though you may only sign a year's lease on a rental property, you still want a place you're happy to live in during that time. Finding the right rental apartment or home isn't always easy since you need to find the right balance between location, price, and appearance. Here are a few tips for helping you find a suitable place to rent.
Decide if You Want an Apartment or House
You can cut down on the number of places you visit if you decide upfront if you want to rent a house or an apartment. For some, this decision is easy when there's a strong preference one way or the other. If you've never lived in an apartment or if you've always lived in an apartment and never had a single-family home, you may not know what it's like to live in a different setting. Consider if you like privacy or being surrounded by close neighbors.
Also, think about maintenance since an apartment usually has someone on staff to tend to upkeep and emergencies while it may be more difficult to get things done by a landlord who is never around. Don't forget about the amenities. Apartments often have exercise rooms, swimming pools, and other nice amenities for residents, and if you live in a rental home, you'll have to use public facilities instead.
Determine the Desired Location
If being close to your place of work or school is of prime importance, you may be willing to compromise when it comes to the appearance of the rental property. When searching rental listings, search by zip code or draw a boundary on a map so you don't fall in love with a place that you'll regret later because of a long commute. Once you have the location radius set, you can filter listings by price or other factors that are important to you.
Consider How to Personalize the Property
Some rental properties aren't very attractive because landlords often use budget materials or hold on to flooring and cabinets that are functional but outdated. If you find a rental home in the ideal location at a price you can afford but you hate the way it looks inside, consider how you can improve the appearance of the home in temporary ways. You won't be able to do as much as you would if you owned the home, but you can still find ways to put down temporary flooring with area rugs and cover walls with removable wallpaper.
You can use self-adhesive wallpaper, flooring, and wraps for cabinets to personalize the house to your liking. You can even find self-adhesive towel racks, curtain rods, and shelving so you can decorate how you like without leaving any damage behind that could get you in trouble when you're ready to move.
There are also practical matters to consider when looking at rental properties, such as the amount of the deposit, whether pets are allowed, ages allowed in the community, and ease of parking. Since you'll probably stay in a rental place for a shorter time than you would if you buy a house, it's easier to compromise on things you'd like to have. Still, it's good to have a list of must-haves figured out before you start going over the listings so you can narrow down the properties to tour.
