Are you looking for a new place to rent?
I had to move to a new place and I did not know the right questions to ask or the important things to inspect so I ended up with a few inconveniences.
In order to save you from the same trouble, I compiled a list of questions and tips that can help you decide about the new place you may want to rent.
- Location
- Location, location, location. What is the walk score?
- How close is it to your office?
- What about rush hour? Can you go to work in the morning and get back home without suffering too much from traffic?
- What internet provider can be used in this apartment complex? Some ISPs work in certain cities and not other cities
- General inspection
- Keep an eye open for small details
- Check for residual smells from previous tenants
- The floor plan
- The division between the living room, dining and kitchen
- Try to imagine how you would lay your furniture given the current floor plan
- Where will you put the TV and the sofa so you have a nice view?
- Fixtures
- Cabinets: are they sturdy and shining or rusty and almost broken?
- Faucets: rusty or properly clean?
- The age of the fixtures and how well they function
- The height of the ceiling
- Ceiling too low and you can barely stretch your hands?
- You are short but you have tall visitors?
- Sound and light pollution
- Check for noises
- Ask about the noises around you
- You may not be able to get straight answer from the property manager. If you know residents try to ask them about the noise
- Ask about noises from neighbors above you or next to you
- Ask about how noisy it can be from the street or any nearby playgrounds
- Check for the light source that can be annoying during the night
- Light from the street can be annoying during the night
- Do you have good curtains to block the light
- Sun light is not pollution, it is a bliss, but it can be annoying sometime if you want to sleep in on a Sunday morning
- Check for noises
- Parking
- Some properties provide free parking
- Ask about the parking fees.
- Free open space parking but paid covered parking
- Paid reserved parking spot
- Storage
- Ask if they have in-unit storage
- Ask if they have rentable storage units
- Package reception
- Some properties receive the packages for you and keep them safely
- Some receive the packages as a courtesy and only if you were not home to receive the package
- Gym
- See if the they have on-site gym?
- How big is the gym is? Do you have to wait in line to use the weight machine or the treadmill?
- Is it well equipped?
- Common area / lounge
- Do they have a common area where you can mingle with other residents?
- Do they offer free internet in the common areas?
- Do they have a sundeck? Can you BBQ?
- Can you smoke on the sundeck?
- Pet friendly
- Is this a pet friendly property?
- How much do they charge per pet?
- What kind of pets are allowed?
- Do they have pet relief areas?
- What appliances does the apartment have?
- Does the unit have a microwave?
- Does it have a dishwasher?
- Does it have a decent, and not so noisy, fridge?
- How well the air conditioning and heating systems work?
- Is the water heater in the unit? How big is it?
- Bath tub
- If you like to soak in every night after work in a hot bath, you may want to check the bath tub
- How big is the bath tub? Can you lay down in it and relax or you will be cramped in?
- The dryer and washer
- Does the unit have a washing machine?
- Does the unit have a dryer?
- How big are the dryer and washer. Some apartments have really small washer / dryer units and thus you may have to go to a laundry to wash big items from time to time
This list is not comprehensive but I hope it helped you make the right choice.
If you think I missed something worth mentioning then please leave a comment.
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Very useful for expat people