We know you need to go live in your own apartment. That’s why we give you these tips to make it happen.
Do you live far away from work or you just feel like you need to have a place just for yourself? Read on because, in short, this is your year to become independent. Finding a place to live your way and start building your own project has its flats. Here are 7 points to take into account before you take the plunge into the adventure:
1. Set your monthly budget
Before going out to look for your first apartment or looking for it in real estate platforms you have to determine how much rent you can comfortably pay. In general, it is recommended that the rent be approximately 25% of your income, 30% at max. Because you have to consider other expenses you can’t cut: food, utilities, transportation, entertainment, and so on.
2. Find the area where you want to live
Choose the best place to live in relation to your work area. The further you are from the office, the higher the cost of transportation. A home away from the metropolitan area is cheaper than the ones nearby. If you can’t get as close as you’d like, look for a middle ground where you can balance cost and travel time.
3. Consider sharing your expenses with a roomie
Once you have determined the general prices and what you can afford, consider whether you need a roommate or not. Keep in mind that it will help you pay for utilities, which are often higher than you thought. That’s why it’s more convenient to look for a small apartment.
4. Lean on a real estate agent
When you’ve selected one or two areas you’d like to live in, start looking for apartments online. If you feel uneasy in the process, choose to seek professional support. A real estate agent can give you a variety of options depending on your interests and budget, will even guide you through the administrative side of things that usually intimidate newcomers.
5. Start with 5 properties
Choose up to five properties to see, if you check more of that at the same time, you’ll soon be exhausted. You won’t know if it’s better to go through that three-bedroom apartment for each roomie or the one that was a block from the subway. You will begin to mix them mentally to obtain the ideal apartment and you will lose control of the revision, the comparison and the final choice.
6. Don’t decide in a hurry
Don’t rush to make a decision, think very well. Do not choose an apartment just because it is the cheapest, although you left doubts about its level of security, you might regret it later. You need to feel good about the price and the apartment itself.
7. Prepare to meet the relevant requirements and payments
One of the requirements for renting a property is most likely to have a guarantor, a person who owns a property and who -before the landlord- can vouch for your obligations as a tenant. You should also have official identification, proof of income, family and work references.
They also usually ask for a security deposit, an amount equivalent to approximately one to two months’ rent. That figure almost always goes back to the tenant, although the landlord can keep it in case the property is damaged during the lease period and repairs are needed. It is therefore important to state in the lease how much the deposit is, what it covers and the terms on which it will be returned.
Now that you know all of this, do you feel ready to become independent? Share your experiences! Don’t forget to look for your dreamed rental apartment by registering in regorealty.com.