It does not matter if you are just out of college or someone who has been married and is now divorced and out on your own for the first time, you might be looking at renting your very first home. This is a time in your life that can be very intimidating as well as confusing. It is important that you do the proper research before signing the paperwork. If you do this the process of renting a home should go smoothly.
Figure Out How Much Rent You Can Afford
If you are brand new to the renting world the first thing you will want to figure out is how much rent you can afford. The general rule that people look at is to spend about thirty to forty percent of the pay you take home on rent. Of course you will also have to include other expenses such as utility bills and any other monthly bills to be sure that you can live comfortably. A good idea to save money on the money cost of rent is to have a roommate or even move home and pay rent to your parents.
Figure Out What Your Preferences Are
The one thing you will want to figure out before you set out to look for a place to rent where you want to live. You need to consider what the distance will be to work and where you be spending most of your time. You should remember that if you are considering living further away that commuting takes time and will cost you more money in gas or other transportation. It will also cause undue stress. Another decision to be made is what kind of property you wan to rent. Do you want a house, apartment, condo, or something more modern? Once you have all of this figured out then you can start your search.
What Are The Extra Costs
When you are looking to rent you need to look at all of the costs that are involved. This will include utility costs, as well as water, trash pick up, parking, cable, internet, telephone and any other costs that may be involved during the month. If you are looking at renting a single family home lawn care is something that you will need to take into consideration also. This includes mowing and watering the grass. These are only some of the extra costs that may be involved you could find that there are others as well.
Make A Good Impression
Often times you might find that you are in competition with other potential renters for a certain property. This is when you are going to want to make the best impression on the landlord that you can. When you meet with the landlord you will want to be sure that you dress your best, let them know about your good credit and you stable job. If you have other reasons to give them about why you should be the one to move in you should not be shy and let them know. Once you do this you should complete the application accurately and truthfully and submit it with any other needed documents as soon as you can.
Once the landlord has selected you as their tenant then you can discuss the monthly rent charge. After that has been discussed and signed off on then you are free to move in and make it official. Before you know it you will be living under your own roof without the help of other people. With a little bit of research and homework on your end you will soon find yourself living under your own roof and this can be something that is very liberating.
Image Credits to: JPlank01
