According to sociologists, more than 2 million people rent housing in the Moscow region alone. At the same time, about half of the tenants are planning a long-term rent – from two years or more. And contrary to popular belief that mostly young people and students are renters, the largest age group among renters is from 25 to 45 years old.
The main driver of the sustainable development of the rental housing market is called internal migration. Young specialists tend to move to Moscow, St. Petersburg or other large cities in order to realize their career potential or improve social conditions. At the same time, not everyone can afford to buy their own apartment. Many are opponents of mortgage lending. Others simply adhere to modern views and prefer mobility and independence from the location of housing.
Whichever group you belong to, if you are faced with the task of finding rental housing, you are probably wondering – how to choose an apartment? We have collected in this article the opinions of experts and the experience of tenants.
Criteria – what to look for
First, describe the ideal, from your point of view, apartment. The more precisely the criteria are described, the less time it will take to search. Some of the key aspects will become clear when viewing ads. Other important questions can be asked during the first telephone conversation with the owner or realtor. Prepare 2-3 questions that will be decisive for you. Let’s say whether it is possible to move into an apartment with pets or what floor it is on (if for some reason this is important to you).
What should you pay attention to when choosing and viewing apartments? Let’s talk below. We have listed the items in descending order of importance.
Place
The idea is that there are many things that can be changed or improved in rental housing. But the location cannot be corrected. It is worth immediately determining for yourself which criteria will be key. Often they focus on travel time to work and transport accessibility. Evaluate the proximity of the metro, public transport stops, traffic jams along the route. Check for lengthy road works, such as the construction of a new interchange. If you plan to travel by car – how is the parking issue resolved.
The general attractiveness of the area itself, ecology, and infrastructure are also important. Here, rely on your preferences – only you yourself know whether a playground, 24-hour supermarkets, the proximity of the historical center or a place of leisure will be a priority for you.
Planning and overhaul
When viewing an apartment, be sure to pay close attention to what will be difficult or expensive to fix:
heating system (how well radiators work),
electrician (check literally every switch and socket so that there are no surprises),
plumbing (turn on the water at full pressure, make sure there are no leaks and the water is properly drained),
windows (are they closed tightly, is the ventilation system working, are there any drafts),
tiles in the bathroom and kitchen (minor repairs like painting baseboards may not scare you, but changing the tiling in a rented apartment is not always a good idea).
Evaluate all the important parameters for yourself – the area of \u200b\u200bthe kitchen, a separate bathroom, which way the windows face. It’s great if you can also evaluate the sound insulation.
Cosmetic repairs and interior
This is not so critical from the point of view of tenants with experience. Of course, it’s great if you like the apartment at first sight and suits you literally in everything. However, some shortcomings can be easily eliminated. Often, as a result of negotiations, the owners agree to provide the so-called repair holidays – this is a period of 1-2 months, when you perform small repairs on account of the rent or part of it. For example, re-pasting wallpaper or painting walls is not such a difficult task.
Interior issues can be solved even easier. Most importantly, immediately discuss the possibility of changes with the owner of the apartment. And dryly evaluate – if housing has many advantages from your point of view, then perhaps replacing a sofa, textiles or buying a comfortable mirror in the hallway is not such a problem.
By the way, often an empty apartment is better furnished. You can buy comfortable furniture according to your taste by agreement at the expense of the owner of the apartment. Either at your own expense, and later sell to new tenants. But getting rid of an old chest of drawers that represents some kind of personal value for the owners and at the same time interferes with you – this can be difficult.
Appliances
Undoubtedly, it is convenient to move into a fully equipped apartment and not think about anything. But remember, the more equipment in the apartment, the more expensive the rent. Do you really need a tumble dryer, an electric fireplace or a washing vacuum cleaner, is it worth overpaying for them? In any case, before making a decision to rent, make sure that all the equipment announced by the owners is really available, has satisfactory characteristics and is fully functional. So frequent are cases when the owner’s vacuum cleaner does not want to help with cleaning, and the iron, it seems, was a witness to the events of 30 years ago.
Hosts
Get to know each other personally, even if the transaction is accompanied by realtors from both sides. After all, in the future, you will not have to communicate through an agent. Immediately, as they say, “on the shore” clarify all your questions. Both regarding the apartment and your communication. It is better to discuss all the little things than to face unexpected troubles. How payment will be transferred, who will have an additional set of keys, at whose expense and in what order the interior will be repaired or updated, and so on.
Avoid “grey” deals, it’s too risky. Before concluding a contract, read all the clauses, discuss the controversial ones, it may be worth consulting with a lawyer first (if you rent an apartment directly, without an agent). And the last important point – no matter how much sympathy you have for new acquaintances, be sure to check the documents for housing ownership.
Here are, perhaps, the main points when looking for a rented apartment, attention to which will lead you to the right choice. True, after you have decided, there will still be troubles associated with moving. But this issue, if desired, is easily solved – our specialists are always happy to help with the move. We will pack things, dismantle furniture if necessary, organize transportation, bring things to a new apartment, put everything in its place and even help with unpacking. We wish everyone to make the right choice and move to a new home easily and quickly, without worry and hassle!