Test everything in the apartment
From looking through the cupboards and wardrobes to testing how long it takes for the shower to warm up, make sure you examine everything thoroughly so that you know what you’re getting yourself into. Jump on the bed and lay on it to test the comfort, run up and down the hallway to see if the walls or floors are weak, and ask the real estate agent as many questions as you can think of to ensure everything is perfect.
Speak with the neighbours
Speaking with your neighbours is a great way to get initiated into the local community. If they live in apartments that are rented out by the same landlord, then you could get a brief idea on what the landlord is actually like. Maybe you’ll learn they are a great person, or perhaps they’ll tell you horror stories of neglecting repairs. Either way, speaking with neighbours is a fantastic way to get some insight on what life is like living in the area.
Read the terms properly
Lastly, always read the terms and conditions properly. This is so you can understand all of the things you’ll be paying for or responsible for, what you can and can’t do to the property and also what actions your landlord can take. It’s important to understand the contract so that you don’t get tricked into doing something you don’t expect. It might be tempting to move into a home as soon as possible, but eager landlords usually always have small prints in their tenancy agreements that they’re purposely hiding from you.
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