Locating the perfect home for you and your family to move into can be nerve-racking while exhilarating at the same time. On the one hand, you are moving into a new home, a blank canvas that marks a new stage in your life. On the other hand, there is the stress associated with finding just the right place.
Before you head out on your search, consider this advice from Jon Selinger of ASM Properties, a property management company in Tennessee, who has helped match landlords with ideal tenants for over six years.
Even though you may have a hectic work schedule that leaves you with few daylight hours to get tasks done, it is important that before you agree to rent a property, you do a walk-through during the day, says Selinger. Not only will you receive a clearer picture of the inside of the home and its layout, but more importantly, you will get to see what’s around the home.
It would be horrible, he adds, to only have seen a home at night, and then when you move in, you realize that your home sits right next to a major highway or a strip mall that you couldn’t make out entirely in the darkness.
Selinger also recommends looking at few other aspects of the space to determine that it’s right for you:
- Are you pleased with the layout of the home?
- Will the floor plan work for your family?
- Is the home up to your standard of cleanliness?
- Are there any repairs you would like to see made prior to moving in?
- Is the neighborhood safe? Do you feel comfortable living in the area?
- What utilities will you have to pay for yourself?
- Is the home cable- and/or Internet-ready or do you need that taken care of prior to moving in?
Remember, reminds Selinger, you should bring up any major problems you have with the property prior to moving in. Once you sign the lease, it may be much harder to get changes made unless they directly affect the living quality of the home (such as a leaking roof or broken furnace).
Also, make sure you find out how much you are expected to pay for the security deposit so that you can have the correct amount of money handy prior to moving in since the deposit is expected immediately. Generally, you can expect the deposit to be equal to a month’s rent or a month and a half. The main purpose of the security deposit is to protect the landlord from having to pay for all the repairs caused by tenant damage out his own pocket. Sometimes, it won’t be enough to cover everything, says Selinger, but it is a great start. While you can’t use the security deposit to pay for your last month’s rent — which is something many renters ask — it does provide an incentive for tenants to keep the home or apartment in great shape, he adds. That’s because after they move out, they can receive part of or the entire amount of their deposit back if the home is left damage-free.
Depending on the company you are working with, you may also want to hire an outside source to inspect the home. While Selinger says that he has never had a renter ask for another inspection on any of the properties he manages, it may not be a terrible idea. If ASM Properties has listed a home, then it has already been put through a thorough examination, he explains, so a second one is not really necessary. If you’re looking for a home on your own and you do choose to get an inspection prior to moving in, make sure you have the company check for things such as termite damage, water damage and traces of rodents or insects.
When you unlock the door on your move-in day, you shouldn’t be apprehensive about your choice. Since this space will be where you will live for months if not years, you should be proud to call it your home.
