If you’re planning to move into your first rental property you might be feeling a bit overwhelmed about what you should look out for. Here, we share three things to do before renting a property to help you to prepare for your property search.
Work out how much you can afford
You’ll find lots of tempting options available when you start looking at rental properties, but your choices will be filtered down depending on how much you can afford to spend on rent. To work out your finances, you need to think about everything else you spend money on in a month, and the additional costs that renting a property will bring, e.g. energy bills and council tax. You’ll be subject to credit checks when you apply for a property too, so this will flag whether or not you can afford the rental cost.
Consider what you want from a property
Creating a list of ‘needs’ before you start searching for a rental property can be very useful, especially if there are a lot of options available to you. Think about where you’d like to live, if you need to be close to public transport links, and how many bedrooms you need. A list of ‘wants’ can also be handy – these are things you’d like from a property but aren’t must-haves. This could include a garden or allocated parking.
Choose a letting agent
A trusted letting agent is a must, especially if you’re moving into a new area and don’t have a lot of local knowledge. Through choosing a letting agent that has a great understanding of what you’re looking for, you can be confident that any potential properties will be presented to you so there’s no fear that you could miss out on your perfect home.
Now that you’ve read our three things to do before renting a property, contact us today should you be looking to rent in the Andover or Whitchurch area.