The search for your next rental property home is a process that you can start a couple of months before your current lease is up. During this period of time, you will have the chance to shop for a new rental home with all the necessary features and amenities you need. Here are some recommendations to help you find properties for rent.

Check Out the Property

One of the most important parts of finding the right place to rent is to personally walk through the property before you sign a lease agreement. When you have an opportunity to walk through a rental house first, you can see the property's condition and look out for issues that you don't want to live with for the time of your lease. For example, if you find that the kitchen is a galley-style kitchen and it is too cramped for your preference, you can make that decision before you sign the lease. 

By completing a physical walkthrough of an apartment, you will also have the chance to check the direction of the porch and front door, and also to see, for example, what type of natural light you will have coming through specific windows in the rental property. Although photos of an apartment are a great way to see what the rental property looks like, a personal inspection is best. 

When you sign the lease on the rental property, you should also go through the house with an eye for any damage or issues that should be repaired. Although the property should be prepared and cleaned after the last tenant moved out, sometimes small items can be missed. For example, if there is a window screen missing or torn, let the landlord know so they can repair it, and you won't be held liable for the damage.

Evaluate Your Spending Limit

Just as you want to walk through a rental property to visually have a good idea of its interior space and the feeling of a rental, you also need to have a clear understanding of how much your budget is. This will ensure you don't go over your budget, but you also establish a good limit for your rental budget so you can find the right apartment in the right location. 

Evaluate how much you pay now in housing costs and use that as a baseline and adjust your budget from there. Look at any new costs associated with a new apartment, such as higher utility costs to heat and cool a larger interior space, or if you will be renting a townhouse and will need to pay an extra parking service cost for the new place.

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