By Michael Bryksa
FINDING AN APARTMENT STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE
A time comes in our lives when we have to pack our bags, say goodbye to our parents, and move to our own living space – an apartment. I know what you’re thinking. Why an apartment? A house is a much better investment. Sure, a house is a much better investment, but these days times are tough. Money’s hard to come by. And the growing population is forcing the government to encourage people to live in tightly-packed apartments to save limited land space. So for the meantime it’s best to look for a nice apartment to live in while you’re saving up for a house in the suburbs in the future.
Here are some tips on how to find a cheap apartment in Calgary.
1. Finding an apartment is not rocket science, but you at least need to be prepared. Write an “apartment renter’s resume” which includes information such as your previous addresses and landlord contact numbers (if you’ve rented before), and work-related details including your employer, length of employment, and monthly salary. You want to look good on paper if you want to stand out from other applicants, your competition.
2. Look for apartment rentals in the most obvious places. Read the newspaper classified, campus bulletin boards, apartment rental applications, even on the Internet. In fact, especially on the Internet. Also ask your friends for rental openings in their buildings.
3. Write down and compute how much you can afford. The general rule of thumb is 30%, more or less, of your monthly take-home income.
4. Enlist the services of a rental/lease agent to help you with your search. Depending on the location in Calgary, take note this is going to cost you additional fees or a small percentage of your rent when you find an apartment through this service.
5. Are you working on a really tight budget? You could call a roommate service to help you find someone to live with and share the rental fees. They’ll ask you what qualities you like or dislike in a roommate, such as smokers and etc., so make sure you give them as much information as possible.
ADDITIONAL TIPS AND WARNINGS
In addition, here are some things you need to keep in mind when looking for an apartment.
— Some apartment buildings allow pets, some don’t. If the landlord allows you to keep your pet don’t be surprised if you have to pay extra for it.
— It’s important to put in writing how soon you can expect your security deposit after you’ve moved out of the apartment. Some landlords like to drag their feet and this won’t work in your favor.
— Send a report to Calgary’s local housing office if you feel the landlord is refusing you out of ethnicity or sexual preferences.
Finding an apartment in Calgary is easy if you know what you’re doing right from the beginning. With these tips, it should be a piece of cake. Calgary is a great place if you’re especially looking for cheap and affordable apartments for rent.
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Source:
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