Are you looking for an apartment for rent but have no idea where to start? We got you covered. In this article, we will guide you on looking for apartments that you can move into without spending much money, while still getting a good deal. Without further ado, let’s start:
- Stay away from urban locations
Although living within a city seems like a wonderful idea with the number of close amenities, shopping, entertainment, and other stores, the rent is almost always high.
The preferable option to save money while still being close to the city is by getting an apartment in a suburban area that is reasonably close to the city center, meaning that you can always just drive there or commute easily without living in it. This will allow you to save money on transportation to your work, etc while still being reasonable near in the city.
- Find a roommate
Finding a roommate to share your room (and the rent expenses) with will allow you to effectively reduce the price of your rental fee by 50 percent. Additionally, you can also share other expenses related to the apartment to your roommate, such as food expenses, water, and electricity if it’s not already included in the rent, among other things.
Although you need to acquire the permission of the landlord before getting a roommate, it is worth trying since it can reduce the expenses that you shoulder as a whole, not just the rent. Aside from the expenses listed above, you can also share house chores, like keeping the place clean, among other tasks. One thing to remember when getting a roommate is to make sure that you have an agreement in writing about the expenses that you are going to share, and the obligations that both you are the roommate must do, and how to share them properly (such as taking out the trash, cleaning dishes, etc). This is so that you got yourself covered just in case you’ve got a bad roommate.
- Look for financial assistance
The Department of Housing and Urban Development in the United States, also known as HUD regularly provides financial aid for people with low income that struggles to pay their rent. Look at the website of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to view a list of low cost housing, or to see if you are qualified for financial aid. Meanwhile, if you are looking for cheap jakarta apartments for rent, you can check the website of the Ministry of Public Works and Housing. For other countries or cities, you can check the website or contact the department or government agency in charge of providing rental financial aid for people with lower incomes.
- Aim for smaller room apartments
Space is really expensive for apartments. This means that a big apartment will be more costly, especially a multiroom apartment. If you are just living alone with no plans to get a roommate, getting a single room apartment can be more cost efficient. You might miss some room to move on and dedicated spaces like a living room, bedroom, etc, but the savings you will make in return will make it all worth it.
Evaluate the amount of room you actually need according to your way of life, guests, domestic pets, as well as storage space. You might find that you are more pleased spending a lesser amount of money for an apartment with less space or rooms.
- Negotiate with the landlord for a lower rate
Except if you are in an area with a lot of potential apartment renters, chances are you can actually negotiate for a better monthly rent. Before you start your negotiations, make sure that you are knowledgeable of the general rate in the local area. If the landlord charges more than the local rates, you can try negotiating for an amount that is closer or equal to the local rates.
If you can afford it, try to negotiate for a better deal by arranging payments in a quarterly manner. Landlords are more willing to provide a discount if you pay for 3 months in advance or more for every payment.
