How Do I Find a Good Place to Rent?

Everyone who doesn’t have a very rich family or very accommodating parents sooner or later is faced with this dilemma.  It’s usually right after leaving home or when you are attending college and the last thing that you need is to move into a place you will have to move right out of.  Most people would rather undergo dental surgery than have to move so it is critical to find a good place to rent right off the bat.

Before you even start looking sit down and make a list of what you require in a good place to rent?  Do you have a pet? One you can’t part with? Because that will limit the amount of places you can go. Ditto if you insist on smoking inside.  Do you need two bedrooms or more? Is two bathrooms a must? List all the things that you will need to consider so you can quickly weed through the possibilities and not get hung up on trying to make the place fit your needs.

Then there is the property type itself.  A good place to rent can be as simple as a basement suite or it might just be a single bedroom with shared kitchen if you’re a student.  On the other hand if you’re an executive just taking on a new contract in a different city you would have a very specific set of needs.  From apartments to condos to town houses to single family dwellings there are a myriad of possibilities and you have to determine what best fits your wants and needs.

Personally I like the internet as a place to do a lot of my searching although there are good resources in local papers, notice boards at grocery stores, campuses and community gathering places. Pay attention as you travel around in the desired area you want to live in as there are often signs displayed right on the properties themselves.

Online resources in Canada include, Kijiji.ca (one that I prefer) Gottarent.com ,  Rentboard.ca , Usedvancouver.com   (Insert name of your local city there) and  Craigslist.ca

In the United States the most complete sites are Rent.com,    Places4rent.com,   Rentals.com, Mynewplace.com,   Rentalhouses.com  and   Craigslist.com  

Meet with the property manager or the landlord and get a feel for what they are all about.  Are they likely to be very clear and upfront about expectations and any potential dispute resolutions?  Go prepared to the meeting with questions that you want the answers for.  Treat the meeting as though you are interviewing them to ensure that they are people that you can work with.

Be clear in your expectations your needs and you can eliminate a lot of the running around and stress often associated with finding a good place to rent.