At the end of summer when students are looking for flats to stay at during their coming academic terms the rental market always experiences a spike – but this year could be more problematic.
The main problem is that there is already a spike on the market going on for a while. In the years following the financial crisis many have waited and rented apartments instead of buying them. Therefore in recent years prices have been slowly increasing – but in recent months rental fees have skyrocketed.
Most landlords can find tenants in just a few days despite high prices, so it is not easy to find a cheap rent – especially in the coming weeks when freshmen arrive in the cities.
Why turning to an agent is a good idea
Price however is not everything; there are a number of other factors to watch. So it is advisable to ask for the help of a real estate agent – even more so because it is free, the one who pays the agent is the landlord, and it should also be a much faster process. A real estate agent doesn't want to drag you through the city, looking at different rentals but they will gather relevant information on what are you looking for and only show you the suitable rentals. This is faster and a lot more convenient for both parties.
The devil in the details
You should gather information on other expenses than just the rental fee of the apartment, possible backlog on utilities for example, which can lead the shutting down of services. Also, if you can have a look at the bills you will know what you can count on the future.
Other factors you should pay attention to is to always have a written contract with the landlord; to have enough money to pay the deposit, which is usually equal to 2-3 months rental fee; make it clear what are the valid warranty claims and write down the numbers you see on the meters of the apartment.
After that there is nothing left but to move in and try to use the flat without making any damage.
