Moving into a new rental is exciting, but also a little daunting. Moving’s great because you get a fresh start in a new space, you might get to experience a brand new neighborhood, and it will hopefully be an upgrade from your last rental.
Signing a new lease can be overwhelming, though, because you don’t know what to expect from your landlord, it’s hard to know for sure that you’ll like your new rental and neighborhood, and moving is a lot of work.
With proper research and preparation, moving into a new rental doesn’t have to be so difficult. We’ll go over 6 top tips for renters moving into a new space. This way, you can embrace the excitement without having to worry.
Research Diligently and Proactively
It’s not likely that you’ll find the perfect rental on your first google search. Don’t just go with the listing that has the prettiest pictures. You want to find a high-quality property that’s within your budget and is managed by a landlord you can trust. You should look on sites that have a good reputation. It’s a bonus if the site allows renters to post reviews.
It’s also important to start researching early. You don’t want to be stuck with the only rental that you could sign a couple weeks before you have to move out. In order to have the best rental experience, you should begin the hunt a few months before your move-out date.
Contact your Current Landlord
If you have at least a cordial relationship with your current landlord or property manager, you should let them know that you won’t be renewing your lease as soon as you make the decision. A good landlord will stay on top of your move-out and ask before you even tell them, but it’s good to let them know even if they don’t ask. Everyone does better with more time to prepare.
Conduct a Thorough Inspection
This may sound like a no-brainer, but be sure to thoroughly inspect the rental before you even think about signing a lease. Just because the pictures look nice online doesn’t mean the property is a winner. If you aren’t sure what to look for, bring a more experienced friend or family member along to help catch what your eyes miss.
READ the Lease Agreement
Your lease isn’t your phone’s terms and conditions notification. You need to read your lease from beginning to end. The last thing you want is to be legally bound to something you didn’t know was in the agreement just because you didn’t feel like reading it. Again, if you aren’t sure what should and shouldn’t be in your lease, check online or ask a friend. It may seem like overkill, but you could even consider having a lawyer look over the lease. Better safe than sorry.
There’s plenty of software that allows you to digitally sign your lease agreement, which can make this process even easier. Ask your landlord if they offer a simple way to access your lease document online. This will also come in handy in the future if you lose a paper copy.
Create a Hassle-Free Moving Plan
Planning truly is your best friend when it comes to moving. Don’t wait until the week of to start putting together a plan, especially if you’ll need outside help.
Your hassle-free moving plan will depend entirely on your specific circumstances. If you’re moving alone and can afford it, you might consider hiring a professional moving company. If you can handle it on your own with help from friends and family, that works too.
No matter how you plan to get your belongings from point A to point B, you should establish your plan early on. This way, all of the parties involved, whether friend or professional, know exactly how to help and when they’ll be needed.
Pack Efficiently
Packing is typically the point in the moving process where the experience loses its excitement — or unpacking, pick your poison. The good news is, though, the better you pack the easier it is to unpack.
Packing is all about prioritization and organization. You should pack the belongings you use least often first. This allows you to get started a little early. You should pack your daily-use items last, since you’ll need the up until move-in day.
Now let’s talk about organization. This usually starts out strong and then becomes less of a priority as you lose steam. You need to persevere, though. You should label just nearly all sides of every box and keep a record of what items are in which box. The more organized you keep things, the easier it will be to unpack later. Trust the process.
Conclusion
There are lots of tips and tricks to moving, but hopefully the 6 we’ve just discussed have helped you feel better prepared to tackle your move. Just remember, with plenty of planning, preparation, and research, moving into a new rental can be a fun experience. Without it — well, let’s not go there.