House hunting? Here is the check list

Come May, June, and the great movement begins, As the academic year draws to a close, in big cities people look for moving into new houses. Those who have been staying in rented accommodaton, are always on the look out for a bigger, better accommodation. It is also interesting to see many houses suddenly displaying `To let” boards.

A fabulous new job and the promise of a bright career are also good incentives for those working in the private sector to move cities. But when you land in a new city, you don’t find a decent place to live, and start wondering if you have made the right decision. Sometimes, one feels homesick and want to take the next flight home.

House-hunting is not that easy. Shady brokers, demanding landlords and badly maintained buildings are all part of the ordeal. But there are ways to get over them and land in a house of your choice and dreams.

Smart search

If it’s your first time in the city, it’s best to look for a place close to where you work/ study. You don’t want to have trouble finding your way back home or get lost in the maze of traffic for hours. Either friends are colleagues can be of help finding accommodation or certain websites like Sulekha can also help.

Then there are inevitable brokers, both organized and unorganized. Yes, they do charge quite a bit (one month’s rent usually) but they have a nexus which means you find a place faster and they seem to have the keys to all the good places. Definitely, one can avoid them but you will have to do a lot of running around to do and waste precious time and resources.

Home and away

Whatever method you use to scout, make sure you have a basic idea of the home you want. It helps narrow down your options.

It’s one thing to really like a place but it’s quite another to be able to afford it. Sometimes, the rent isn’t exorbitant, the deposit is. The trick is to negotiate a deal that suits both parties. One possibility is that if someone does not want to pay a huge deposit, some owners can agree if the rent is hiked by a thousand. Then they would be ready to reduce the deposit by even half. IT all depends on the negotiator’s skill.

Similarly, you could also negotiate for a lower rent with a higher deposit. After all, the deposit will come back to you at the end of the contract.

PG checklist

If one is opting for a PG accommodation, you will need basic furnishings , a self-contained bathroom, a gas stove/ hot plate/ refrigerator access, 24-hour water supply + geyser , Internet connection, a separate entrance, Liberal timings, Breakfast + dinner provided (though not necessary) are things to look for.

When you live as a paying guest, sharing accommodation with others, make sure to find a place that charges a fixed rent per person. This way if one person chooses to leave mid way; you and the others left won’t have to bear the brunt of a higher rent.

Rent checklist

• Semi/ fully-furnished apartment (It doesn’t make sense to furnish an apartment if you are going to move eventually)
• 4-hour water supply + geyser
• Gas connection, gas stove + refrigerator
• Parking facilites
• 24-hour security

Once you have found the right apartment, make sure to visit it a couple of times before fnalising the deal. If you notice anything broken/ non-functional, ask the owner to have it fixed before moving in so that there is no danger of them refusing to pay for the repairs. Also, go through the agreement properly after it is prepared to make sure that there are no terms you don’t agree to. There are other things to keep in mind:

• Does the property seem secure? Are there security amenities and staff?
• Are your preferred amenities and transport links within easy reach?
• Are there any potential nuisances?
• What are the neighbours like?
• Do repairs need to be carried out? (electrical points, geyser, gas stove etc)
• What other bills are there and what are you liable to pay for? (Check and note all meter readings on the day you move in.)

Shifting

Shifting involves a lot of work from sorting, arranging , packing and unpacking. The process can take days and disturb your daily routine.

Here are a few tips to make it easy:

To start with, collect the basic packing materials well in advance. Make sure that you have plenty of wrapping paper, so save old newspapers. Also you will need many cartons in assorted sizes. All boxes should be in good condition and must have covers on them so that they can be closed and sealed.

Use plastic sealing tape rolls to reseal the cartoons and use whenever required. Get a permanent black marker for your packed cartons to label the contents, which will make it easy while unpacking.

Pack on a room-by-room basis - don’t pack items from the living room in cartons with articles from the kitchen. This will save much confusion later when it’s time to unpack. Bulkier but not-so-heavy articles, such as pots and pans, linen, small kitchen appliances would go in larger boxes. Very bulky lightweight articles such as blankets, pillows, stuffed toys, large lamp-shades, shoes, etc, would go into largest boxes.

Keep a record of the boxes and number each box. Be specific in your descriptions. Cut down cooking utensils and food supplies to bare essentials. Wastebaskets can also be packed while you switch to using bags. It’s best to pack your small kitchen appliances together in boxes rather than with other goods that are bulky or breakable!