Your apartment hunting checklist 2023

First things first, you need to do a ton of research before you head out to find an apartment for rent. Yep, sadly, you can’t get away simply by Googling ‘serviced apartments near me’. Well, actually you could. But the odds will be against you. It’s why we’ve made a ‘first apartment checklist’ to follow while hunting for a good flat for rent. Basically, we’ve somewhat leveled the bumpy road that’ll lead you to it.

And hey, there’s no hidden agenda behind us doing this. After all, it’s our second nature to help out young migrants like you to find their footing – and a place to stay – in a new city. And it’s also why we, at Stanza Living, have 220+ managed apartments across 24+ cities. By ‘managed’, we mean they come with amenities like daily housekeeping, Wi-Fi and 24×7 app-based assistance. So if you don’t find an apartment on your own, you know where to go. Now, let’s get going and note down this ‘new apartment checklist’. Oh, and don’t forget to bookmark this page. Coz we know the internet never forgets, but it does have a hard time recalling, thanks to the trillions of web pages.

So which are the important pointers to keep in mind while hunting for an apartment?

Read it, mark it, note it, or memorise it. But whatever you do, try and follow this checklist for sure:

• Create a budget
• Find a preferable locality
• Shortlist a few properties
• Check what they have and what they don’t
• Speak to the landlord
• Complete the paperwork
• Plan your moving day and gather the essentials

Create a budget

Searching for a flat without a budget in mind is like watching a 3D movie without wearing 3D glasses. You can still do it, but you’d not get a clear picture, pun intended. Meaning, if you don’t have a budget, you won’t have a reference point to compare different properties between each other. And of course, it’s not like you have unlimited cash, do you? So go and make that budget. It’ll not be as complicated as making the #unionbudget for sure.

Find a preferable locality

Before getting to the part of shortlisting properties, you gotta shortlist a couple of localities. Because in that process, you’d also realise which localities can even fit under your budget. Like c’mon, there’s no point wasting time looking for an apartment in a posh area with a not-so-posh budget. Just like there’s no point searching for an arthouse movie on Disney+Hotstar that’s full of MCU flicks. #sorrynotsorry

Shortlist a few properties

After you know which areas to look for apartments in, start looking. You can do that either by going through online rental listings. Or posting your requirements on social media. Or joining Facebook and WhatsApp groups where flat owners post vacancies. But that’s not all. Last, but not least, you can head over to Stanza Living, skip all the hassle, and directly get what you need. Just saying.

Check what they have and what they don’t

When you compare apartments, pit each and every one of their amenities against each other. And if one of them fails to provide an amenity altogether, the verdict becomes clearer. Now, we know everyone has their own preferences too. For example, while some might sacrifice a balcony for a more spacious room, others will see not having a balcony as a big No-No. So we suggest you make a list of absolute deal-breakers to cut some flats out of your shortlists right away.

Speak to the landlord

Don’t feel hurt, but your broker is not gonna care about you after you move into a flat. So don’t skip talking to the landlord before you decide to take the flat. For example, if you ask the broker ‘Is the apartment completely independent?’, expect no answer other than a ‘yes’. Instead, ask these questions directly to the owner and you’d be able to tell what living there would probably feel like. 

Complete the paperwork

Finally, when you find an apartment that ticks all the boxes, try and lock it asap. Because if you like it, chances are others would do too. Before that, ask about the required formalities, and start finishing them off. But fair warning, in order to avoid getting duped, have an elder – or a friend who has been renting houses for a while – to accompany you through the process. Better safe than sorry, you know.

Plan your moving day and gather the essentials

Here’s the thing, the amount of effort you put in during your flat-hunting, make sure you put at least a quarter of it to plan your moving as well. Especially if it’s an unfurnished flat you’re shifting into. Because you know what’ll happen if you don’t? Well, the amount of money you saved by bargaining with the owner, you’d be losing way more if you don’t give enough time to figure out the furniture costs and what not. So don’t shy away from creating an ‘apartment move in checklist’ too.

So that completes our apartment-hunting checklist for 2023. Hope you find your second home soon, kids (and remember you always have the option to reach out to us for top flats, just saying!).