“Owning a home is better than renting” – this is one old-school concept as today more and more young people are choosing to rent for its comfort and convenience factor.
Yes, renting is a great option for anyone who is jittery over the current depressed housing market, those who for some reason cannot make the home-ownership hurdle and young couples who sooner or later expect to move into their own home in few years.
Coming to the young couples particularly, well they might have rented as singles, but when it comes to renting as a couple it’s surely something you haven’t done before.
Home hunting is mostly a long quest and demands a serious approach when you are planning to move in with your life partner. However, renting a house does present many unfamiliar issues and there are many typical mistakes that couples tend to commit.
Well, to ease this process, we prepared a list of 7 absolutely smart house hunting tips for all you young couples around. Read On!
7 Smart House Hunting Tips
1. List Down Your Wants & Needs
Your house hunt is yet to start at this stage, it is important to get on the same page before you begin your mission to find the perfect place that will fit the needs of both of you. One of the best ways to achieve this is by listing down all your wants and needs that you and your significant other have.
Making separate lists also works perfectly, but later you both need to compare the list together, cross and add things as needed post discussion and create one ultimate list. In this way, you both won’t conflict with each other’s decision and will be able to jot down the things you really need and want. It is very important that you both agree on the list of “must haves” before you begin your search.
2. House Location is Paramount
The location of your home should be the first and the foremost thing to look at. Your perfect rental property should be located:
- Close enough to your offices, so that both f you can commute easily.
- Close enough to grocery stores or shopping malls.
The key idea here is to choose a location that has a great public transport facility so that commuting to work or nearby stores is hassle-free. Those of you who don’t weight location as an important factor in their decision and choose to live in less popular neighbourhoods just to pay less rent regret their decisions later.
3. Have a Budget – and Stick to It
You both have different jobs and different salaries. There is a high chance that what might look affordable to you does not really sound affordable to your partner.
It is imperative to have a good discussion about your budget before starting your search. Rent is just one factor, discuss on other money matters too like utility bills. Being well aware of what you can afford and what you cannot is a much-required step, and you cannot proceed towards a successful home hunt without this.
4. Always See A Property Together
House hunting as a couple is a tough process which demands both of you take a look at the property, inspect it, discuss it, and make an informed decision.
If only one of you goes to see the property, you might not be able to answer the questions your partner might have because his/her view and expectations from a house are different. Always make sure that both of you sync your schedules and take a tour and see whether this property feel’s right to you – TOGETHER.
5. Be Prepared to Argue
As a couple small conflicts are common, and when it comes to making big decisions like these arguments are bound to occur. Both of you have the right to express your concerns and feelings, but again don’t make it public.
Arguing about the place you liked and your partner didn’t is okay, but don’t get authoritative and force your decision on the other. Make sure you both are on the same boat when you want to get the best house.
6. Will This House Accommodate Your Belongings Well?
This is one important question to ask before taking a call. When two people move in together, they often neglect the fact that there are moving in together they sometimes neglect the fact that they have lots of stuff to move into one tiny house.
As healthy and grown-up people you surely have loads of personal stuff like clothing, furniture, electronic devices, etc. While you cannot shift your entire home into this tiny rental home, you might want to choose the ones that are most close to you and also check if the house has enough space to accommodate your belongings.
7. Be Honest With Each Other
Being honest is one of the most crucial things in every relationship. Hence, even when you go home hunting make sure you are able to discuss openly on any issue which might appear during apartment hunting together.
Sadly, sometimes people tend to hide their real feelings when they see their partner overexcited about a home. But, it is important to keep the conversation open and tell your better half how you feel about the house and if it doesn’t suit you.
Well, trying to make your partner happy is great, but you need to make sure that both of you feel the same about the house you look at.
Final Thoughts
One of the most important things about house hunting as a couple is to always remember that you both are in this together! You aren’t renting alone, this is a decision that plays a huge role in your future together as a couple and family. A DINK life is fun and awesome. But, to lead a stress-free life, you will need to take some strict steps when you can and Co-Living is one of the wisest decisions of all.
The key to finding the right home is by following the above house hunting tips and being patient. Or let us help you explore great homes Click To Connect.
