Moving to a new house is one of the most exciting things that can happen in someone’s life. This is especially true if it’s your first time living alone or moving from your parent’s house. House hunting is tiresome and stressful. Knowing what you want before you start looking will make the search a little bit easier than it actually would be.
Below are tips that will help you remove the stress of looking for a house when the time comes to move. We also want to ensure your safety when house hunting to avoid getting scammed.
Table of Contents
What Are Your 3 Must-Haves?
Right before you start house hunting, you need to decide on what exactly should be included in the house and things you will not compromise on. What are your top 3 main priorities? It could be the space of the kitchen, the location, distance to your office, the number of bedrooms, bedsitter or a one-bedroom house. If you think you can get a perfect house then you are mistaken, unless you are constructing it from scratch to fit the design you have in mind.
Most times when you don’t know what you want, you end up spending more time house hunting. Then you end up feeling angry with many disappointments if you don’t find something you had thought you would. If you are moving to a rental, come up with two separate lists: one with the must-haves and another one with “luxuries” such as an open plan kitchen. The more specific you are about the main priorities, the faster you will get a place to stay in.
Work With a Budget
If you are asking yourself “how do you reduce stress when moving to a new house?”, then the answer is to have a budget in mind. It sounds like an obvious thing to do when you start looking for a house. However, if you come across a beautiful house that surpasses the initial budget, you will find yourself wanting to spend more on rent. Keep in mind that when you are moving, rent is not the only expense you will incur. You will need to pay for utilities, service charge, moving expenses, food and many more. Stick to your budget to help reduce the stress of living alone once you do move out.
Search for a House Online
According to BuyRentKenya statistics, 68% of people use mobile phones to look for property online. You can’t compare the convenience of looking for a house online with that of walking door to door. Here, you will find houses with detailed descriptions, house prices, images and someone who will readily answer any questions you might have.
If you are tired of house hunting, using a property portal such as BuyRentKenya will remove the hustle of constantly walking around town to view houses only to find that someone already moved in. You will also avoid rental scams that first-time renters fall for because there is no broker in between you and the landlord.
Use a Real Estate Agent
If you are sick of looking at houses on your own and can’t seem to find something you like, maybe it’s time to seek help from a real estate agent. They know different parts of Kenya pretty well and are in a better position to give you more options of houses to look at. If the stress of house hunting is getting to you, a professional agent will do most of the work for you and try get you something you will be happy with.
Qualities to look for in an agent include: someone who is readily available (on phone, email, text, etc.), someone who knows the area you are looking to move to pretty well, not affiliated to the sellers (looking out for your best interests) and honest. Moving out is a huge investment, making the right investment from the start during your house hunting process.
Be Flexible
If you get a house but it doesn’t fit the checklist you created, you can always compromise and settle for something if it’s within your budget and in the location you want. Be flexible enough to realize that there is no perfect house and you might have to settle on what is available.
For instance, getting a house with constant water supply is a basic amenity that most people look for when house hunting. If possible, speak to the neighbours and find out if they experience any water problems.
Final Words
When looking for a house, chances of getting anxious during the process are high. Don’t let it get to a point where you are losing sleep or feeling frustrations from the thought of finding a new home. If you want to move without stress, prepare yourself in advance to avoid making a rushed decision then end up regretting it.
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