Apartment hunting in Ireland for first time renters can be very intimidating for some potential tenants. Often, the various options available to a first time renter is a source of immense frustration for tenants. With so many appealing options it can be difficult to choose one. But there are a few tips that can help facilitate the process of finding your first apartment. The process of finding the perfect apartment can be divided into three simple steps. The first step is to set a budget. Next you must find the available options and lastly, make comparisons to decide which option is best.

First, Set a Budget

For many renters the most important consideration is how much they are willing to spend on an apartment per month. For this reason it is not surprising that the first step in the process of finding an apartment should include establishing a budget. As a tenant you should consider your monthly income and monthly expenses to avoid spending this entire amount on rent. Monthly expenses should include all bills that are paid regularly and the money spent on food, entertainment and miscellaneous items every month. You can also allocate an additional amount to allow for savings each month and in case of emergency. The total left after these subtractions is the amount the tenant is able to afford per month. Once this amount is established then the tenant will have a better understanding of the type of housing they can afford.

Second, Research Available Properties

Once the budget has been established, you should begin to examine the properties that fall within the scope of your budget. This will tell you the amount of monthly spending to rent more expensive properties. You may also determine whether you think that having the opportunity to negotiate a lower rental rate for a certain characteristic is viable or desirable.

During the search of properties in the first place, you do not have to go to each property. Most pricing information can be obtained from resources such as websites, newspapers and magazines for rent. The price is the main concern at this stage, initial research will enable you to remove properties that are too far from your price range.

Third, Compare Properties

Once you have narrowed your list of possible apartment complexes to a more manageable number, it is time to start visiting these properties. It is during this step that you will really get an idea of the quality of the apartment and the quantity and quality of facilities offered by the resort. This is very important because this information can be used to select properties that are otherwise very similar.

Comparison shopping is also interesting because it gives you some bargaining power in negotiating a more favourable rental rate. Tenants who have visited a number of apartments probably have a better idea of the going rates in a particular area for a particular size apartment. These tenants can use this information to potentially convince some leasing agents to lower their prices, at least a little. There will probably be no big drops in the price of these negotiations, but it will probably be enough to be a good idea.