Renting homes is not easy at all. There are so many processes and levels to it that if you’re not careful, you’ll burn up your money, and you still won’t have a house to live in. The art of searching for a house itself is so expensive, it even makes you dread the act of actually paying for the house itself. Not that the houses themselves are cheap and easy to rent, they’re so expensive.
But then, why is it so difficult? Why are there so many fees involved? Besides the rent you’ll pay, you’ll also have to pay agent’s fees, lawyer fees, inspection fee, caution fee… and the list goes on. And these things are percentages of the actual rent. So, if the main rent is 1 million naira, you could end up paying up to 1.8 million just to move into a new place. That’s how crazy it is. And you’ve not even considered the other expenses that come with moving into a new place ooo.
It’s just crazy, but on the bright side, it’s good to see that here in Lagos, the government is taking a keen interest in the real estate industry, especially with regard to tenancy. So then, as a prospective tenant, what are you supposed to look for when renting a house?
Well, usually, the first thing to consider is always your money. The amount of money you have will determine the range of choices you have. You can’t be dreaming Banana Island, but your money is giving trenches vibes. The money you have will determine the area and the type of house you get to live in. And once that is secured, the neighborhood will be next.
It has to be a neighborhood that’s safe and quiet. And where there’ll be reliable water and light. Also, I personally go out of my way to make sure that wherever I live, there’s no place of worship close by. There’s also no hotel or bar in the immediate environment. I even try to avoid schools as well. Because these places make a lot of noise, and that can really mess with your mental health. You think places of worship are noisy? Try living close to a hotel, you’ll weep blood. Every evening is a party with loud music. A family friend had to leave their own home that they built, and became tenants somewhere else because a hotel opened up beside them.
Another issue you should consider is the topography. That’s why it’s best to rent houses during the rainy seasons so you can tell if it’s a flood-prone area. Also, note the roads to see if they’ll be good for cars as well. So, it’ll not be like those places where you’ll park your car in one place, and walk ten minutes back to your house.
The truth is, no matter how observant you are, you can never really know much about the place until you move in. But asking questions will always be a big help. For me, the best people I ask are usually traders who have shops in the area. I buy something from them, if it’s a soft drink, I’ll drink it right there in their shop. And during that, I struck up a conversation with them. If they’re gaining from it, people will be willing to speak their mind. And I prefer shops because many of the traders don’t live there, and they may not have ties to the area besides their shop.
This worked very well for my sister. When she was moving to her place, she noted a hairdressing salon. And she decided to patronize them on a random day. While they made her hair, she struck up a conversation, and during that she learned so much about the area. She learned enough that made her not go through with her plans to live there. That particular tactic just cost her 7k for the hair she made, but no one knows how much it saved her if she had gone ahead to live there.
Neighbors are important, but you don’t really have a choice. You either get a good neighbor or a bad one; that’s all on probability. But then, you can also play a role in determining the strata of neighbors you get. I’ve lived in an area with lots of youths, and boy, I rarely had peace of mind. People in the same age bracket as I am, but no peace of mind. It’s not the constant smoking and noisy music, but the constant police harassment. In any area where there is a high concentration of young boys who look like they’re making it, there’ll always be an issue of police and EFCC raids. I’m done with all that.
So, I generally prefer areas with families. I can deal with children being noisy in the compound, but I just detest the smell of weed in the air. I hate coming out and seeing used condoms on the street. And also, when there are more families on the street, there will be less harassment from law enforcement. I just want to be able to do my work and live my life in peace. I want to sleep and close both eyes. Not that I’d be worried about armed robbers, but I’d still be worried about police officers kicking my door open.
So yeah, a lot goes into renting an apartment, and if you’re not careful, you’ll use your money to buy problems for yourself. It’ll be like subscribing to premium trials and tribulations. And no, I don’t want that. So, there are so many things that need to change in this particular industry, but on my own part, I know just what to do if I want to get a good place to live.
