A Comprehensive Guide to Finding an Apartment Abroad For Your Family

Five Steps to Finding and Renting Your Dream Apartment Abroad…

STEP ONE: Research Housing Trends and Important Real Estate Information in the Location(s) you are intending to move.

 The very first step before looking at specific houses is to research and examine general housing trends or important news pertaining to real estate in the city you are thinking about moving to.  

What are prices doing, how is availability, are there environmental issues such as water or zoning issues you need to be aware of.  Doing a bit of digging and research will allow you to make sure you are more aware of and informed about the area you are considering.  

Personal anecdote:  We did research on a community in Mexico we had heard amazing things about and intended to move to.  However, after doing some research we learned that this community had recently experienced a huge influx of expats which radically drove up real estate costs and decreased inventory for single family homes.  

Steps To Take:

1. Google the housing trends, information about the real estate market and community in your new location.  Additionally research any other trends or topics relevant to your new location such as environmental issues or other issues that could impact housing.  
2. Engage Expat communities on Social Media platforms such as Facebook and Reddit to get first hand accounts and opinions about the community and location you are considering. 

STEP TWO: Research renters laws and rights in your country

Understanding how renters are supported (or not supported) by the law in your new country is important.  Many countries give many legal rights to renters, while other countries have vague laws pertaining to renters and landlords creating more of an opportunity for renters to be taken advantage of. 

Things to look out for are…

Can rent be freely agreed upon between landlord and tenant?

Can landlords collect security deposits, and if so for how much and are there limits.? When do security deposits have to be returned?

Are the rental contracts for a specified time and what are the laws around terminating?

Can rent be increased and are there penalties for early termination? 

Can you extend the lease once you are living in the rental?

If you are moving to Europe here is a quick reference for Landlord and tenant laws in most countries.  

Regardless of how supportive your desired country is of tenants it´s important to understand the laws so that you are more aware and informed before moving.  

Personal anecdote:  France has extremely supportive laws as it relates to renters.  When we rented an apartment for our daughter it was nice to know there were exact limits on how much deposit the owner could take, and that once she was in the apartment she could easily extend the lease based on the laws.

Steps To Take:

1. Google laws pertaining to renters in your country of choice.  Inform yourself about basic laws pertaining to renters.

2. Engage Expat communities on Social Media platforms such as Facebook and Reddit to get first hand accounts and opinions about their experiences renting and ask any questions helpful to you about the process.  

TO BE CONTINUED…

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How to Move Abroad

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